8. +
Diversity
Today’s classrooms are comprised of wide
diversity of students who are coming to school
not proficient in the language of instruction,
who are identified with learning disabilities,
attention deficit disorders, or other disabilities
and growing numbers of children who are
identified as “at-risk” due to other factors such
as socio-economic, cultural and environmental
backgrounds.
9. +
The goal of an inclusive education system is to
provide all students with the most appropriate
learning environments and opportunities for them to
best achieve their potential.
In Alberta, inclusion in the education system is about
ensuring that each student belongs and receives a
quality education no matter their
ability, disability, language, cultural
background, gender, or age.
http://education.alberta.ca/department/ipr/inclusion/about.aspx
10. Something new?
“The new challenge of inclusion is to
create schools in which our day-to-day
efforts no longer assume that a particular
text, activity, or teaching mode will “work”
to support any particular students’
learning”
Ferguson, 1995
12. +
Our current system?
Combining the medical model (to be abnormal is
to be unhealthy) and the statistical model
(abnormally large or abnormally small amounts of
measured characteristic)… turns behavior
patterns into pathological signs. (Skrtic, 1986)
13. +
Think Different
“A child whose development is
impacted (impeded) by a (mental)
handicap is not simply a child less
developed than his peers; rather, he
has developed differently”
(Vygotsky, 1983, p. 96)
14. +
Changing our Thinking
From DIS-ability to VARI-ability
From Average to Unique
15. +
Social construction of (Dis) Ability
The social model suggests
it is society that causes the
individual with (physical or
psychological) differences
to be disabled. In other
words individuals with
impairments are not
disabled by their
impairments but by the
barriers that exist in society
constructed for the “norm”.
http://www.brainhe.com/TheSocial
16. + Ableism
An ableist society is said to be one that treats
non-disabled individuals as the standard of
“normal living”, which results in public and
private places and services, education, and
social work that are built to serve 'standard'
people, thereby inherently excluding those with
various disabilities.
Wikipedia
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
18. + Ableism in Education (Hehir, 2008)
Applied to schooling and child development… the
devaluation of disability results in societal attitudes that
uncritically assert that:
It is better for a child to walk than roll
Read print than read braille
Spell independently than use a spell checker
Hang out with with non-disabled children rather than only
with other disable children.
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
21. +
Think of a time you have been disabled
by Barriers.
22. +
What about in the Educational Environment?
Disability = a Mismatch between learner needs
and education offered
Disability is artifact of lack of appropriate
relationship between the learner and the
learning environment or education delivery.
Jutta Treviranus
23. +
Making Differences Ordinary
If inclusion is to be successful and students with disabilities are to be
part of the learning community, there must be a fundamental change in
the general education classroom so it is accepted that not all students
will learn the same things, in the same way, at the same time. (McLesky
& Waldron, 2000)
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
24. +
Disabled Curriculum
The traditional, one-size-fits-all
curriculum is proving to be an
entirely inadequate solution for
problems that plague our schools
in this era of standards-based
reform.
CAST
26. +
Enter Universal Design for Learning
An educational approach that aims to
increase access to learning for all
students by reducing
physical, cognitive, intellectual, organiz
ational and other barriers.
27. +
Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning is a
set of principles for curriculum
development that give all individuals
equal opportunities to learn.
http://www.cast.org/udl/
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
29. + The Curriculum
Programs of Study
Provincial
Assessment
Resources
Instruction & Classroom
Assessment
30. +
Universal Design for Learning
UDL provides a blueprint (framework) for
creating flexible goals, methods, materials, and
assessments that accommodate learner
differences.
CAST, 2002
31. +
Universal Design
Extension of architectural concept of Universal Design
Designing for the divergent needs of special populations
increases usability for everyone.
32. +
To many people the term seems to imply
that UDL is a quest for a single, one size-
fits-all, solution that will work for everyone.
In fact, the very opposite is true.
The essence of UDL is flexibility and the
inclusion of alternatives to adapt to the
myriad variations in learner
needs, styles, and preferences.
33. +
How do we get there?
Designing an educational system to teach all
students that will also support individualized
and flexible instruction designed to teach each
student
CAST posits three UDL principles for this
design.
34. + UDL
Universal Design for Learning calls for ...
* Multiple means of representation, to give
learners various ways of acquiring information
and knowledge,
* Multiple means of action and expression, to
provide learners alternatives for demonstrating
what they know,
* Multiple means of engagement, to tap into
learners' interests, offer appropriate
challenges, and increase motivation.
