Universal Design for Learning Series has been launched!
The EXPLORE sessions provide background information on UDL, explain the neuroscience basis of UDL, and introduce key features of the UDL framework. FEATURED TOPICS Learner Variability and Universal Design for Learning» This session features Drs. David Rose and Todd Rose discussing how UDL addresses systematic learner variability. It also includes real examples of how two educators apply the principles of UDL to meet varied learner needs. 
The iBooks Author app for the Mac offers several features in creating books that can support the principles of Universal Design for Learning:
Go to the Apple help page "How to make your ibooks accessible" (support.apple.com/kb/HT5073?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US) to learn how to create a book that is accessible! 
This excellent brief includes evidenced-based instructional strategies to engage students with learning disabilities. Consider sharing this with teachers across all content areas.
"This InfoBrief identifies and explains selected classroom-based strategies within the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model. General and special educators can implement the following strategies to engage students with disabilities (particularly those with learning disabilities) in order to prepare students to transition from secondary to post-secondary and workplace settings. The aim of this brief is to provide teachers with background knowledge and skills so that they can integrate evidence-based practices into the classroom to aid student learning."
"Universal Design for Learning (UDL) promotes a framework to make course instruction, materials, and content accessible and engaging for students of all learning styles. Incorporating UDL into the general education curriculum means offering multiple, flexible ways for students to receive information and demonstrate their skills. These strategies provide both physical and cognitive access to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all students". 
George Van Horn, Special Education Director at the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) in Colombus, Indiana and current Indiana CEC President implemented a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework across his district. This month he was able to share his successes in a Senate hearing titled "The Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities".
The Superintendent of BCSC, Dr. John Quick explained that UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. Dr. Quick described how his district worked for years to implement UDL and how it incorporated technology into its student’s lives. "Moreover, he emphasized the point that although UDL specifically benefits students with disabilities, it benefits all students in the district and is used to help everyone better access knowledge and demonstrate learning growth. Training for professionals working in the schools is essential and in BCBS all teachers undergo a three day UDL workshop at the beginning of the year to ensure they can fully integrate UDL throughout their practice." 
This map represents information about state level Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Universal Design (UD) activities across the country. The information was gathered from state and federal website searches and includes state level documents and information shared by higher education institutions. Via Smaragda Papadopoulou 
This CAST UDL Module offers an interactive learning experience in learning about UDL. Use it to teach yourself or use it in a course you are teaching. Universal Design for Learning is the first step in understanding who the learners are in your classroom that can result in helping you universally-design your lessons.
It is all about teaching and reaching all learners! 
Allison Hitt frames her thoughts about accessibility in higher education:
>"When we talk about education, we must account for both classroom spaces and flexible pedagogical practices, denormalizing our ideas not only about students but also about teaching, learning, and composing practices. > Applying UDL to writing center pedagogies asks tutors “not to think of how they might adapt their tutoring for students with disabilities” because “all students come to sessions with a variety of differences” (Kiedaisch & Dinitz 50)." 
This wiki has a wealth of resources from the BC Universal Design for Learning project that was a Ministry of Education funded initiative to assist pilot school districts in implementing principles and building infrastructure for UDL.
Training resources used in the project are housed on this wiki along with UDL resources, a suggested plan for a year-long study of UDL, updates on other UDL initiatives in BC, and links to social bookmark lists, blogs and wikis created by UDL project members.
"The project was conducted from September 2007 to June 2010. Pilot schools in the project received release time and training in UDL principles and technologies. They also received UDL Toolkits consisting of technology and software to help implement UDL. During the year, the teams designed and taught UDL lessons which they contributed to the BC UDL Learning Object Repository." (http://www.setbc.org/bcudl/) 
To develop and deliver high-quality online courseware that supports domain specific learning, the following guiding principles should be used:
> Use familiar and comfortable domains to introduce new domains Don Glass and Kim Willey created this animation in Xtranormal to address key questions about UDL. The animation and dialogue offers an example of the first UDL principle: multiple means of representation. 
Sonoma State University has provided their faculty resources and professional development to implement UDL at the post-secondary level. Here is what their commitment is to the faculty.
"UDL-U supports postsecondary faculty and staff by providing resources and examples to improve postsecondary education for all students, including those with disabilities. UDL-U is designed to be useful for individual inquiries related to small UDL topics, issues, or problems, as well as scalable to larger faculty development efforts (e.g., Faculty Learning Communities). UDL-U frames course redesign as a three-tier professional development process:
> Application of UDL principles to enhance teaching and learning 
This an excellent resource in learning "how to implement UDL in your classroom" with a focus on curriculum. Learn how to apply the three principles of UDL and in turn, remove barriers to learning in your own classroom.
It is important for you to understand the basis and the context of UDL, but what is most relevant, of course, is how you can use UDL in your classroom. In this part of the site, we will use a case study to look at ways that you can apply UDL in the four main areas of a school curriculum:
> Goals > Instructional Materials > Instructional Methods > Assessments 
In this interview you will learn about UDL and how the principles of UDL could be used to help all students understand their own learning. Envision using the UDL principles to help learners understand how they learn and how to personalize their learning.
Universal Design in Learning (UDL) is about providing instruction and the appropriate tools to all learners so they are successful in meeting their learning goals. Personalized learning is all about the learner and starts with the learner. There seems to be some confusion about what UDL is from the perspective of personalized learning.
