The Administrator’s Role in Universal Design for Learning’s Successful Implementation

2021 ◽  
pp. 004005992110220
Author(s):  
Monica Grillo
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Inclusive Instruction

Implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a critical issue for public schools in our country. UDL is an inclusive framework based on the science of learning. It supports and removes barriers to learning for all students while maintaining high expectations. Federal education policies have called for inclusive instruction based on UDL principles. Nevertheless, our educators and administrators are not sure they believe in it and do not know what exactly it is or how to implement it with fidelity (Jordan, 2018; Monsen et al., 2014; Russel & Bray, 2013). Previous researchers have found that teachers are more likely to implement inclusive teaching practices such as UDL when they have positive attitudes toward them shaped by their culture, experiences, and training. Administrators have a unique position to influence teacher attitudes by creating an inclusive school culture and providing instructional leadership. UDL benefits all students-not just those with unique needs-by increasing student engagement and removing learning barriers.

scholarly journals Post Secondary educators can increase educational reach with Universal Design for Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-36
Author(s):  
Kimberly Coy
Keyword(s):  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Environment Design ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Secondary Educators ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
College And University ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Environment Design

Meeting the needs of a variety of learners in college and university settings is of vital importance. By designing courses infused with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, guidelines and checkpoints; professors and instructors create environments targeted toward meeting the educational needs of a wider variety of students. UDL works most effectively at the design stage. This paper aims to support learning environment design by presenting ten specific strategies for infusing UDL within post-secondary courses at the university level. These strategies will include: identifying barriers to learning, alternatives for participating during class time, effective alternative assessments based on construct relevance and UDL meta cognitive goals and transparency.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines for Mobile Devices and Technology Integration in Teacher Education

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal Shambaugh ◽  
Kimberly K. Floyd
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Flexible Technology ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Teacher Education Faculty

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines provide recommendations for flexible technology integration in teacher education. With the advent of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, how do educators in teacher education programs (teacher education faculty, preservice teachers, public school teachers) use mobile devices within a flexible curriculum that addresses the learning of diverse students? Section one of this chapter describes the legal and administrative context for accessibility, the UDL conceptual framework, technology integration in teacher education, the TPCK model for technology integration, and the use of mobile devices in teacher education. Section two provides recommendations for applying UDL principles to mobile devices in public schools.

scholarly journals Application of Universal Design for Learning into Remote English Education in Australia amid COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-69
Author(s):  
Hengzhi Hu ◽  
Feifei Huang
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
English Education ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Remote Learning

Confronted with the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic, students, teachers, educators and other stakeholders have to make the best of online learning from home and look at ways of optimizing remote learning experience. Embedded in the nature of inclusive schooling and organized in a specific public secondary school in Victoria, Australia, this study explores the effectiveness of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) on English as an additional language (EAL) students’ online learning proficiency. The research findings indicate that in the discipline of EAL, with the assistance of multiple means of representation, expression and engagement as well as a range of information-communication technologies (ICTs), UDL has positive effects on students’ academic performance and can trigger their positive attitudes towards online learning experience. This sheds light on the feasibility of improving remote learning quality and promoting inclusive online schooling that engages every student via the implementation of UDL integrated with different assistive technologies, which can be summarized as that UDL is one of the possible solutions to online learning that affords ample opportunities or more precisely, technical promises for the implementation of UDL.

scholarly journals Evaluating Pedagogy and Practice of Universal Design for Learning in Public Schools

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lora Lee Smith Canter ◽  
Laura H King ◽  
Jennifer B. Williams ◽  
Debbie Metcalf ◽  
Katheryne Rhys Myrick Potts
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
K 12

How can education change to meet the demands of effectively educating an increasingly diverse student population with the skills, knowledge, and abilities they need to be productive and successful citizens in the 21st century? One possible solution is to create classrooms, teachers, and schools that embrace the progressive and inclusive practices espoused by Universal Design for Learning (UDL). In addition to being rooted in UDL pedagogy, classrooms designed to meet the challenge of 21st century education need to substantially integrate and utilize advances in technology. The vanguard of literature to date in UDL could be characterized as rhetorical advocacy. That is, UDL literature is in the early stages of introducing and promoting UDL pedagogy, but to date there is not a research base strong enough to establish UDL as a scientifically validated intervention (Edyburn, 2010). UDL might sound like a good idea, but until the research base turns the corner from advocating to assessing and measuring UDL outcomes, the promise of this approach will not be realized. This article describes a study exploring effects and outcomes of a professional development program on the perceptions and practice of UDL principles in K–12 public school inclusive classrooms, and could be one step toward bridging the gap from a good idea to a solidified best practice. Specifically, this study investigated a professional development program’s effect on teachers’ perceptions, conceptualizations, and implementation of UDL principles and practice in their classrooms.

