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The End of Average!? Disrupting the green of education!

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The Myth of Average:  Todd Rose at TEDxSonomaCounty

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Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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Article from Reading Rockets

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Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life. New York: Basic Books.

Danielson, C. (1996). Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ED 403 245.

Sternberg, R. J., Torff, B., & Grigorenko, E. L. (1998). Teaching triarchically improves student achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 374-384. EJ 576 492.

Tomlinson, C. (1995). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ED 386 301.

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of all Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ED 429 944.

Vygotsky, L. (1986). Thought and Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Winebrenner, S. (1996). Teaching kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. ED 396 502.

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Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.

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PZ’s Thinking Routines Toolbox | Project Zero

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Engaging techniques for effective teaching

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CAST is a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition: Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day. We do this by helping educators and organizations apply insights from the learning sciences and leading-edge practices to educational design and implementation.

Learn about our mission and values

UDL-Con: International

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PreK-12: Instructor-Led Course

In this introductory online course for preK-12 educators, participants learn the research basis for UDL, practical applications of UDL to lesson design, and helpful technology tools that support flexible, inclusive instruction.

Monday, September 11 - Monday, December 11, 2023

PreK-12: Instructor-Led Course

In this introductory online course for preK-12 educators, participants learn the research basis for UDL, practical applications of UDL to lesson design, and helpful technology tools that support flexible, inclusive instruction.

Monday, February 5 - Monday, May 13, 2024

Postsecondary: Instructor-Led Course

Designed exclusively for higher education, this course includes strategies to remove barriers to learning for postsecondary students.

Monday, February 5 - Friday, March 29, 2024

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Find out more about CAST. We're busting barriers to learning, until learning has no limits®.

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Integrating UDL into Practice - Building a UDL Habit.docx

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Learner Variability is the Rule, Not the Exception

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Learner Variability is the Rule, Not the Exception

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STEM and People with Disabilities: DO-IT Video

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Opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are plentiful. Ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access to STEM academic programs and careers is critical. Learn how the accessibility of STEM activities can be increased and how students with disabilities can prepare for these fields of study and employment.

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Broadening Participation in Science and Engineering by Welcoming Participants with Disabilities

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Broadening Participation in Science and Engineering by Welcoming Participants with Disabilities

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Supported by the Research in Disabilities Education Program at the National Science Foundation

As increasing numbers of people with disabilities participate in science and engineering academic programs and careers, the accessibility of classes, services, libraries, computing resources, science labs, electronic resources, events, and information technology increases in importance. This includes the accessibility of project activities designed to broaden participation in science and engineering. Everyone who qualifies to use your resources or participate in your sponsored activities should feel welcome and be able to participate comfortably and efficiently.

Disabilities include those that affect vision, speech, hearing, attention, learning, and mobility. Keep in mind, as suggested by the pictures in this publication, that many disabilities are not obvious to others. These "invisible disabilities" include learning disabilities, attention deficits, autism spectrum disorders, and psychiatric impairments.

This publication can help you take steps to make your project activities and resources accessible to individuals with disabilities. It was created in cooperation with attendees at the 2007 AccessSTEM Capacity-Building Institute (CBI) that included representatives from projects supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase the participation of women, minorities, and people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Proceedings of the CBI are located at www.uw.edu/doit/cbi/bpstem/proceedings.html.

Steps Toward a More Accessible STEM Project

Addressing issues related to the following five topic areas provides a good starting point for making your facilities, information resources, and project activities universally accessible to people with and without disabilities.

PLANNING AND EVALUATION

Include people with disabilities-along with students who are diverse in race, ethnicity, gender, and age-in the project planning process. Consider partnering with an organization that has expertise in serving individuals with disabilities, such as a campus disability services office, when you write a grant proposal and implement a funded project.

INFORMATION RESOURCES

Ensure that publications and websites-through pictures and text-welcome a diverse group of prospective participants and that the content is accessible to people with a variety of abilities. For example, apply U.S. federal accessibility standards to ensure that your website is accessible to people who are blind and use speech synthesizers to read the content. Include a statement about how to request materials in alternate formats and disability-related accommodations.