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
35. +
Key Concepts in UDL
Change the Environment not the Learner
Leveraging Diversity
Proactive Approach
Flexibility
Infusing Technology
Understanding Goals & Assessment
41. +
Diversity is a fundamental human trait
which affirms that no two people are
similar, it is this dissimilarity that
enriches our lives and assures collective
human achievement.
Ali Abdi, Professor, Educational Policy Studies
University of Alberta
42. +
Changing our Thinking
For many people, AD[/H]D is not a disorder
but a trait, a way of being in the world. When
it impairs their lives, then it becomes a
disorder. But once they learn to manage its
disorderly aspects, they can take full
advantage of the many talents and gifts
embedded in this sparkling kind of mind.
Hallowell and Ratey 2005, p. 4
43. +
Innovation in Teaching & Learning
True innovation occurs at the margins
We are pushed further by:
Disruptive notions
Perspectives that do not fit in
Unpredictable inspirations that burst
our neat categories
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
44. +
Dangers of designing for the norm
Stagnation
Shrinking of ideas
Self perpetuating rut
Lack of innovation
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
47. +
Why is Flexibility Important to UDL?
Flexibility is essential for two reasons:
individual differences between learners
differences between instructional media.
48. + Differences between instructional media
There is no universal medium of instruction
49. +
Medium of Instruction
Auditory - Listening / Speaking
Text - Reading / Writing
Visual - Viewing / Representing
50. + Qualities of Speech
Natural speech has expressive power.
Speech is transitory.
51. + Qualities of Text
Representational - permanent record
Reduces memory demands
52. Qualities of Images
A picture is worth a thousand words…
But do you see what I see?
53. + Long ago, Plato raised a concern in his Phaedrus
that is familiar in our era: new technology will
undermine traditional literacy.
Plato (quoting Socrates) expressed the fear that the
emerging technology of writing would destroy the
rich oral literacy that was central to his culture.
Writing would reduce the need for memory and
attentive listening. It would give learners the
appearance of wisdom by aiding rapid recall of
information and facts without requiring
internalization of such wisdom. This sort of
“superficial” learner would inevitably be less
literate. It turned out Plato was right only in part;
although writing did change the meaning of literacy
it enabled incredible advancements in knowledge.
60. +The Future is in the Margins
When new technologies move beyond their initial
stage of development, innovations in curriculum
design, teaching strategies and policies will be
driven by the needs of students “at the margins”,
those for whom present technologies are least
effective- most prominently, students with
disabilities.
The beneficiaries of these innovations will be ALL
students.
Rose & Meyer, 2000
61. + Universal Design for Learning
Using digital materials & “assistive” technologies into
the classroom we can create a more accessible and
flexible environment for all students.
65. + CAST Guidelines
The UDL Guidelines are organized according to the
three main principles of UDL that address
representation, expression, and engagement. For
each of these areas, specific "Checkpoints" for
options are highlighted, followed by examples of
practical suggestions.
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
66. +
Principle 1: Representation
Students differ in the ways that they perceive
and comprehend information that is presented
to them.
For example, those with sensory disabilities
(e.g., blindness or deafness), learning
disabilities (e.g., dyslexia), language or cultural
differences, and so forth may all require
different ways of approaching content. Others
may simply grasp information better through
visual or auditory means rather than from
printed text.
67. +
Principle 1: Representation
Guideline 1: Provide options for perception
Guideline 2: Provide options for language and symbols
Guideline 3: Provide options for comprehension
69. + More ideas for Representation
Digital resources
www.LearnAlberta.ca
Book Rags
http://www.bookrags.com/
60 Second Recap
http://www.60secondrecap.com/
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzAtEqFU3Lc&feature
=related
70. + Options for Comprehension
Jen: The Tiered Web Page Generator
http://www.tieredwebpages.com/
Free Online Automatic Text Summarization Tool
http://www.textcompactor.com/
72. +
Principle 2: Action & Expression
Students differ in the ways that they can navigate a
learning environment and express what they
know.
For example, individuals with significant motor
disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy), those who
struggle with strategic and organizational abilities
(e.g., executive function disorders, ADHD), those
who have language barriers, and so forth
approach learning tasks very differently. Some
may be able to express themselves well in writing
text but not oral speech, and vice versa.
