Universal Design for Learning

1. Universal Design for Learning A Framework for Designing Access to Core Content Expectations for ALL Students

2. Susan Hardin Macomb Intermediate School District shardin@misd.net MITS is an IDEA Mandated Activities Project awarded by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services

3. MITS is an IDEA mandated Activities Project awarded by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services. Its purpose is to help the State Board of Education achieve its vision of Universal Education by sharing Universal Design for Learning resources and professional development opportunities with educators across the state.

4. Goals for this presentation: • Understand the impact that changes in society, technology, research, educational policy and demands have on teaching and learning • Understand the framework of Universal Design for Learning and its relation to student achievement • Identify the components of a Universally Designed Lesson/Curriculum • Locate resources regarding UDL information, materials and technology

5. EDUCATION Things are always changing…

6. Change

7. Today’sclassroom: • Teachers must deliver instruction to diverse groups of students who come from a variety of cultures with varying languages, learning styles, abilities and disabilities. • These students are included in the General Education classroom. • Educational demands are on the rise • Shift from acquiring knowledge to integrating knowledge • Higher curriculum standards • All students are held to the same standards

8. Accountability and Assessment • No Child Left Behind (NCLB) state assessment participation rate. • Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) disaggregate subgroups, 1% participation cap. • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) • Match state benchmark and standards • Access for every student • Response to Intervention (RtI) • Equity In Every Instructional Opportunity (EIEIO)

9. Rapid Changes in Technology

10. Think about how these phrases would have sounded 10 years ago… • I lost all of my addresses because I forgot to hotsync • Beam your answers to your neighbor • I have to take myearbudsout of myIpod • You’re being arrested for piracy • Brittney Spears is the most searched for person… and she’s not even lost!

11. Changes in the World Economy • We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist . . . • Using technologies that haven’t been invented . . . • In order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet. • David Warlick in “The New Literacy”

12. A Whole New Mind • Shift in qualities required for success • design • story • symphony • empathy • play • meaning Daniel Pink

13. Brain research • Recent research in neuroscience confirms that… each brain processes information differently. The way we learn is as individual as DNA or fingerprints. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org

14. Where are we now? • Although substantial progress has been made to increase physical access to the classroom, cognitive access often remains a barrier Dave Edyburn

15. The Achievement Gap Dave Edyburn

16. Why? The mismatch

17. Success for at-risk learners begins • with good curriculum, • flexible materials, • engaging assignments and • built in universal access features

18. What we know about student learning: Students need to be able to: • Recognize information, ideas, and concepts, • Apply effective strategies to process the information and • Be engaged in the process. Vygotsky

19. ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT When the task is too difficult for learner When the task is too easy for learner

20. Highengagement Right amount of support Challenge is appropriate

21. How we’ve been doing business…

22. So how do we adjust curriculum easily and effectively given limited time?

23. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Definition: UDL is an educational approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, drawing on new brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org

24. method research 21st century technology ALLstudents UDL Definition – a closer look UDL is an educational approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, drawing on new brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences.

25. CAST www.cast.org

26. Support diverse recognition networksProvide students with multiple ways to take in, organize and make sense of new information • Provide multiple examples • Highlight critical features (Big Idea) • Provide multiple media format • Support background context knowledge Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org

27. An example… • Next you will hear an audio file that briefly explains about the brain research that has taken place regarding the principals of UDL. • Those of you who are auditory learners should be comfortable with this next segment. Those who need visual cues or hands on practice might find it challenging.

28. UDL and the Learning Brain David Rose, CAST www.cast.org

29. Imagine if we had a visual display to support the audio clip: Brain Network Distributes processing to different parts/places of the brain Distributes processing differently when you are a beginner at a task than when you are an expert at the task -Recognition -Strategic -Affective

30. What if we passed around a model of a brain…

31. Learner Adjustable Scaffolds

32. TTYN (Talk To Your Neighbor) • Think about your own learning preferences. What supports would want to be sure were in place for you?

33. Support diverse strategic networks Provide students with multiple approaches, knowledge and strategies for learning. • Provide flexible models of skilled performance. (conspicuous strategies) • Provide opportunities to practice with scaffolds. (supported practice) • Provide on-going relevant feedback. • Offer flexible opportunities to demonstrate skill. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org

34. Support diverse affective networksProvide students with engaging activities that include multiple levels of challenge, variety of content and support. • Offer choices of content and tools. • Offer adjustable levels of challenge. • Offer choice of rewards • Offer choice of learning context. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org

35. Multiple means of representation Content Multiple means of engagement Process Multiple means of expression Product CAST www.cast.org