Q7: Why is UDL necessary for all learners? When any student understands how they learn, they are empowered to take ownership of their learning. This opens doors in having tools and resources that can help them become independent learners and motivated in learning, in and out of school. It also opens up windows of opportunities for learners to appreciate their aptitudes, talents and gifts and for teachers to guide and nurture them in the learning activities and projects. |
Jason Gibson makes some important points about how to meet the need of ALL learners. First and foremost, know your learners before you decide on an instructional strategy and the technology you may use. How do you do this? Use the UDL Class Learning Profile.
"I wanted to share a foundational principle for meeting the needs of ALL learners. Before you select the technology, you must identify the strategy. Before you select the strategy, you have to know where your learners are in regards to the content/skill you are teaching! Knowing this will allow you to make the best instructional (including when, what, and how with technology) decision for each learner. Haring, et al., 1978 was one of the earliest to dive into these stages and it has moved forward with a few minor changes through the years. Here they are (drumroll please!): Acquisition, Fluency, Maintenance, and Generalization." 
The Illinois Computer Educators organization (an affiliate of ISTE) has created a comprehensive resource to support the principles of Universal Design for Learning. There are hundreds of links in the following categories: Wikis, Blogs, Websites, Mobile Learning Info, Web 2.0 and Apps- Academic and Functional.
Thank you to ICE for producing an incredible resource! 
Learn where UDL is being successfully implemented in Postsecondary Education!
"Universal Design for Learning (UDL)is an important educational framework to consider for postsecondary education. Thoughtful planning through the lens of UDL can offer important options for learners as they navigate a range of college or career postsecondary opportunites.We know that students are incredibly diverse in their learning needs, preparation, and approaches. UDL offers a practical instructional method to anticipate this learner variability and provide every student with equal opportunities to learn. UDL is also an effective means for shaping learning experiences outside the classroom, such as online instruction, hands-on learning, or work-study experiences." 
Here is a great way to see UDL in practice sponsored by SETSIG!
"This webinar will discuss the Universal Design for Learning supports that are available in the newly upgraded i21 Classrooms in San Diego Unified School District. Examples using Kurzweil 3000 and ActivInspire flipcharts to present accessible and engaging lessons will be demonstrated." Here is a short video explaining the concept and practice of Universal Design for Learning. 
San Francisco State University - The Center for Teaching and Faculty Development has provided a set of best teaching practices and video case stories for Universal Design for Learning. From their perspective "Universal Design for Learning is a process of making course concepts accessible and skills attainable regardless of learning style, physical or sensory abilities." 
Are you already using Universal Design for Learning and want to expand it within your district?
This may be of interest to your district if you are familiar with UDL and have a need to enhance current literacy practices. This document constitutes the application process for selection to work with CAST and partners in the implementation of the UDL PDS.
Components of the UDL PDS include which will be available to schools:
> Professional development (e.g., face-to-face, online)
Here is an universally-designed app that we have all been waiting for. The combination of tools in this app is above the rest and one that can support the broadest range of learners! Here is just a glimpse of the features:
> Quickly take typed and/or free hand notes > Leverage Dragon voice recognition to capture your ideas and notes simply by speaking > Leverage powerful annotative tools to quickly mark up documents > Never miss another detail by adding audio page by page within your notes > Combine full documents, individual pages, content from the web and notes into a single document. > Powerful search, copy/paste, reordering and bookmarking tools allow you to quickly navigate your notes while staying organized > Access and share content using your favorite cloud storage service.
Did I say, it is FREE! 
From Stephen Petrucci's blog, Leadership i Public Education, a connection is made between UDL and Personalized Learning. Here are some of the connections he has made:
"As we continue to search for ways to frame personalized learning in British Columbia, we can point to some practices that have been around for a long time - notably the Science Fair. Rather than pitting the philosophies of revolution vs evolution in our education system, I believe it is crucial to recognize what currently exists as excellent practice in personalized learning. This approach is very much in line with the appreciative inquiry model which encourages a focus on what is going well."
"The Science Fair project is an excellent example of "independent study" - a term we use in describing a personalized learning framework."
"Finally, it is clear to see how well a science fair project fits in the Universal Design for Learning framework through Multiple means of Representation, Multiple means of Action and Expression and Multiple means of Engagement." 
Matt Bergman's Ed Tech 2.0 Blog focuses on an Edmodo feature that allows students to send text messages to themselves when an important assignment is due. Matt points out in his comments why this is a UDL experience where many students can benefit.
"Creating expert learners is one of the goals of creating a universally designed learning experience. Although not appropriate or needed by some of our students, this is a great way for many of students to learn how to self regulate and use their time wisely." 
This is one of the most extensive resources on UDL that should be shared widely in the educational community. From HCPSS (Howard County Public School System):
"We hope these resources will help prepare you to meet the challenge of engaging all learners with diverse needs, abilities and backgrounds and will provide you with practical, hands-on solutions for reaching and teaching 21st century learners.
Our goals are to: > Raise awareness of Universal Design for Learning Via Smaragda Papadopoulou 
The UDL Series - Dr. David Rose presentation from the OSEP Project Directors Meeting. Enjoy!
Learning Goal:
Essential Questions: 
Smartboards, lap-tops and new methods made the difference in two elementary schools in a UDL project introduced by SET BC (Special Education Technology) in 2007/08. Here is just a small glimpse of the remarkable results with students at these schools.
"Principals Lisa Salloum of Birchland elementary and Anita Strang of Panorama Heights elementary told School District 43 trustees that reading levels for learning disabled students doubled the first year after a Universal Designs for Learning project was introduced in 2007/’08 and tripled the following year." |
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