Using a Universal Design for Learning Checklist to Teach Secondary Transition Skills

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-251
Author(s):  
Audrey L. Bartholomew ◽  
Nancy Griffin
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Secondary Transition ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
General Education Teacher ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Inclusive Instruction ◽  
Guiding Questions

The authors present a tool teachers can use to modify their instruction so that it is based on universal design and includes secondary transition topics and skills. This checklist includes Universal Design for Learning (UDL) checkpoints and prompts teachers to go through a set of guiding questions that focus on both UDL and secondary transition. Also included in the article are examples of how a general education teacher can use the checklist to design inclusive instruction around secondary transition topics.

scholarly journals Universal Design for Instruction and Learning: A Pilot Study of Faculty Instructional Methods and Attitudes Related to Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R David Black ◽  
Lois A Weinberg ◽  
Martin G Brodwin
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Faculty Attitudes ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Universal Design For Instruction ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Instruction And Learning ◽  
Attitudes Toward Students ◽  
And Training

Universal design in the education setting is a framework of instruction that aims to be inclusive of different learners to reduce barriers for all students, including those with disabilities. We used the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL focuses on the learner) and Universal Design for Instruction (UDI focuses on instruction) as the basis for this study. The purposes of this study were to determine if faculty were incorporating UDI/UDL into their instruction, and their attitudes toward students with disabilities, as these could be barriers to learning. The study revealed that some faculty were incorporating principles of UDI/UDL into their instruction, the variety of methods used varied, and faculty attitudes still create barriers to an equitable educational environment for students with disabilities. More education and training is needed in working with students with disabilities and adapting teaching methods for these students using UDI/UDL.

Universal Design for Learning

2017 ◽  
pp. 282-310
Author(s):  
Jodi Pilgrim ◽  
A. Kris Ward
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Classroom Design ◽  
Inclusive Curriculum ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Inclusive Instruction ◽  
Insight Into

An inclusive curriculum values diversity and addresses barriers to academic success. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) introduces a framework for inclusive instruction, which transforms the systems and structures in schools to help make learning more effective and efficient for all students. Because Universal Design supports the literacy component of classroom design (Rose & Meyer, 2006), this chapter provides insight into instructional strategies that reinforces these essential skills. This chapter offers the background and framework for UDL, including research-based literacy instruction which ensures materials are accessible through multiple forms of representation, expression, and engagement of information.

Voices From the Field

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J. Moore ◽  
Frances G. Smith ◽  
Aleksandra Hollingshead ◽  
Brian Wojcik
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
The United States ◽  
Diverse Learners ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
Design For Learning

There is increasing pressure on universities in the United States to meet the needs of diverse learners. This fact increases the urgency for implementation and scaling up of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education. This qualitative study draws two major insights from interviews with six faculty members from universities and colleges around the United States who have experienced a degree of success (personal to institutional) in implementing UDL. First, successful implementation and scaling up of UDL initiatives often occur when UDL is presented in response to a clear problem, issue, or inquiry rather than more direct approaches. Second, I articulate an emerging conceptualization of “levels” of implementation and apparent aspects that enable an institution or group to move from lower to higher tiers.

scholarly journals Universal Design for Learning and Instruction: Perspectives of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D Black ◽  
Lois A. Weinberg ◽  
Martin G Brodwin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Universal Design For Instruction ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Learning And Instruction

Universal design in the setting of education is a framework of instruction that aims to be inclusive of different learning preferences and learners, and helps to reduce barriers for students with disabilities. The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) were used as the framework for this study. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the perspectives of university students with disabilities on teaching methods and strategies conducive to their learning, and evaluate how their perspectives align with UDL/UDI. The findings of this study revealed that there are barriers to learning for students with disabilities. Students with and without disabilities reported having a variety of learning preferences, and rated UDL/UDI principles as useful in improving their learning. The students gave several perspectives that supported the principles of universal design in higher education to enhance the learning of students who have disabilities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document