36. How we’ve been doing business… A UDLCurriculum…

37. Universal Design for Learning A Lesson Plan: To Kill a Mockingbird • Video streaming • Digital Photos • Electronic text • Talking Books • Visual Map • Spark Notes– text and audio • Low Tech Tools • Vocabulary Support

38. Universal Design for Learning: 8th Grade History Studying for the End of the Unit Exam Mr. Langhorst’s Virtual Classroom

39. Studycast and Graphic Organizer– 8th grade American HistoryConstitutional Powers

40. Universal Design for Learning Materials in the classroom • Video streaming (www.unitedstreaming.com) • Electronic text books (www.accessiblebookcollection.org) • Digital photos (www.pics4learning.com) • Talking Books (MP3, Start-to-Finish, Thinking Reader) • Concept maps • NASA Explores (http://www.nasaexplores.com/) • Blogging (www.visitmyclass.com) • Clay animation (www.tech4learning.com/claykit) • Pod Casting (http://epnweb.org) • Digital Storytelling (http://www.scott.k12.ky.us/technology/digitalstorytelling/ds.html) • Project Based Learning (Regions) • ASK

41. Resources • Resources mentioned in this presentation: http://www.protopage.com/hardins

42. TTYN • How has the advent of new technologies effected instructional design?

43. Case Study: Mrs. Jones’ Fourth Grade Classroom From: A Practical Reader in Universal Design for Learning

44. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org

45. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org State StandardsInstructional Goals Traditional Approach • Student groups create a map containing political, topographical, and natural resources in the selected state of study • Students will orally present and describe the state and map results to the class UDL Approach Students map the political, topographical, and natural resources of a selected state Students present results to demonstrate understandings of the state and its resources

46. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org State Standards:Instructional Objectives Traditional Approach Read the social studies text and (a minimum of) two additional resources to gather information about state resources, geography, and political structures Write a compare-and-contrast table of state resources Make a representative map using available materials Present information to the class Raise hands to answer teacher and presenter questions on the presentation UDL Approach The students will (a) collect information, (b) make comparisons, and (c) create maps to represent state resources, topography, and political information Present information to the class. Analyze information and respond to questions.

47. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org CurriculumMethods-Introduce Lesson Traditional Approach Teacher provides a brief lecture on the home state. She reminds students of previous studies of land and resources, and the impact of natural resources on population growth, political, and land-use issues. Teacher divides the students into working groups to complete their research, map-making, note-taking, and presentation UDL Approach Avoid limiting presentation style. May be students who do not respond, comprehend, or attend well to a lecture style. Consider using media in the presentation (e.g. concept map/graphics, video, audio summary) to enhance and illustrate concepts and topics introduced and reviewed Consider frequent questions and statements of clarification; solicit student participation Consider assigning students to working groups by mixed abilities to make use of complementary skills Provide demonstrations of performance expectations

48. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org CurriculumMethods- Guide the Lesson Traditional Approach Students read the textbook chapter on the selected home state to find out about the state resources, boundaries, topography, and population center. Students are required to use at least one outside resource. Student groups must also take written notes to support their research work UDL Approach Provide multiple means to access resource materials (audio, digital, with graphics, video Scaffold reading with supports for decoding and vocabulary (talking dictionary) Support reading strategies with cooperative working groups (e.g. paired reading, discussion sessions) Consider alternative means for note-taking (e.g. audio-recorded summary, electronic note-taking, scanning, Google Notebook) Scaffold note-taking by allowing students to use a graphic organizer with information prompts built in (e.g., name of state, land mass, geographic location)

49. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org CurriculumMethods- Close the Lesson Traditional Approach Using the map, groups give oral presentations, including resource information, to the class Each student takes notes during the presentations Students draw and write a compare/contrast chart of the physical, political, and geographical characteristics of the states presented by all groups UDL Approach Provide students with options for presenting information (e.g., presentation may be written, oral (podcast), video, or visual) Provide audience with scaffolds and alternative means of collecting information as students make presentations (e.g. recordings, notes, response questions) Consider alternatives for writing a compare/contrast chart (e.g. oral, pictorial, digital, using digital Venn diagram (Inspiration) )

50. Center for Applied Special Technologies, CAST www.cast.org CurriculumMedia and Materials UDL Approach Printed text may constitute a barrier for students with physical or reading disabilities. If texts are digitally available, teachers and students have options for text-to-speech, large print, on-line vocabulary help and a variety of display formats. Provide various means and materials that students can use to create a map. Examples include: a) draw a map; b) create a map with clay; c) create a map electronically with computer tools; d) have students verbalize for others the details of what to place on a map and where. Traditional Approach Social Studies textbook Encyclopedia Map materials Tag board Colored pencils Rulers Glue Clay Trays CD software on U.S. geography