Institutionalizing UDL: How to Implement Universal Design for Learning …and Make It Sustainable!

1. Institutionalizing UDL:How to Implement Universal Design for Learning…and Make It Sustainable! June 25, 2008 Craig Spooner & Cathy SchellyThe ACCESS ProjectColorado State University

2. Goals • Define UDL for effective buy-in at your institution • Identify UDL solutions for both instruction (teaching) and course materials (technology) • Identify stakeholders and resources at your institution that can effect “institutionalization” • Create action plan for dissemination and institutionalization at your institution

3. Activities • Watch a short video and discuss the ACCESS Project’s approach to UDL dissemination and research • Work through two case studies to identify UDL opportunities and strategies • Take a survey of teaching practices and discuss implications for UDL • Develop list of UDL stakeholders at your institution • Develop a sustainable plan for UDL implementation

4. Ice Breaker • Break into groups of groups of five • Identify and record all of the UDL stakeholder roles in each group • The group with the most stakeholder roles wins the grand prize!

5. Video “Best Practices through Universal Design for Learning” Run time: 13 minutes http://accessproject.colostate.edu/video

6. Universal Design for Learning UDL is built on 3 key principles: • Presenting information and concepts in multiple ways and in a variety of formats • Allowing students multiple ways to express their comprehension and mastery of a topic • Encouraging students to engage with new ideas and information in multiple ways

7. Categories of UDL Two subcategories for each principle • Technology (accessible course materials) • Teaching (pedagogy)

8. More definitions of UDL… • UDL is an extension of UD: accommodating the widest spectrum of users—including individuals with disabilities— without the need for subsequent adaptation or specialized design • UDL acknowledges the diversity of students in today’s classrooms • Instead of advocating any single best practice, UDL challenges instructors to reach and engage a diverse audience through a combination of instructional formats, technologies, and learning modalities.

9. UDL and Technology • Electronic documents are essential • Universally designed electronic documents work hand-in-hand with the latest technologies, including: • Cross-platform browsers • Alternative displays (e.g., PDAs, cell phones) • Assistive technologies

10. UDL Techniques for Word • Organize content using Styles • Use Outline view to create structure • Describe images (alternative text) • Add captions tables and diagrams • Make web links descriptive • Design for black and white viewing • Convert to multiple formats

11. UDL Techniques for PowerPoint • Build and edit in Outline View • Embellish content in Speaker Notes • Describe images (alternative text) • Limit slide content, keep text size large • Convert to accessible formats (or offer in PowerPoint’s native file format)

12. UDL Techniques for PDF • Create “tagged” PDFs • Use OCR for scanned pages • Preserve “Reflow” capabilities • Build bookmarks for navigation • Don’t lock files unnecessarily • Optimize to reduce file size • Check for accessibility

13. UDL Techniques for the Web – Slide 1 • Separate content (document structure) from its presentation (visual appearance) • Describe images (alternative text) • Specify text sizes in “relative units” • Make web links descriptive • Keep page layout and navigation simple and consistent • Design for “no styles” viewing

14. UDL Techniques for the Web – Slide 2 • Use tables for “tabular data” only • Allow for keyboard navigation • Create accessible forms • Don’t rely on JavaScript for basic functionality • Caption videos or provide transcripts • Validate code for W3C compliance • Evaluate pages specifically for accessibility

15. UDL Training Modules • Microsoft Word • Microsoft PowerPoint • Adobe PDF • Web Pages using Dreamweaver • Tech Tips for HTML • Web Accessibility Tests using Firefox and WAVE • E-text

16. The ACCESS Website • http://accessproject.colostate.edu

17. Time for a break… • See you back in 10 minutes

18. UDL Instructor Questionnaire • Please complete the ACCESS Project UDL Instructor Survey

19. UDL and Teaching • UDL ties in with other best practices for teaching and learning: • Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education • Instructional Design • Learning Styles/Preferences

20. Seven Principles for Good Practice Good Practice… • Encourages contacts between students and faculty • Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students • Encourages active learning • Gives prompt feedback • Emphasizes time on task • Communicates high expectations • Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

21. Instructional Design • Analysis • Design • Development • Implementation (delivery of instruction) • Evaluation

22. Learning Styles/Preferences • Visual-Linguistic (reading and writing) • Visual-Spatial (graphs and pictures) • Auditory (listening) • Kinesthetic (touching and moving)

23. Case Study #1 Jonathan Fredericks, calculus instructor • Read case study • Identify problems related to UDL (e.g., teaching, learning, instructional technologies, and universal accessibility) • Discussion

24. Case Study #2 Dr. Amanda Goodheart, psychology instructor • Review UDL “matrix” of principles and guidelines • Read case study • Identify problems related to UDL (e.g., teaching, learning, instructional technologies, and universal accessibility) • Discussion

25. The ACCESS Project • Funded by U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education • UDL and Student Self-Advocacy • Currently in year 3: the dissemination and institutionalization phase • ACCESS II, beginning fall ’08, will involve an unprecedented expansion of dissemination and research

26. UDL Research • Research about UDL is scarce • The ACCESS UDL study is one of the first to test the real-world effectiveness of UDL as a framework for increasing student persistence and retention in higher education.

27. The ACCESS UDL Study • Psychology 100 • One of the freshman “gateway” courses • 1,700 students each semester • 7 sections – approximately 250 students per section • Pre- and post-surveys of students and instructors • Track retention rates of students with and without disabilities

28. Create an Action Plan • Depending on your role, use worksheet to create a plan that will guide your efforts to: • Implement UDL in your classroom • Design course materials using UDL • Infuse UDL into your program or department • Institutionalize UDL across campus for many years to come

29. Identify Key Players • Who are the key players at your institution for UDL implementation and dissemination? • What is each key player’s role in making UDL a sustainable part of teaching, learning, and professional development? • Identify WIIFMs for each key player • What are the bottlenecks and roadblocks to institutionalization of UDL? • Who should drive UDL the institutionalization effort on your campus?

30. Tie UDL to the “Big Issues” • What are the “institutional WIIFMs” of UDL implementation? • Do the benefits of UDL overlap with the goals of your institution? • Can UDL address some of the big challenges the institution faces? (e.g., recruitment/enrollment, retention, matriculation) • Who are the stakeholders charged with addressing these issues?

31. Thank you! We welcome your comments and questions.