UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING

& Appropriate

Accommodations/Modification:

EDSP 433

Universal DesignIs our physical environment welcoming?

DisWeb © 2000 Karen G. Stone

• Architectural term coined by R. Mace• Physical environment design for access• Stairs as access feature/barrier

• Physical Disabilities• Elderly• Children• Strollers/Carts

• Retrofitting for physical access remains a design afterthought

Retrofitting our Physical Environment

• Typically solves one issue

• Often costly to implement

• Aesthetically inelegant

Copyright ® 1997 Access Elevator Company

Universal Design Solutions

• Intentional approach to design• Anticipates a variety of needs• Broadens usability to public• More economical • Respects human diversity

What kind of Universal Design solutions have you seen?

Some Efforts Toward Physical Accessibility

Universal Design for LearningIs our pedagogical environment welcoming?

UDL is the proactive design of our courses to ensure they are educationally accessible regardless of learning style, physical or sensory abilities.

Just as physical barriers exist in our physical environment,

curricular barriers exist in our instructional environment.

UDL Analogy

UD UDL

Physical Environment Instructional Environment

Physical barriers may exist in our architectural environment

Learning barriers may exist in our curricular environment

Proactive design of physical space Proactive design of curriculum and instruction

Physical retrofitting can be costly and is often inelegant

Instructional accommodations can be time consuming and difficult to

implement

7

Educationally, Does One Size Fit All?

Think – Pair - Share

Take a moment and recall an activity in one of your classes where you struggled to understand a particular idea or topic.

What “teaching variables” may have impacted your success?

UDL Foundations: UDL Foundations: Brain-based Learning NetworksBrain-based Learning Networks

Current brain research indicates three distinct yet inter-related learning networks (Rose, Meyer, Hitchcock, 2005):

1. Recognition Learning Network (what) How we make sense of presented information

2. Affective Learning Network (why) How motivation & participation impacts learning

3. Strategic Learning Network (how) How we demonstrate our learning or mastery

http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/learn.php

Brain Imaging Showing Individual Differences

                           

                           

                           

These three functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) show brain activity patterns of three different people performing the same simple, finger tapping task. The level of brain activity during performance of this task is designated using color. Blue indicates a low to moderate level of activity, red indicates a high level of activity, and yellow indicates an extremely high level of activity.

CAST: Teaching Every Student© 2002-2009

Making the ConnectionUDL Principles for Effective Instruction

Creating flexible learning environments so that we…

Offer various ways to REPRESENT (show) essential course concepts in support of recognition learning networks

Offer various ways to encourage student ENGAGEMENT (participate) in support of affective learning networks

Offer students various formats for EXPRESSION (demonstration) of what they have learned through strategic learning networks

UDL is not…

Specialized privileges for a few students It is not about special accommodations

Watering down your academic expectations It is not about making courses easier – school is

supposed to be challenging if learning occurs A “magic bullet” or “fix” for all students

It is not going to solve all your curricular or pedagogical problems

A prescriptive formula No checklist will offer the “UDL solution”

Reading Disabilities? Print Disabilities?

Universal Design for Learning…Shifting the focus of the problem

What Do We Have Control Over?

Lesson Planning

Lesson Plan Goal or Objective What is the purpose of the lesson?

Curriculum What materials will you use to teach?

(textbook, worksheets, manipulatives)

Pedagogy How will you teach the lesson?

(lecture, cooperative groups, pairs)

Assessment How will you measure if students learned?

(formal/informal measures, observations

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Teaching Mathematics PatternsTraditional Approach

Often the teacher reviews with the students the section of the math book that introduces number patterns.

The teacher then offers guided practice with the whole class using the chalkboard.

Finally, the teacher asks the students to complete a worksheet independently.

Thus, in a print-based environment:1.students review the same book,2.participate in the guided lesson,3.and respond individually to the same worksheet.

Universal Design for LearningElements

Lesson:Mathematics Number Patterns

REPRESENTATIONProvide Multiple Examples (2.5)

Teacher reviews both the textbook as well as other examples of number patterns through the story “The Kings Chessboard”

REPRESENTATIONHighlight Critical Features (3.2)

Teacher highlights critical features of number patterns across both the textbook and story with guided practice

ENGAGEMENTFoster collaboration & community (8.3)

In cooperative groups, students rotate to three different stations that support exploring number patterns including (1) practice worksheet station (2) math computer program and (3) chalkboard examples

ENGAGEMENTOptimize choice and autonomy (7.1)

In pairs, students construct their own examples of number patterns

EXPRESSIONBuild fluencies with graduated levels of support (5.3)

Teacher uses student generated examples and standard text examples and creates leveled assessment worksheet

Models of Support

Accommodations Model

Differentiation of instruction

Modifications Model

Universal Design

Definition: Accommodation An accommodation allows a student with a disability to

complete the same assignment or exam as other students, but with a change in the timing, formatting, setting, scheduling, response and/or presentation. This accommodation does not alter in any significant way what the test or assignment measures.

Importantly, accommodations indicate that the student is expected to meet the same standard as others.

Example: Student who is blind has a Braille version of their math book (taught) Student takes final exam alone in a quiet room w/monitor (tested)

Key Point: Same skill is being measured yet

the student’s disability is accommodated.

Fair & Accurate

Offering No Unfair Advantage

A modification is an adjustment to an assignment or a test that substantially changes the standard of what the test or assignment is supposed to measure.

Importantly, modifications indicates the student is not expected to meet the same standard as others. Thus, we are modifying our expectations.

Examples: Student completes work on part of a math quiz Student completes a different English assignment

Key Point: We are adjusting the level of

support/expectation in recognition of the student’s disability.

Definition: Modification

Test Your KnowledgeAccommodation or

Modification? Below grade level testing? Extended time on reading fluency (timed) test? Extended time on reading comprehension test? Use of a calculator on a computational math

quiz? Repeated test directions on a final exam? Use of a computer to write an English paper? Frequent breaks during mid-term exam?

Alteration of the Materials

3. Adding Materials4. Adapting Materials5. Substituting Materials

Alteration of our Expectations

6. Modification of Quantity7. Demonstration of Learning8. Prioritization of Goals

EFFECTIVE SUPPORTS FOR ALL STUDENTSCarol Tashie et al

1. Can they participate in the lesson the same way? Yes = stop here No = continue

2. If not, which of the following supports and/or alterations (one or more) are necessary for the student’s full participation?

Addition of Supports

1. Peer Supports2. Adult Supports

What Would You Do?

William is a 7th grade student at Lewis Middle School. He is currently in your general education English classroom as well as receiving support from a Resource Specialist.

You have a major project long-term project in your class where each student needs to create their own book which will be “published” in the school library. More specifically, by the end of the semester students are expected to participate and complete each phase of the writing process (concept/plan, draft, edit, etc.) so they can publish a 10-15 page fictional book with illustrations.

William has a difficult time with the writing process. His pencil/paper work tends to be quite illegible and when asked to do written work in class he generally only completes – at most – one paragraph. He is however a pretty good drawer and often draws/doodles images that look quite realistic.

You know the project is due in one month and you are concerned he might not be able to complete the project.