73. +
Principle 2: Action & Expression
Guideline 4: Provide options for physical action
Guideline 5: Provide options for expressive skills and
fluency
Guideline 6: Provide options for executive functions
75. +
Strategies and Scaffolds
http://sciencewriter.cast.org/welcome
76. +
Principle 3 : Engagement
Students differ markedly in the ways in which
they can be engaged or motivated to learn.
Some students are highly engaged by
spontaneity and novelty while other are
disengaged, even frightened, by those
aspects, preferring strict routine.
78. +
Principle 3 : Engagement
Guideline 7: Provide options for recruiting
interest
Guideline 8: Provide options for sustaining
effort and persistence
Guideline 9: Provide options for self-
regulation
79. + Strategy Support
http://cst.cast.org/cst/auth-login
Cast Strategy Tutor
80. + Goal of UDL
Creating learning and learning environments
which provide meaningful access for every
learner
Support Challenge
81. +
IfI were asked to …. summarize my
reading of centuries of wise reflection on
what is required of an environment for it to
facilitate the growth of its members, I
would say this:
people grow best where they are
continuously experiencing an ingenious
blend of support and challenge; the rest is
commentary.
Robert Kegen, In Over our Heads
82. +
The Steve Jobs Model
for Educational Reform
"If you read the front pages of the New York
Times, they will tell you that technology's promise
has not yet been realized in terms of student
performance. My answer is, of course not. If we
simply attached computers to leeches, medicine
wouldn't be any better today than it was in the
19th century either. You don't get change by
plugging in computers to schools designed for the
industrial age. You get it by deploying technology
that rewrites the rules of the game."
-RUPERT MURDOCH
84. +
UDL Goals
The key is to design a goal that represents the
true purpose of the learning activity.
Clear goals enable us to determine which
alternative pathways and scaffolds can be
used to meet diverse learning needs while
keeping the learning challenge where it
belongs.
87. + Separating the Goal from the Means:
Writing Goals and Objectives that Increase Access*
Goals/Objectives that LIMIT Access: Goals/Objectives that ALLOW Access:
Instead of … Try …
The student will write… The student will express…
The student will generate…
The student will read… The student will receive information…
The student will spell… The student will select…
The student will compute… The student will solve…
The student will define… The student will show…
* From Gargiulo & Metcalf (2010) p. 270
88. +
Assessment
Do we know what we are assessing?
89.
90.
91. +
Universally Designed Assessment
Must clearly understand what we are
assessing!
Reduce Construct Irrelevant Variance!
Multiple
pathways to demonstrating
success.
Be authentic!
92. +
Expert Learners
In UDL we are seeking to create expert
learners, individuals who- whatever the
particular strengths and weaknesses
are know themselves and know how to
learn.
93. +
Food for Thought:
Why UDL?
If you are currently involved in a UDL
initiative, why?
What is your GOAL?
How will you know you are reaching it?
What will be the change(s) you expect to
see?
96. +
“For people without
disabilities, technology makes things
easier.
For people with
disabilities, technology makes things
possible …”
National Council on Disability
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
97. +
Will UDL eliminate the need for
assistive technology?
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
98.
99. +
Assistive technologies will always have a role
in the education of some learners. Children
with physical disabilities need properly
designed wheelchairs, adaptive switches to
control devices, or speech synthesizers.
UDL will not eliminate the need for such
devices. But such devices will be used for
the same reasons we use eyeglasses; that
is, to enhance our abilities rather than to
compensate for inadequately designed
learning materials.
101. +
Assistive technology is a generic
term that includes assistive,
adaptive, and rehabilitative devices
and the process used in selecting,
locating, and using them.
Wikipedia
102. +
Assistive Technology (AT) is "any
item, piece of equipment, or product
system whether acquired commercially of
the shelf, modified or customized, that is
used to increase, maintain, or improve
functional capabilities of individuals with
disabilities."
(Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA)
20, USC, Chapter 33, Section 1401 (25) US)
103. +
The term 'assistive technology
service' means any service that
directly assists a child with a
disability in the
selection, acquisition, or use of an
assistive technology device.
(Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA)
20, USC, Chapter 33, Section 1401 (25) US)
104. +
Assistive technology is
technology that
increases, improves or
maintains the functional
capabilities of students with
disabilities.
