Teaching & Learning as Unique as Fingerprints… Universal Design for Learning

1. Teaching & Learning as Unique as Fingerprints…Universal Design for Learning Glenna Gustafson ED.D ggustafso@radford.edu TamaraWallace, PHD twallace8@radford.edu RADFORD UNIVERSITY

2. ASSESSMENT 1. What does UDL stand for? • A. Universal Description of Legalism • B. United Dairy Leaders • C. Underdogs of Louisiana • D. Universal Design of Learning • TRUE/FALSE • UDL asks the question: How does the activity need to be modified for a particular child? • UDL supports the learning of all children • UDL encompasses multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression

3. Higher Education Opportunity Act, 2008 Stresses the importance of: • awareness, outreach, and training activities for faculty on exemplary practices for accommodating and supporting students with disabilities – which includes UDL. • colleges of education preparing “teacher candidates for successful implementation of technology-rich teaching and learning environments, including environments consistent with the principles of UDL, that enable kindergarten through grade 12 students to develop learning skills to succeed in higher education and to enter the workforce” (Part B, Sec. 231).

4. UDL Faculty Practices Faculty Survey - School of Teacher Education and Leadership Purpose: To better understand the UDL practices being implemented by school faculty Online 11 question survey of 34 faculty 65% return rate

5. Survey Results Overview

6. Other activities • Reviewed course syllabi for UDL components • Created and distributed a UDL syllabus checklist for faculty • Provided additional information for faculty on student resources available on campus • Presentations about UDL provided to: • campus groups • classes • state and regional conference presentations • UDL faculty reading group • Burgstahler, S. E. & Cory, R. C. eds. (2008).Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice. Boston: Howard Education Press.

7. Working with our pre-service learners Obvious disconnect between learner considerations on the lesson plan form and what was happening in the classroom Often times learner considerations were added to plans following instruction – not during the planning stage General lack of consideration for learners at both ends of the spectrum within learner considerations

8. Our First Steps Teaching the principles of UDL within courses Modeling UDL strategies within our own teaching Including UDL in our lesson plan template Including discussion of differentiation for ESL, gifted, & special education students within our courses Encouraging the use of technology as an instructional tool Providing multiple strategies for addressing the 3 UDL principles

9. Teacher Candidate Survey How would you define UDL?

10. Teacher Candidate Survey Explain why you feel the principle that you selected is most important.

11. Teacher Candidate Survey The RU lesson plan format was designed to make you think about UDL. Did you find the design and form helpful?

12. Future Steps Extend instruction about the principles of UDL to other elementary and special education cohorts Formally include the UDL table within our lesson plan format for all elementary and special education pre-service learners Model and use the language of UDL to reinforce it as a habit of mind for our pre-service students Provide additional professional development for: technology integration, instructional strategies for ESL, and gifted learners

13. POST-ASSESSMENT . What does UDL stand for? • A. Universal Description of Legalism • B. United Dairy Leaders • C. Underdogs of Louisiana • D. Universal Design of Learning TRUE/FALSE • UDL asks the question: How does the activity need to be modified for a particular child? • UDL supports the learning of all children • UDL encompasses multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression

14. Let’s Recap • Speed Chat • What can you take back? • How will you share? • What are your next steps? • Questions, comments, & feedback

15. For Additional Information on UDL National UDL Task Force  -http://www.udl4allstudents.org CAST - www.cast.org National UDL Center - www.udlcenter.org San Jose State University- Center for Faculty Development - http://www.sjsu.edu/cfd/accessibility/udl/ Colorado State University – Access - http://accessproject.colostate.edu/udl/ San Francisco State University – UDL - http://ctfd.sfsu.edu/udl.htm Ensuring Access through Collaboration and Technology (EnACT) -http://enact.sonoma.edu/ National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) - http://nimas.cast.org/ IDEAS That Work UDL Toolkit - http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/udl/index.asp

16. Technology Tools to Support UDL Wordle -Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. http://www.wordle.net/ Readability - Readability™ is a simple tool that makes reading on the Web more enjoyable by removing the clutter around what you're reading. http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/ Quizlet -Quizlet is a lightning fast way to memorize vocabulary lists. It's like flashcards, but much more fun and interactive. http://quizlet.com/ Glogster - Poster yourself - Make your interactive poster easily and share it with friends. Mix Images, Text, Music and Video. It is fantastic! http://www.glogster.com/http://mmkrill.glogster.com/udl/ Spellchecker.net - Online Spell check, Grammar, and Thesaurus checking http://www.spellchecker.net/ Read Please - Software that allows your computer to talk - with AT&T Natural Voices - Let the web talk to you with this easy and free software http://www.readplease.com