PHYSICAL SPACES

Ensure physical access, comfort, and safety within environments that are welcoming to people with a variety of abilities, racial/ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages. For example, make part of your desk at a height that is accessible from a seated position. Allow space for individuals using wheelchairs to comfortably view a presentation or participate in a science lab.

COMPUTERS, SOFTWARE, AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

If computers are used in your project, make sure that the technology is accessible to all participants. Have available adjustable-height work tables, work space to accommodate left- and right-handed participants, and a system in place to ensure timely responses to requests for assistive technology.

INSTRUCTORS AND STAFF

Make sure staff members are prepared to work with all program participants and to arrange for disability-related accommodations when needed. Ensure that instructors can deliver presentations that are accessible to individuals with a variety of abilities. Strategies for applying universal design to instruction can be found at www.washington.edu/doit/equal-access-universal-design-instruction.

These examples are taken from the comprehensive online checklist in the publication Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Project at www.washington.edu/doit/equal-access-universal-design-your-project.

Accommodations and Universal Design

Most instructors, service providers, and project directors respond positively to a request for an accommodation so that a person with a disability can participate in activities or access resources. This reactive approach is appropriate for specialized services, like the provision of a sign language interpreter for a participant who is deaf. However, proactive steps can be taken to minimize the need for accommodations.

Universal design is a proactive approach to making physical spaces, information resources, instruction, and activities accessible to and usable by everyone. Universal design means that rather than designing for the average user, you design activities and resources for people with a broad range of characteristics with respect to age, native language, gender, race/ethnicity, learning style, interest, ability, and disability. Disabilities to consider include those that affect vision, speech, hearing, attention, learning, and mobility. Universal design of your project offerings makes everyone feel welcome and minimizes the need for accommodations for individual participants.

Anticipating the needs of people with disabilities and applying universal design concepts during the planning stages of your project activities and products will make these valuable resources more accessible to everyone.

Legal Issues

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008 prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. According to these laws, no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity. This means that your project resources and activities should be accessible to qualified individuals with disabilities. Contact legal counsel at your institution or your regional Office for Civil Rights about legal mandates relevant to your project.

Benefits of Universal Design

Making your project welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities will benefit society by making STEM opportunities available to more citizens and enhancing STEM fields with the perspectives of people with disabilities.

Resources

Consult the following resources on universal design:

AccessSTEM Knowledge Base

The searchable AccessSTEM Knowledge Base provides direction and resources for making all aspects of your project welcoming and accessible to participants with disabilities. This resource includes questions and answers, case studies, and promising practices and is located at www.washington.edu/doit/programs/accessstem/knowledge-base.

The Collaborative Dissemination Website

Past and current STEM projects that focus on individuals with disabilities act as a catalyst and resource for individual institutions and employers in their efforts to recruit and retain individuals with disabilities in STEM. Their replication models, curriculum materials, checklists, videos, and other products are available in a collaborative dissemination website and shared in a searchable Knowledge Base. Materials on the website serve to increase awareness of how people with disabilities can be successful in STEM as well as how other programs can make their web and print resources, courses, worksites, and activities more welcoming and accessible to people with disabilities.

Acknowledgment

The Alliance for Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ( AccessSTEM) is directed by DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) and funded by the NSF's Research in Disabilities Education program (cooperative agreement #HRD-227995 and award #HRD-833504). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

© 2013, 2010, 2007 AccessSTEM, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.

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Broadening Participation in Science and Engineering by Welcoming Participants with Disabilities

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Prepared by AccessSTEM and DO-IT. Supported by the Research in Disabilities Education Program at the National Science Foundation As increasing numbers of people with disabilities participate in science and engineering academic programs and careers, the accessibility of classes, services, libraries, computing resources, science labs, electronic resources, events, and

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Making Science Labs Accessible to Students with Disabilities

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Making Science Labs Accessible to Students with Disabilities

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Application of universal design to a science lab

Students with disabilities face access challenges to typical science labs in precollege and postsecondary settings. Access barriers may prevent a student from:

gaining knowledge,

demonstrating knowledge, and

fully participating in lab activities.

