4.6 Universal design for access and equity  (Page 10/11)

Expression

Students are provided with multiple and flexible means of demonstrating what they know and have learned. Examples of strategies include:

• Use rubrics and establish roles in small group assignments
• Provide scaffolding as new concepts are acquired
• Use digital tools and multi-media presentations
• Offer power point presentations as visual or graphic organizer
• Assign mentors and peer supports to respond to questions and clarify assignments
• Offer options and choices to demonstrate outcomes – oral presentation, written report, video
• Provide guidelines and rubrics for all assignments and activities
• Offer students the option of using assistive technologies to express knowledge

Engagement

Students are provided with multiple and flexible opportunities to participate that are both interesting and motivating. Students will utilize prior learning to showcase skills and maintain a sense of control by personalizing their own learning. Examples of strategies include:

• Use cooperative dialogue and reflection
• Tailor assignments to student culture and life experiences
• Break tasks into small steps leading to long term goals
• Monitor student progress and reward achievement
• Offer students a choice for optional assignments and to be involved with classmates
• Challenge and support individual learners
• Develop assignments for in and out of class environments
• Provide clear, specific and timely feedback
• Encourage students to resubmit work as appropriate
• Provide support system through university student services

Universal design focuses clearly on the learning process and supports necessary to achieve learning outcomes that are accessible and inclusive to a wide range of people. Using what neuroscientists know about the learning brain, the role of educators is to consider curriculum goals and objectives, teaching methods, learning materials, and evaluation strategies to insure the most flexible, barrier free instruction is designed. Potential barriers to learning are addressed initially and eliminated thus reducing the need to make individual adaptations.

Additional universal design resources

Other web resources are available that offer faculty with additional strategies and ideas related to implementing universal design principles. The follow websites are offered as a beginning point to explore universal design in more depth.

• Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) www.cast.org
• TRACE Research Center (External Link)
• National Universal Design for Learning Task Force (External Link)
• Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) (External Link)
• FacultyWare: Tools for Universal Design of Instruction www.cped.uconn.edu
• National Center for Technology Innovation www.nationaltechcenter.org
• Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd) (External Link)
• DO-IT www.washington.edu/doit/
• Universal Design Alliance (External Link)
• National Center on Universal Design for Learning (External Link)
• MERLOT ELIXR (External Link)

Conclusion

Online learning affords students who face challenges in the traditional classroom with an opportunity to control and personalize learning activities. By directing their own learning students are provided with continuous and lifelong access to furthering their education. Furthermore, it allows students to bridge the informal, community based settings and formal educational settings and bring their unique learning preferences and strengths as they acquire, process and demonstrate content knowledge if universal design principles are integrated into curriculum methods, learning materials and assessments.