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Digital learning must be accessible to all in today’s inclusive classrooms

Idea line up

Applying UDL to Online Active Learning

The Power of Questions in a UDL
Environment

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Digital learning must be accessible to all in today's inclusive classrooms

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posting Colin Greengrass

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What is Universal Design for Learning?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. UDL guides the creation of learning outcomes, resources and assessments that work for everyone. This approach is underpinned by research in the field of neuroscience and is designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities, students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, mature students and international students.

Source:CAST, UDL on campus

These short videos provide an introduction to what UDL is and why we should apply it, emphasising the importance of flexibility in teaching to support variability in learning.
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?How is UDL applied in higher education?

UDL is based on the idea that there is no such thing as a 'typical' or 'average' student and that "when it comes to learning, variability is the rule not the exception" (UDL on campus). UDL is not about any single specific teaching practice. It is instead a combination of best practice approaches to engage students and challenge them to think critically. It helps instructors meet the learning needs of a diverse student body through a combination of instructional modalities, formats, and technologies.

When applying UDL to teaching, follow these three core principles that enable greater flexibility to meet individual needs. These principles guide the design of learning outcomes, assessments, methods and resources. UDL really is simply good teaching; many instructors at UNSW Sydney already incorporate practices that are well aligned with UDL principles.

Multiple modes of student engagement that tap into learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn

Multiple methods of representation that give learners a variety of ways to acquire information and build knowledge

Multiple means of student action and expression that provide learners with alternatives for demonstrating what they have learned

Source: Universal Design for Learning Guidelines Version 2.2 (CAST, 2018)

Read more about the guidelines here.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, courses designed with UDL offer flexibility so that students can customise and adjust their learning experience to meet individual needs. This is important because:
Teachers are likely to experience

Students have varied learning preferences
While some enjoy reading a text, others are motivated by listening to a podcast. While some learn by doing, others are stimulated by visual representation of ideas. Their needs vary depending on goals and purpose.

Students use varied devices and technologies
While some prefer to complete tasks manually with pen and paper, others engage with learning materials via their laptop or smartphone. Their needs vary depending on access and capability.

Students have varied personal circumstances
While some students live at home and receive family support, others live on campus or with flatmates. While some students work part-time, others have carer or family commitments. Their needs vary based on time commitments and available supports.

Students are likely to experience
Source: Dr Alanya Drummond (Profile)

Increased student satisfaction

Increased course retention rates

Increased diversity in student cohort

Reduced need to apply individual educational adjustments

Reduced need to develop individual alternative assessments

Student perspectives on the benefits of UDL

Increased motivation to learn, in their own way

Increased ability to engage, through variability and choice

Reduced need for support services

Reduced need to request individual educational adjustments

Source: Dr Alanya Drummond (Profile)

This framework is the result of a review of the current literature and practice materials conducted on the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education. The results of the review indicated that students perceived that the use of UDL principles in their coursework enhanced and supported their learning. Instructors who received training and support in using UDL to design and teach their courses found it to be useful in supporting a diverse student cohort. The review also revealed strategies for best practice in UDL at the higher education level. These have been collated into a framework to help guide UNSW staff in more accessible course design and delivery. Much of this framework is adapted from and based on advice from the Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST), a non-profit education research and development organisation that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals through Universal Design for Learning. CAST's work is considered the gold standard in UDL. This framework contextualises the CAST principles of UDL to the UNSW Sydney teaching and learning environment, and forms the basis of the UDL Teaching Gateway content.

Source:Disability Innovation Institute (DIIU) UNSW, 2019

Download the framework here (PDF).

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What is Universal Design for Learning? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. UDL guides the creation of learning outcomes, resources and assessments that work for everyone.

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1.  The main piece of work to undertake during week 5-9 is the UDL Redesign Activity (approx. 12.5 hours over 5 weeks)

2. you will select a teaching activity, redesign it using the principles of UDL,

3. implement the redesigned activity and

4. report on your experiences.

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03 Nov 1pm

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07 Oct 1pm

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13:24:54 From Health Professions Education (Bruen, Moffett, Cassidy et al.,) RCSI to Everyone : Stanford Design Thinking
13:30:59 From Health Professions Education (Bruen, Moffett, Cassidy et al.,) RCSI to Everyone : https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/getting-started-with-design-thinking#:~:text=Design%20thinking%20is%20a%20methodology,framework%20for%20real%2Dworld%20projects.&text=Redesign%20the%20School%20Lunch%20Experience,middle%20and%20high%20school%20students.
13:31:41 From Health Professions Education (Bruen, Moffett, Cassidy et al.,) RCSI to Everyone : - just taking some notes here ….aide de memoire….
13:33:07 From Health Professions Education (Bruen, Moffett, Cassidy et al.,) RCSI to Everyone : Experiential learning, uncertainty (fail often, fail well) rapid prototyping/iterative, what works for androgogy/work-based learning

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Are we our own case studies?  The why of learning?  Why are we doing this course ourselves?!  What motives you as a student?  This is an interesting perspective as we mostly have our teacher hats on!

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Are we our own case studies?  The why of learning?  Why are we doing this course ourselves?!  What motives you as a student?  This is an interesting perspective as we mostly have our teacher hats on!

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Hi all, I really love the idea of using padlet to share your views, ideas, questions, documents! great initiative! Eloise

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Hi all, I really love the idea of using padlet to share your views, ideas, questions, documents! great initiative! Eloise

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I love this idea and it makes me far more conscious of widening my lens and challenging my assumptions of who is behind the (often) blank screen. Do you all know who your students are or have an idea of their backgrounds? Does this help or hinder your curriculum design?

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UDL Assignment – Redesign Activity Report

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21 Oct 2pm

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Inclusive Learning - Trinity Disability Service - Trinity College Dublin

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Inclusive Learning - Trinity Disability Service - Trinity College Dublin

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The main way to support students with disabilities is to follow inclusive teaching and assessment practices.

The principle of inclusive learning is to guide all staff in the employment of inclusive principles so as to create an inclusive and enabling learning environment in Trinity College Dublin.

This section offers a range of guidelines, templates and resources to enable staff to embed inclusive principles within their teaching and assessment practices:

Blackboard Ally

Your class is full of diverse students with unique learning abilities. Providing them with more accessible original content means they can choose formats that work best for them: HTML for improved reading on mobile phones, Electronic Braille for the visually impaired, and Audio for learning on the go. Ally automatically scans your original content, and performs a series of steps to make them more accessible.

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The main way to support students with disabilities is to follow inclusive teaching and assessment practices. The principle of inclusive learning is to guide all staff in the employment of inclusive principles so as to create an inclusive and enabling learning environment in Trinity College Dublin.

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Thought you might like this blog post by Dara Cassidy who works with us at HPEC - lots of great tips and links!

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Recent years have seen a greater focus on equity and diversity in higher and health professions' education. As part of this conversation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has emerged as a promising

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This is an anonymous, private, confidential self-evaluation tool that allows users to reflect and evaluate upon the level of inclusivity within the delivery of programmes, modules or individual practices. Once completed, users will receive a report offering suggested actions that they can follow to enhance inclusion in their area.

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TIC - Self assessment Tool - Trinity Disability Service - Trinity College Dublin

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This is an anonymous, private, confidential self-evaluation tool that allows users to reflect and evaluate upon the level of inclusivity within the delivery of programmes, modules or individual practices. Once completed, users will receive a report offering suggested action s that they can follow to enhance inclusion in their area.