There are two approaches to making academic activities accessible to students with disabilities-accommodations and universal design (UD). Accommodations are alternate formats, assistive technology, and other adjustments for specific students once they are enrolled in a class. For examples of accommodations in science classes, consult the publications Working Together: Science Teachers and Students with Disabilities and The Winning Equation: Access + Attitude = Success in Math and Science.

Universal Design

The Center for Universal Design defines universal design as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." Applications of UD in education take proactive steps to create aademic products and environments that are accessible to students with a wide range of characteristics, including disabilities, thereby minimizing the need for future accommodations. For example, if a science lab contains an adjustable-height workstation, an accommodation will not be needed for a future student who uses a wheelchair that is too high for standard-height workstations. This workstation may also be comfortable for a student who needs to remain seated because of a health impairment or someone who is very tall or short in stature. In a science lab, UD can be applied to:

lab climate;

physical access, usability, and safety;

delivery methods;

information resources;

interaction; feedback;

assessment; and

plans for accommodations.

Making accommodations is reactive, whereas universal design is proactive.

Accommodations

Following are examples of accommodations that might benefit a student with a disability.

Use wheelchair-accessible labs and field sites.

Talk to a student about special learning needs and accommodation alternatives.

Provide a lab partner.

Use plastic instead of glass.

Allow extra time for set up and completion of lab work.

Address safety procedures for students with a variety of sensory and mobility abilities.

Use institutional resources for students with disabilities.

Typical science lab accommodations for students with specific disabilities include those in the following lists.

Blindness

Low Vision

verbal descriptions of demonstrations and visual aids

preferential seating to assure visual access to demonstrations

large print, high contrast instructions and illustrations

raised-line drawings or tactile models for illustrations

large print laboratory signs and equipment labels

video camera, computer or TV monitor to enlarge microscope images

hand-held magnifier, binoculars

large print calculator

Mobility Impairments

wheelchair-accessible field site

uncluttered lab; clear, wide aisles

preferential seating to avoid physical barriers and assure visual access to demonstrations

mirrors above the instructor giving a demonstration

an enlarged screen

wheelchair-accessible, adjustable-height work surface

non-slip mat

utility and equipment controls within easy reach from seated position

electric stirrer, container filler

support stand, beaker and object clamp; test tube rack

handles on beakers, objects, and equipment

surgical gloves to handle wet or slippery items

modified procedures to use larger weights and volumes

extended eyepieces so students who use wheelchairs can use microscopes

flexible connections to electrical, water, and gas lines

single-action lever controls in place of knobs

alternate lab storage methods (e.g.,"Lazy Susan," storage cabinet on casters)

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

preferential seating to view demos and watch instructor captioning for video presentations

written instructions prior to lab

visual lab warning signals

Learning and Attention Disabilities

Health Impairments

avoid chemical materials to which student is allergic or provide alternate assignment

flexible schedule and time allocation

Universal Design Considerations

Some of the accommodation suggestions listed above could be implemented within a lab now, anticipating that at some point a student with a disability may need access to the lab and that some changes may benefit all students. Here are some strategies that could be implemented in a science lab as a part of universal design efforts:

Provide both written and verbal instructions.

Give verbal and visual descriptions of demonstrations and visual aids.

Use plastic instead of glass.

Allow extra time for set up and completion of lab work.

Address safety procedures for students with a variety of sensory and mobility abilities, including the provision of visual lab warning signals.

Make laboratory signs and equipment labels in large print, with high contrast.

Ensure that field sites are wheelchair accessible.

Maintain wide aisles and keep the lab uncluttered.

Incorporate an adjustable-height work surface for at least one workstation.

Install a mirror above the location where demonstrations are typically given.

Use lever controls instead of knobs.

Install flexible connections to water, gas, and electricity.

Buy lab products that can be used by students with a variety of abilities (e.g., plastic lab products instead of glass, tactile models, large-print diagrams, non-slip mats, support stands, beaker and object clamps, handles on beakers and equipment, surgical gloves to handle slippery items, video camera with computer or TV monitor to enlarge microscope image).