Rose, Hasselbring, Stahl & Zabala ((2005)
106. +
Definition of ATL (Alberta)
Assistive Technology for Learning
(ATL) is defined as the devices, media
and services used in learning
environments to overcome barriers for
students with physical, sensory, cognitive,
speech, learning or behavioural special
needs to actively engage in learning and
to achieve their individual learning goals.
107. + The ATL Continuum
ATL devices and media range from “low
tech” tools such as pencil grips and page
fluffers, single message voice output
devices, and magnifiers.
108. + The ATL Continuum
. . . to “high tech” systems such as
speech generating communication
systems and screen reading
technologies, and environmental control
systems.
109. +
AT Devices . . .
… are the readily available
components that can be
purchased and compiled into ATL
systems. They are tangible
things.
116. +
AT Services . . .
… are the strategies,
ideas, supports and
personnel that are
necessary to make the
device(s) work functionally
for the person.
117. +
AT Services include:
knowledge and expertise about the
student
the assessment process
evaluation of the tools
training
strategies for implementing the
devices.
118. + Effective use of ATL for students also
includes:
an understanding of the devices
how to use them effectively to make a
difference for the student(s)
how to incorporate AT into daily lessons
and routines
119. +
Consider…
Imagine you have a Universally Designed
Learning Environment, are there students
who would still not be able to meaningfully in
their learning without
specialized, personalized assistive
technology?
120. +
Students who need physical access:
Keyboard Rate / Sticky Keys Alternative Keyboards
121. +
Students who need physical access:
Dedicated Word Processors Switch Activated Access /
Onscreen Keyboards
122. +
Students who need physical access:
Augmentative Alternative
Voice Input Systems Communication
123. +
Students who need sensory access:
Sound Field
Systems
Face Time
Personal FM Systems
124. +
Students who need sensory access:
Portable Braille Support
Devices
Screen Readers
Portable Print Enlargers
133. +
Alberta Education Website
http://education.alberta.ca/admin/technology/atl.aspx
134. +
The SETT Framework
isa tool that helps teams gather and
organize information that can be used to
guide collaborative decisions about
services that foster the educational
success of students.
Joy Smiley Zabala
www.joyzabala.com
135. + The Goal of SETT Framework
… to guide collaborative teams in the development
and use of
Student-centered,
Environmentally-useful, and
Tasks-focused
Tool systems
that foster the educational achievement of
students.
Joy Smiley Zabala
136. +
The SETT Framework
The Student
o The person who is the central focus of the educational
process and for whom everyone involved in any part of the
educational program is an advocate
The Environments
o The customary environments in which the student is (or can
be) expected to learn and grow
The Tasks
o The specific things that the student needs to be able to do or
learn to reach expectations and make educational progress
(Outcomes of the Programs of Study)
137. + The SETT Framework
The Tools
o Everything that is needed by the
student and other involved in
supporting the student in order for the
student to accomplish the tasks in the
places where they need to be done so
that appropriate educational progress is
achieved.
138. +
The SETT Framework
theSETT Framework is not a protocol for
assessment, but rather an organizational
tool that can be applied as an
integral, ongoing part of ALL phases of
programming for students with special
educational needs.
139. +
Critical Components of the SETT
Framework:
Teaming
Creating Shared Knowledge /
Understanding
Gathering information to make appropriate
decisions
Making decisions based on Information /
Data
140. +
The SETT Framework can help:
Organize what we’re doing,
Gatherall the different pieces of information
that we have
Decide what information we still need to
gather
Develop a Plan for putting student success.
141. +
I want to know more!
http://www.joyzabala.com
149. +
Change is not quick or easy
We have found that developing an inclusive
program is always harder that stakeholders
initially think it will be.
Indeed, successful programs are dynamic and
ever-changing, presenting continuing
challenges to teachers and administrators as
they create classrooms to meet a broad range
of student needs.
McLeskey & Waldron, 2000
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
151. +
And potentially TRANFORMATIONAL
KHOWERY 20/04/2012
152. +
“The success of technology has more to
do with people than machines. All the
right parts and pieces together won’t work
miracles by themselves. It is people who
make technology powerful by creatively
using it to fulfill their dreams.”
Alliance for Technology Access, 1996
In the context of mental retardation, Vygotsky objected to the terms developmental disability and developmental delays. Her wrote in The Fundamentals of Defectologgy, “A child whose development is impeded by a (mental) handicap is not simply a child less developed than his peers; rather, he has developed differently: (Vygotsky, 1983, p. 96)
