Implementing Universal Design To Create An Inclusive Classroom

Key Takeaway  Learn dozens of practical activities and strategies to implement Universal Learning Design in a college course to increase student access, engagement, and academic success. These are low-cost and no-cost solutions from an experienced college instructor. Challenge Classrooms can contain unseen barriers to learning for many students. The classroom instructor is on the front line for increasing student achievement and persistence rather than expecting campus learning centers and tutors to carry the major responsibility. Overview Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a learning approach that enhances the ability of all students to access and use course content and materials while limiting the need for special accommodations for those students who have disabilities. The result is a better learning environment for all students, increased classroom inclusion of students with disabilities, increased interaction between students with and without disabilities and reduced work for the instructor. Rather than focusing on modifying instructional approaches on a case by case basis, UDL encourages instructors to concentrate on the development of instructional strategies that most students can use to gain knowledge and skills related to the specific content areas. In other words, UDL ensures accessibility as an integral part of learning and accessibility benefits multiple students in multiple ways. UDL asks the instructor to consider answers to the following questions. What are the essential components of their course? What are the outcomes (skills, knowledge, and attitudes) that all students must demonstrate in the course?  How can these outcomes be evaluated with or without accommodations in a nondiscriminatory manner? How do traditional assessment methods advantage some students and disadvantage other students? What accommodations for some students benefit all students? The answers to these questions by employing the UDL approach are often no-cost or low-cost. Objectives Acquire a basic understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles Understand how UDL can be applied to any learning environment Review case studies of UDL use in academic content courses Examine no-cost and low-cost learning technologies as part of the UDL approach Identify UDL activities and approaches to use in your class Discover campus and community resources to help you implement UDL Develop an action plan to apply UDL to your class in the next six months Who Should Attend Administration Academic Affairs Faculty & Instructors Online Learning Any educator interested in learning more about universal learning for design