Universal Design for Learning

EASI, a provider of online training on accessible information technology for persons with disabilities, published a paper written by Michael Abell of the University of Louisville. Here follows some abstracts of the paper that you can find on the EASI page.

The state of Kentucky has embarked upon a large scale systems change effort to integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, including use of digital curriculum and computerized reading supports to improve overall student achievement. As higher expectations are placed on student outcomes, UDL offers a host of instructional advantages leading to improved performance for Kentucky’s K-12 students.
 
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has its roots firmly planted in the architectural field, but educators are now seeing the transition of universal design principles into the field of education (Rose & Meyer, 2000). The principles of UDL offer teachers new ways to instructionally engage students through accessible digital curriculum materials and the latest technology tools. Educators have learned that students who have reading disabilities or are struggling readers often do not gain the same amount of knowledge as other readers for a variety of reasons.
 
Student challenges may include such factors as decoding or comprehension problems, attention deficits, or vision impairments. Research has also shown that instructional materials developed in accessible formats offer a host of benefits to all students because they allow learners to customize and engage instructional content to suit their unique learning styles (Brown & Augustine 2000; Fennema-Jansen, 2001; Eagleton, 2002). The premises found in UDL offer students and teachers new individualized learning opportunities. These opportunities are not limited to students with disabilities; they help everyone who benefits from individualized, scaffolded learning supports to enhance their own learning needs. Accessible digital curriculum, paired with technology and sound instructional supports, is beginning to open new doors to learning for all students.
 
The increased accountability found in No Child Left Behind (US Department of Education, 2001) and benefits offered by technology were the driving forces behind the movement toward UDL, along with the growing research base it offers. The challenge faced by the KDE, as well as other state departments of education, was to find new ways to engage students with disabilities with the general curriculum to improve their educational performance. A secondary goal was to integrate UDL principles and technologies that could benefit all students, not just those with disabilities.
 
In Kentucky, as well as across the nation, reading and writing skills play a significant role in the achievement scores obtained on standardized and non-standardized tests. These are particularly important to Kentucky’s annual state assessment called the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS) (Kentucky Department of Education, 2002). These two areas were targeted, with particular emphasis placed on reading achievement and accompanying supports as targets for improvement. The state director of special education, Judy Mallory, and program services branch manager, Preston Lewis, worked closely to develop and institute these initiatives with the goal of improving overall student achievement. Through a partnership with the University of Louisville, a program staff was hired to facilitate and coordinate project initiatives with coordination from KDE.
 
Students in the 21st century face higher expectations and more challenges than ever before. These students are also the beneficiaries of educational technology and instructional resources only dreamed of a decade ago. Teachers and administrators are also faced with new challenges to increase student learning, often with fewer resources and higher accountability measures.
 
Universal Design for Learning blends educational technology with accessible instructional resources that allow students to control and customize the learning environment to meet their own unique learning style. In Kentucky, students with reading or writing disabilities are no longer solely dependent on teacher support when problems arise. With core content available in accessible digital formats paired with computerized reading and writing supports, students now have more tools to assist and manage their own learning needs. It also offers the benefits of individual empowerment. Using these tools and accessible content, students will be able to engage curricula and assessment materials without worrying about decoding skills, print disabilities, or the accompanying feelings of self-consciousness. Helping students reach their potential and become independent learners achieving at high levels is an important goal of public education. Through the principles found in UDL, the state of Kentucky has begun to move into the 21st century by enabling individual students to have access to the tools and support to achieve at truly high levels.
 
Source: EASI