Transcript Institutionalizing UDL: How to Implement Universal Design

Institutionalizing UDL:
How to Implement Universal Design for Learning
…and Make It Sustainable!
June 25, 2008
Craig Spooner & Cathy Schelly
The ACCESS Project
Colorado State University
Goals
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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
Activities
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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
Ice Breaker
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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!
Video
“Best Practices
through Universal Design
for Learning”
Run time: 13 minutes
http://accessproject.colostate.edu/video
Universal Design for Learning
UDL is built on 3 key principles:
1. Presenting information and concepts in multiple
ways and in a variety of formats
2. Allowing students multiple ways to express their
comprehension and mastery of a topic
3. Encouraging students to engage with new ideas
and information in multiple ways
Categories of UDL
Two subcategories for each principle
 Technology (accessible course materials)
 Teaching (pedagogy)
More definitions of UDL…
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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.
UDL and Technology
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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
UDL Techniques for Word
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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
UDL Techniques for PowerPoint
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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)
UDL Techniques for PDF
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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
UDL Techniques for the Web – Slide 1
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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
UDL Techniques for the Web – Slide 2
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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
UDL Training Modules
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Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
Adobe PDF
Web Pages using Dreamweaver
Tech Tips for HTML
Web Accessibility Tests using Firefox and WAVE
E-text
The ACCESS Website
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http://accessproject.colostate.edu
Time for a break…
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See you back in 10 minutes
UDL Instructor Questionnaire
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Please complete the ACCESS Project UDL
Instructor Survey
UDL and Teaching
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UDL ties in with other best practices for teaching and
learning:
–
Seven Principles for Good Practice in
Undergraduate Education
–
Instructional Design
–
Learning Styles/Preferences
Seven Principles for Good Practice
Good Practice…
1. Encourages contacts between students and faculty
2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among
students
3. Encourages active learning
4. Gives prompt feedback
5. Emphasizes time on task
6. Communicates high expectations
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning
Instructional Design
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Analysis
Design
Development
Implementation (delivery of instruction)
Evaluation
Learning Styles/Preferences
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Visual-Linguistic (reading and writing)
Visual-Spatial (graphs and pictures)
Auditory (listening)
Kinesthetic (touching and moving)
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
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
The ACCESS Project
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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
UDL Research
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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.
The ACCESS UDL Study
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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
Create an Action Plan
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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
Identify Key Players
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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?
Tie UDL to the “Big Issues”
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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?
Thank you!
We welcome your
comments and
questions.