Universal Design for Learning

We can incorporate ramps for people with mobility changes, change the height of light switches,
and. provide multiple presentations of the same material. For an example, a student who is blind
is unable to learn from a visual chart, so a verbal description of
the chart, the tactile graphic presentation, or an e-text version
read by the computer would make all of the concepts accessible
to students who are visually impaired.
We can implement teaching strategies that support recognition
networks. For example, we can provide multiple examples that
tap into different senses and highlight critical features by using labels and arrows on charts and
diagrams, physically highlighting passages, or by simply using a different font color, size, or
treatment within the text. We can also allow students to use multiple media and formats to access
information, practice skills, and demonstrate mastery of material.
Another example of supporting the variety of recognition network is that some students could
read a text, other students could watch an animated movie, while other students could walk
through the steps of the process. Students who dont understand the technical terms benefit from
a website with hyperlinks to click on to get more information about the topic. Digital media is a
great way to provide the flexibility needed to reach the widest number of students.
We can also support the brains strategic networks. By providing students opportunities to
practice skills with various levels of support from us, providing ongoing relevant feedback to
them by means of demonstrating concepts and skills through the use of various models of expert
performance, students of different abilities will identify with a preferred mode and degree of
performance for mastery of the topic. For us, flexibility is the key, and strategic networks, like
recognition networks, can also provide multiple media and formats to students to demonstrate
mastery.
Affective networks relate to feelings and emotions of people. They can influence a students
motivation for learning and engagement with a particular goal, method, medium, or assessment.
Affective networks process the questions of Why do I need to learn this? Feelings and
emotions can change from one day to the next for the educator and his or her students, everyone
might be very excited and engaged in the activity one day, and have less enthusiasm for the
activity the next day.
Many things cause this change from day-to-day, such as illness, exhaustion, and emotional
stress. Offering choices of medium and tools within the scope of the content we are supporting
our students affective networks. Students can also be offered rewards in addition to the context
which the learning will take place. Providing activities at various levels of difficulty that
challenge students at all levels of ability with a variety of engaging materials is very helpful to
providing options during the learning process.

How to Conduct the Same Instructional Activity in Each of the Following Settings:
* Providing multiple means of representation to support the recognition networks
Microsoft Excel is the instructional activity. To teach Microsoft Excel to students in my class
who have different learning styles or disabilities, I would provide the following means of
multiple representation to support the recognition networks:
Utilize several methods of expressing general course content utilizing different modes
such as visual, graphical, verbal, and auditory so students have varied ways to access
the course content.
Provide multiple ways of clearly identifying and explaining essential course concepts
such as lecture with guided notes.
Ensure accessibility in all course content and materials through accessible websites,
captioned videos, e-textbooks, and other easily accessible materials.
Provide examples and/or illustrations of all major coursework or activities.
Use various methods to present content for each lesson: PowerPoint presentation,
video, whole-class discussions, and group work
Utilize resources such as read out loud for PDFs, software to create sound files
from documents, and Power Talk which allows PowerPoint presentations to be read
out loud.
* Providing multiple means of action and expression to support the strategic networks
Offer flexible models of skilled performance
Provide opportunities to practice with supports
Provide constant, meaningful feedback
Offer flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill
Offer clear and specific feedback on assignments and encourage re-submission of
assignments as appropriate. Its about learning, even if it isnt accomplished on the
first try.
Allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject through a variety of
means such as an oral presentation or a written report
Encourage the use of assistive, adaptive or other technologies to make certain that
students can correctly express what they know.
Provide clear guidelines and evaluation rubrics for all major coursework or activities.
* Providing multiple means of engagement to support the affective networks
Offer several choices of learning context
Offer several choices of content and tools
Offer adjustable levels of challenge
Offer choices of rewards
Offer varied instructional methods to include students in the learning process throughout
the term. For example, lecture, group work, online assignments, and class discussion.
Encourage natural support systems such as a study buddy, working with a partner, and
study groups, in and outside of class.
Provide alternatives for students on how they can participate or complete all major course
work or activities.
How to Create a Supportive Learning Environment by Applying the UDL Principles:
I teach business courses, and in my community college classroom the available technologies
consist of touch-screen computers, printer, ten-kay calculators, overhead projector, transparency
and document viewer, whiteboards, and CD and DVD players. Some learning goals I try to
support continually are knowledge, understanding, and mastery of the material and concepts,
knowing what or about something, learning facts or information, making sense of the material,
deepening understanding, making links and relationships between things, knowing how to do
something, being able to do new things, intellectual skills, information management skills, social
skills, communication skills, physical skills, increased motivation, creativity, and inspiration.
Technology can support each of the recognition, strategic, and affective networks by removing
barriers to learning. It can provide flexibility in terms of options for materials, methods, and
assessments. Digital media can provide the greatest flexibility in terms of planning,
implementing, and assessing student learning. Print-based and analog audio and video materials
that are still in many classrooms today cannot do as digital media can by creating storing
labeling, searching, adapting, and linking information. Software and hardware enable teachers
and students to find information in many formats, and convert it so it is easy to see, hear, and
understand; to repurpose or modify to suit their needs, and create new information and media
that they can use to demonstrate newly gained understanding and skills.
Part of the available technology supportive of students in my courses that apply to the UDL
principles consist of big button keyboards and eye screen trackers. Below are descriptions of
each technology:
Big Keys Keyboard LX is a large keyboard for students who have trouble making discrete
movements or have visual impairments. This keyboard is the size of a standard keyboard but it
has 1 square keys which are four times larger than a standard key. It has a switch that allows the
user to set the keyboard layout to match his or her needs. It also has QWERTY or ABC formats.
EyeTech TM3 is a compact and portable eye tracker that allows the user to track with one or
both eyes. He can be used with any Windows based communication software. The purchase
options include an add-on for an existing computer or speech device, a desktop set up, or a
portable touchscreen.
Digital media technology can support the recognition network by providing the flexibility needed
to reach a large number of students, students who rely on different strengths and preferences
caused by the working of their recognition networks. Incorporate multiple media and formats to
demonstrate mastery of the material and concepts.
Technology that teaches how things can be learned can support the strategic network by
providing opportunities to practice skills with various levels of support and providing continual,
relevant feedback, demonstrating concepts and skill, and incorporating multiple media and
formats to demonstrate mastery of the material and concepts. Like the recognition network, the
strategic network relies on numerous systems and subsystems that all operate in parallel.
Technology can support the affective network by offering choices of media and tools within the
scope of the content, providing activities at varied levels that challenge students at all levels of
ability with a variety of engaging technological materials. Digital media technology can support
the affective network by providing the flexibility needed to enable setting learning goals,
providing learning activities, and assessing student progress.