Ensure that utility and equipment controls are within easy reach from a standing or seated position.

Provide surgical gloves for handling wet or slippery items.

Additional Resources

DO-IT has created a collection of videos and publications that help teachers make math and science teachers coursework accessible to students with disabilities. They include:

These titles may be freely accessed online. DVDs can also be purchased from DO-IT. Permission is granted to reproduce DO-IT videos and publications for educational, noncommercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.

For more information about universal design in academic settings, read Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction and Universal Design in Education: Principles, Practices, and Applications. For a comprehensive set of resources, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education. The book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice published by Harvard Education Press shares perspectives of UD leaders nationwide.

Communication Hints

Treat people with disabilities with the same respect and consideration with which you treat others. There are no strict rules when it comes to relating to people with disabilities. However, here are some helpful hints.

General

Blind or Low Vision

Be descriptive. Say, "The computer is about three feet to your left," rather than "The computer is over there."

Speak all of the content presented with overhead projections and other visuals.

When guiding people with visual impairments, offer them your arm rather than grabbing or pushing them.

Learning Disabilities

Offer directions or instructions both orally and in writing. If asked, read instructions to individuals who have specific learning disabilities.

Mobility Impairments

Sit or otherwise position yourself at the approximate height of people sitting in wheelchairs when you interact.

Speech Impairments

Listen carefully. Repeat what you think you understand and then ask the person with a speech impairment to clarify or repeat the portion that you did not understand.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Psychiatric Impairments

Provide information in clear, calm, respectful tones.

Allow opportunities for addressing specific questions.

About DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the University of Washington.

Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.

Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the University of Washington is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of Washington. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:

DO-IT
University of Washington
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
www.uw.edu/doit
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane

Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
DO-IT Funding and Partners
Acknowledgment

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement #HRD-0227995. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2008, 2006, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.

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Making Science Labs Accessible to Students with Disabilities

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Application of universal design to a science lab Students with disabilities face access challenges to typical science labs in precollege and postsecondary settings. Access barriers may prevent a student from: gaining knowledge, demonstrating knowledge, and fully participating in lab activities.

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Examples of products to help make science labs accessible to all students.

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How Tech Can Help Students with Disabilities Thrive in STEM Education

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How Tech Can Help Students with Disabilities Thrive in STEM Education

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Technology Solutions That Drive Education

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When Stephanie Talalai began as the technology coordinator at A. Harry Moore School 26 years ago, nonverbal students communicated using pieces of paper with "yes" and "no" on them. Today, students can control computers using their eyes.

"In terms of providing access," Talalai says, "the technology has come a long way." For students with disabilities, tech tools can help provide new and engaging ways to access content in science, technology, engineering and math.

EdTech asked educators to share tips about how to use technology to give students with special needs the same access to STEM activities as other schoolchildren. Here are their recommendations.
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Differentiate Instruction to Support All Students

Many students at A. Harry Moore in Jersey City, N.J., have disabilities that limit their cognitive development, but Talalai says teachers there find ways to incorporate tools such as drones and 3D printers.

"We try to give them the same experience they would have in a typical school," she says. "They can control a robot through a tablet and move it around the room." Other students can participate in basic coding lessons, Talalai says.

" Anything can be adapted for students with disabilities," she says. "It's just a matter of what accommodation you are going to give them." In coding classes, they might need more time than other students, she says. "They need someone to sit down next to them."

For some students, just knowing where to start can be a challenge. Luis Perez, an independent education consultant who specializes in universal design for learning and assistive technology, recommends that science teachers create short video clips to help remind students of lab procedures.

The solution can help all students and doesn't draw attention to those with special needs, Perez says. Students can then watch the clips on their mobile devices using QR codes.

"If you need it, you use it. If you don't need it, you ignore it," says Perez, whose passion for special education is fueled in part by his experience as a student with a visual impairment. "Assistive technology had a big stigma, and that's why I didn't use it, even though I needed it," he adds. "As IT has become more consumerized, it's taken a lot of the stigma away. That's why I emphasize that this is for everybody."

