Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

 While there are several legal requirements for online lessons to be accessible to students with visual, auditory, or mobility impairment, more is needed to make digital learning truly accessible to all students. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing learning technologies that seeks to support struggling students and those with cognitive or behavioral disabilities as well. Following is a summary of the article Universal Design for Learning: Scanning for Alignment in K-12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials by Basham, Smith, and Satter.

The evolution of K-12 education includes greater proportions of online learning content, whether through completely online schools, hybrid classes, or brick-and-mortar classrooms relying on laptops and software to deliver some of the content. Creators of digital curriculum already make certain accessibility modifications, such as providing closed captioning and transcripts for sound files, alt text descriptions for images that work with screen readers, and the ability to enlarge font. UDL seeks to make online learning more accessible for all students, not just those with sensory impairments. The focus is shifted toward “the integration of providing multiple means of engagement, representation of information, and action and expression of understanding” (p. 150). There are four critical elements: providing clear goals, planning for inclusion of all students, flexibility of materials and methods, and progress monitoring.

The researchers created a digital tool that assists teachers and other stakeholders in evaluating whether UDL principles are followed in online lessons. The tool acts as a series of responsive questions that guides the reviewer to “determine how frequently aspects of a feature are available and to pinpoint specifically which examples of a feature are accessible to the users” (p. 152). There are several implications for the development of the tool, including allowing teachers to “make better informed decisions about how to design, implement, and test learning experiences that meet the needs of the individual learners” (p. 153).

(End article summary)

CAST, originally named Center for Applied Special Technology, is the organization that created Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Their website provides resources to help educators make digital lessons more accessible for all students. I have discovered some strategies on the site to improve my upcoming digital lesson on graphing linear functions.

In the category of Representation, checkpoint 2.3: Support decoding of text, mathematical notation, and symbols:

 I can enable the screen reader and “offer clarification of notation through lists of key terms” viewable to all students. The screen reader will assist students with visual impairments as well as those with reading difficulties and those who simple learn better through auditory sense. On the classroom whiteboard, the equation for a linear function and example with its graph can be displayed for student reference. This will aid in the translation between equation syntax and the visual representation of the graphs students will work through.

In the category of Action and Expression, checkpoint 4.1: Vary the methods for response and navigation:

I can offer an alternative assignment for those who may need to draw their picture on graph paper instead of typing the equations into Desmos. Students may then either record themselves stating the linear function equations associated with the lines in the drawing or write the equations on paper.

Overall, UDL is a lens through which educators can make our digital lessons more engaging and be sure to enhance learning for all students, not just those who easily master the online learning format.

 

Basham, J. D., Smith, S. J., & Satter, A. L. (2016). Universal Design for Learning: Scanning for Alignment in K-12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials. Journal Of Special Education Technology, 31(3), 147. doi:10.1177/0162643416660836

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org