Transcript The Universally Designed Learning Experience

The Universally
Designed Learning
Experience
The ACCESS Project, Colorado State University


Jesse Hausler, Assistive Technology Coordinator
Craig Spooner, Project Coordinator
Have you heard the
following from faculty?
“I don’t have any students in my class with
disabilities.”
A. Yes
B. No
How can we confront this
problem?
A. Hold more workshops and training
sessions on AT and Accessibility.
B. Implement a set of rules and regulations
for faculty to follow.
C. Bribes.
D. Something else entirely.
Promote UDL,
not accessibility
Defining UDL
“
Universal Design for Learning
is a set of principles and techniques for
teaching
creating inclusive classroom instruction
technology
and accessible course materials.
”
The ACCESS Video
Roots of UDL

Universal Design (UD) - Accommodate
the widest spectrum of users without
the need for subsequent adaptation

UDL makes teaching and course
materials accessible to more students
and reduces the need for individual
accommodations
UDL and Technology
We know these help
students with disabilities

Accessible Web Pages

PDFs with OCR, Tags, Bookmarks

Descriptions for STEM Diagrams

Word documents with Structure

Consistent use of CMS
What are the benefits of
PDFs with OCR and Tags

Accessibility via the Tag structure

Search through multiple documents for
keywords

Navigation through Bookmarks

Reflow for users with small displays

Text to Speech

Copy and Paste
Who benefits from
PDFs with OCR and Tags?
Universal Design?

Students with Disabilities

Students without Disabilities

Faculty
Everyone!
UDL and Teaching
UDL anticipates classroom diversity
Students are diverse in
many ways

Abilities/Disabilities

Age/Life Experiences

Cultures/Ethnicities

Native Languages

Academic Preparation

Learning styles
Learning styles
1.
Visual
Visual-Linguistic (reading and writing)
b) Visual-Spatial (graphs and pictures)
a)
2.
Auditory (listening)
3.
Kinesthetic (touching and moving)
UDL: a framework for
inclusive pedagogy
1. Information and concepts are
represented in multiple ways and in a
variety of formats.
2. Students are given multiple ways to
express their comprehension and
mastery of a topic.
3. Students engage with new ideas and
information in multiple ways.
Representation

Ideas and information are represented in
multiple ways
Lecture
 Hands-on activities
 Graphics/Audio/Video
 Text

Representation

In our video, who benefits from the:
Descriptive audio?
 Transcripts?
 Captions?

Expression

Students express their comprehension in
multiple ways

Oral presentation

Written essays

Projects/Portfolios/Journals

Performance

Multimedia (graphics/audio/video)
Expression

Colin from our video
Student with Quadriplegia
 Undergraduate in Landscape Architecture


Assignment: Create a 3D model
Physical model
 Computerized model

Engagement

Give students multiple opportunities for
engagement
express enthusiasm for topics
 challenge students with meaningful , real-world
assignments
 give prompt and instructive feedback on
assignments
 make yourself available to students during
office hours in flexible formats

Engagement

Physics professor from India has
students video tape Q&A during office
hours

Individual questions answered for
everyone in the course
Video
 Written explanation

Challenge 1
You create a class climate in which student
disability is respected.

Which UDL principle does this represent?
A. Representation
B. Expression
C. Engagement
Challenge 2
You allow students to submit assignments
electronically.

Which UDL principle does this represent?
A. Representation
B. Expression
C. Engagement
Challenge 3
You provide digital equivalents of all paper
handouts.

Which UDL principle does this represent?
A. Representation
B. Expression
C. Engagement
Challenge 4
Problem-Based Learning (PBL): Start with
the problem; instructor guides students as
they work together to discover the
information required to solve the problem.

Which UDL principle does this represent?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Representation
Expression
Engagement
All of the above
Benefits of UDL

UDL focuses on enabling the learning
environment

Disabilities are part of the broader range of
student diversity

Emphasizes benefits to all learners

Shifts focus from disability and
accommodations to broader issues of
teaching and learning
Institutionalizing UDL

Embed UDL into all existing professional development

In particular, bundle it with existing efforts to improve teaching and
learning

Form a committee or advisory panel made up of “movers
and shakers” for innovative instruction

Tie UDL to the strategic goals of your institution

Address the concerns of your audience —
What keeps them up at night? WIIFMs?

Provide incentives, create a buzz, get UDL on the radar

Build on the work of the ACCESS Project
Quick Evaluation Question
(Just One)
I plan to implement the UDL skills I have
learned in this session.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Thank you
http://accessproject.colostate.edu