Lesson Plan:
Microsoft Excel is a technology-based best practice: lesson in which I incorporate the principles
of authentic instruction because my students are totally involved in what is being taught. The
ones who know Excel apply their existing knowledge to generate new ideas, create original
works, use models and simulations such as templates and other similar spreadsheets to explore
the complex systems and issues creating of the inventory spreadsheet, and they identify trends.
The learners who do not know Excel learn how to do all of this.
My students communicate and collaborate using Google Docs and email to create a spreadsheet.
The inventory tracking spreadsheet they create is their original works to solve the problem of
keeping track of inventory. They are required to research ways to track inventory using Excel,
the different types of spreadsheets that can be set up to track inventory, and easy and difficult
methods of tracking inventory in Excel. The inventory spreadsheet is one of the many
spreadsheets my students create.
The lesson is how to use Excel to create a variety of spreadsheets such as the budget, inventory
tracking, payroll, profit and loss, game scores, work schedules, and many other useful things. I
plan to set it in a problem-based learning context by employing learner autonomy where students
are able to pursue the topics and questions that pertain to the spreadsheet they are creating. They
are encouraged to explore their own interests and pursue answers to their questions to the real
world problem presented to them to solve.
Students will be required to read the written material provided in the textbook, but more
importantly, they are encouraged to be active in their learning by participating in creating the
spreadsheet using the features of Excel such as graphs, fonts, colors, and formatting. Holistically,
they are encouraged to understand the small parts such as the formulas, cells, columns,
formatting, colors, and other Excel features while understanding how they fit together to create
the whole spreadsheet.
This lesson plan can be differentiated for different types of learners by making the content
available through online tutorials, guided notes, how-to websites, YouTube videos, and
electronic materials. Technology will play a part for differentiating instruction for each group by
catering to the recognition, strategic, and affective networks. Technology can be used during my
lesson to support students who lack prior knowledge or skills to successfully begin my lesson
can use online tutorials, the software has an extensive help section, and YouTube videos that
clearly explain how to use the software, create spreadsheets, and add formatting such as fonts
and colors.
Technology will play a part for differentiating my instruction for students who have low literacy
skills or problems deriving meaning from print by providing online tutorials, audio tutorials, and
group work.
Technology will play a part for differentiating my instruction for a single student who has
arthritis in his or her hands by having available the Big Keys Keyboard LX or a similar assistive
technology such as the onscreen keyboard in the Windows operating system.
Technology will be a part of differentiating my instruction for students who need enrichment by
offering options that encourage collaboration such as Google Docs, Skype, Google chat, and
options that allow students to develop self-assessment and reflection such as letting them redo
their spreadsheets until they are correct. My instruction is not about grading, it is about learning.