Chromebooks and tablets play a key role in making the STEM curriculum more accessible to learners with disabilities, Perez says. Features such as built-in text-to-speech, text enlargement, Google voice typing and other flexible supports and scaffolds let learners customize their experiences.

"By removing the barriers that can cause frustration, we can make STEM more inviting to learners with disabilities," Perez says.

Capture Student Attention with Learning Apps

Learning apps and other tech can draw in students and keep them engaged more effectively than pens, paper and textbooks.

"If you can get a child engaged in what they're doing, they're going to be a lot more interested in learning the material," says Ann M. Nash, an instructional technology resource teacher at Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia and an adjunct professor at Averett University. "When teachers have only one way of doing things, that's when we start to lose kids."

Lisa Coates, an eighth-grade science teacher for Chesterfield County Public Schools in Virginia, says that some students with attention issues are drawn to mobile apps that let them perform virtual animal dissections.

"It is interactive, and kids can do it over and over," she says.

Embrace Failure and Encourage Risk-Taking with Tech

While "fail fast, fail often" may be a mantra for developers in Silicon Valley, schools often punish failure rather than reward risk-taking. And some students with special needs may be accustomed to being penalized for their mistakes.

Coates says coding lessons help students embrace the idea that it's OK to fail multiple times before they succeed.

"It's very much like a video game, so kids buy into it," she says. "When kids don't succeed in a video game, they restart and try again."

Technologies Support Reading for Students Who Struggle

If students can't read their math and science texts, they will have a tough time learning those subjects. Coates chooses apps that read aloud to kids.

"They can stop and rewind," she says. "They don't have that sense of embarrassment, having to ask, 'Can you read that question again?'"

Plus, Perez adds, t ext-to-speech software has improved dramatically and is less costly. "It used to be that you had to pay more than $1,000 to purchase it. Now, on a computer, you can get that built-in." Even so, educators working with visually impaired students should look for websites and documents specifically marked up for text-to-speech software, he adds. "If you create a PDF but don't mark it up correctly, it's just an image that text-to-speech may not be able to read aloud."

Digital Tools Promote Creative Communication

Back at A. Harry Moore, some students communicate with tablets and an app rather than through dedicated communication devices, which can cost up to $7,000 each. Not all students can communicate using the app, Talalai says, so teachers help students practice to see whether the solution will work for them.

That's just one of many ways staff members experiment with technology to find the right fit for their students. In one classroom, a teacher helped students use a Sphero robot to move sheets of paper and uncover pretend dinosaur bones as part of an archeological dig. The students, who use wheelchairs, didn't need to get on the floor to simulate the dig. Instead, the teacher used the technology to adapt the lesson for students.

In another class, students used the MakerBot 3D printer to create jewelry, which they sold to faculty and staff to raise money for the prom.

"Now they're getting the vocational piece out of it," Talalai says. "They're learning how to count money. They're talking about what they did and how much it cost."

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How Tech Can Help Students with Disabilities Thrive in STEM Education

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When Stephanie Talalai began as the technology coordinator at A. Harry Moore School 26 years ago, nonverbal students communicated using pieces of paper with "yes" and "no" on them. Today, students can control computers using their eyes. "In terms of providing access," Talalai says, "the technology has come a long way."

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Robert J. Marzano, PhD, is the co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of Marzano Research in Colorado. A leading researcher in education, he is a speaker, trainer, and author of more than 40 books and 300 articles on topics such as instruction, assessment, writing and implementing standards, cognition, effective leadership, and school intervention. His books include The Art and Science of Teaching and Effective Supervision. His practical translations of the most current research and theory into classroom strategies are internationally known and widely practiced by both teachers and administrators.

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Robert J. Marzano, PhD, is the co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of Marzano Research in Colorado. A leading researcher in education, he is a speaker, trainer, and author of more than 40 books and...

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Integrating UDL into Practice - Building a UDL Habit.docx