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Universal Design: Making Education Accessible to All Learners Part One appeared in TIPS April/May 2001, and covered an introduction to Universal Design in the classroom, as well as basic Universal Design concepts. Providing Multiple Representations of Content Students with disabilities comprise 7.2 percent of beginning post-secondary students. Therefore, the flexibility of the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) approach that David Rose achieved by offering his course materials in multiple formats (TIPS April/May 2001) is an especially important consideration for teachers and curriculum designers. Unlike a printed book, which presents fixed text and images without benefit of sound, animation, or video, the computer environment can carry any and all media simultaneously. Text-to-speech or speech-to-text via speech recognition software can be programmed into online tools and software so that the transformation from one medium to another occurs when users are ready for the alternative medium. For example, if a student with dyslexia needs a particular word read aloud, the computer will read it on-demand. Text descriptions of images and videos, which can be read by screen readers, provide access to students who cannot see the computer screen. The captioning of dialogue, music or sound effects, accomplished with a combination of onscreen text and graphics, provides access to students who cannot hear. Another key aspect of UDL is designing learning materials with the right levels of support and challenge built in. For example, if the goal is to teach word decoding to a student with a learning disability, having the computer read all of the words aloud could undermine learning. On the other hand, if the goal is to convey science concepts, having the computer read the text aloud could enhance the learning opportunity for the same student. Providing Multiple Options for Expressing Knowledge Providing Multiple Options for Engaging Learners Although we are focusing on a graduate-level course at an elite university, it is important to remember that UDL is designed to be applicable to all learners. “No matter where you go, no matter what the school, you’re going to have a wide spectrum of learning abilities, whether they come to the faculty's attention or not,“ Matthis observes. “Every school by law should meet the needs of students with disabilities, but many students still won't make their needs known,” says Matthis. Because of its disabilities focus, the Harvard course has provided a safe environment for students to talk about the impact of their disabilities on their learning. Students who have ADHI (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), dyslexia, low visual acuity, fine or gross motor problems such as chronic arthritis, cognitive processing weaknesses, or who are learning English or are weak writers have all contributed to the exploration of how UDL can accommodate diverse needs. The course has been renamed to reflect its UDL focus: Neuropsychology and Instructional Design: Meeting the Challenge of Individual Differences. “There's something tangibly wonderful about giving a range of options to learners who want to know a subject, and you know they're understanding it because you've given them multiple ways of accessing and acting on that content” Rose says. Lucinda M. O’Neill is a staff writer at CAST, an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, including those with disabilities. Reprinted with permission from Syllabus Magazine |
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