Universal+Design+for+Learning

**__﻿ __** What is Universal Design for Learning?  ﻿﻿ "Universal design for learning (UDL) draws on the concept of universal design in architecture and products, and combines it with current brain research about how students learn, resulting in an approach that increases flexibility in teaching and decreases the barriers that prevent students from accessing materials and classroom activities... UDL seeks to make curricular content available to the broadest range of students". (Dell 18)
 * ===** UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING﻿ **===

Universal design for learning helps students of all learning styles to be given an equal opportunity to learn.

Differnent Types of Learning Styles //﻿// //**The Visual Learner **// These individuals tend to learn best when they are given diagrams, videos, charts and other visual educational tools. They tend to take very detailed notes, and do better when they physically witness the learning rather than just hearing about it via lecture.

These individuals learn best through lectures and listening to the tones in a person's voice. Written notes and information may not be very helpful to them, but reading text aloud and physically verbalizing the written information, helps it stick better.
 * //The Auditory Learner //**

//**The Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner **// These individuals learn best through hands-on activities and interacting with the world around them. They tend to have difficulty sitting at a desk and taking notes; instead, they prefer to explore their surroundings.



Universal Design for Learning is Based on the Following Features of our Brain This network refers to the different ways each person's brain gathers and separates information. As mentioned above, some people obtain information better through visual cues, while others benefit from auditory or tactile cues **//. //**
 * //Recognition Networks: ﻿ //**

This network refers to the different ways each person's brain uses their information to complete a task. In other words, this is how one expresses the information they obtained during recognition. An example of this would be how a person goes about solving a complex math problem. Does the individual have to physically get up and touch items that relate to the problem in order to solve it (tactile)? Does the person have to write out each step clearly every time in order to understand what is being asked (visual)? Does the student work better by having the problem read aloud to them so they can better understand what is being asked (auditory)?
 * //<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Strategic Networks: <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">﻿ //**

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">This network refers to the different ways each person's brain engages in learning itself. This network deals with how each person best learns the information at hand, and how the teacher can help the student stay motivated and interested in learning. As mentioned previously, for some students the activities and study methods have to be more visual, while others benefit from a more hands-on/tactile or auditory methods.
 * //<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Affective Networks: //**



====<span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Universal Design for Learning must be able to help give all learners the same opportunities to succeed in education.** ====

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Examples of Universal Design for Learning
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Closed captioning on videos and television programs. This allows for both hearing and deaf individuals to watch the program and recieve the same information.


 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Books on tape or CD. This can help students who have language disorders like dyslexia, follow along in the text with the rest of the class.


 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Computer programs like //Inspiration// and //Kidspiration.// These programs can be used by students who have difficulty organizing their thoughts. In these programs there are many graphic organizers available to help these students achieve tasks at the same level as other classmates who can easliy organize information.


 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are tick marks on the "F" and "J" of a standard QWERTY keyboard. These tick marks are there to help individuals with poor or no eye sight determine what key their fingers are on. If the individual knows the general set up of a keyboard, he or she will be able to identify what keys are present around the "F" and "J". These tick marks gives the disabled individual a home place for his or her hands when trying to type.

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">What Should a Lesson that utilizes UDL consist of? <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">This refers to providing the students with multiple ways to learn the material. These can include models, electronic media, graphs, maps, and other materials. By showing what is being taught through multiple means of representation, the teacher is able to get the information across to all the different types of learners in the class.
 * //<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Multiple Means of Representation //**

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">//**<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Multiple Means of Expression **// <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">This refers to providing students with multiple ways to express what they know. These can again include, models, electronic media, graphs, maps, and many other materials. By having multiple means of expression in the classroom, the students are able to better relate the information taught to what style of learning they prefer.

__﻿__<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">This refers to providing students with multiple activities and tools that engage their interest. These items make the student want to learn. It is important though to recognize that each student, depending on their learning style, may need something different to become engaged in the material.
 * //<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Multiple Means of Engagement //**

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Video Resources

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">UDL: At A Glance media type="youtube" key="bDvKnY0g6e4" height="243" width="300" align="left"

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">UDL: Principles and Practice media type="youtube" key="pGLTJw0GSxk?rel=0" height="244" width="296"

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Web Resources <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">CAST <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">UDL Principles <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">UDL Scenarios

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">My Sources

Dell, A, Newton, D, & Petroff, J. (2008). //Assistive technology in the classroom: enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities//. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

The Access Center,. (n.d.). //Universal design to support access to the general education curriculum//. Retrieved from []

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">CAST,. (1999-2011). //Transforming education through universal design for learning//. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">NC State University,. (1997). //The principles of universal design//. Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/pubs_p/docs/poster.pdf

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">UDL national universal design for learning task force,. (2007). //Universal design for learning classroom scenarios//. Retrieved from http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/UDL/classroom_scenarios.shtml

Obscuresurrealism's blog, Initials. (2010). //Types of learning behaviour//. Retrieved from []

De Luc, S. (2010, December 01). //Universal design for learning//. Retrieved from []

UDLCAST, (2010). //UDL At A Glance// [Web]. Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4

UDLCENTER, (2010). //UDL: Principles and Practice// [Theater]. Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGLTJw0GSxk