Kari Peterson Week 5

 I read the article Universal Design for Learning: Scanning for Alignment in K-12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials. Due to the increasing use of K-12 online education and learning, it was necessary to evaluate the lessons and programs that are being offered, especially for students with disabilities. The prepackaged materials that comprise most of the online learning systems need to meet the needs of all students. The role of the teacher varies depending on the blended or fully online learning experience, but when a teacher is not an active part of the learning process, then it can greatly affect the outcomes. The creators of the UDL Scan tool wanted to move past the basic accessibility, which was typically accommodating some physical disabilities, but in order to reach all students, other aspects of the online programs and lessons needed to be accessed. They wanted a tool that could measure content and curriculum alignment to the UDL framework. They went to great lengths to research the UDL guidelines and checkpoints, and work with UDL experts as they revised and refined their tool. The goal is to provide online learning materials that move beyond basic accessibility and instead align with the UDL framework for ALL students.

Even though my lesson will not be taught online, and the resources were not provided from an online curriculum, I can still evaluate my lesson according to the UDL framework. I want my lesson to be accessible for all students and through COVID when we were teaching through online methods, we learned how difficult it can be to reach all students and meet their different needs. By being in person for my lesson I will be able to see where my students may be struggling and adjust my plans as needed. I am offering choices for the students to apply what they are learning, so that will help to include all students and allow for individual strengths and weaknesses.

Looking at the CAST Universal Design for Learning website, I found many strategies and resources to consider when developing a lesson. A few that I will integrate into my lesson for the final project of this class will be Clarify vocabulary, symbols, and language structures (2.1), Use multimedia for communication (5.1), and Optimize choice and autonomy (7.1). My lesson is focusing on vocabulary, and the students’ final project will be to use the new words they have learned in a meaningful way through one of three multimedia choices. So, these strategies will be used in combination by the students. I have not visited this website or heard of Universal Design for Learning guidelines before this assignment. Of course, many of the strategies are familiar or similar to ones I have seen, but it’s a great resource to have them all in one place and a reminder to incorporate as many as possible within lessons to reach all learners.

Integrating the UDL strategies to address the Digital Use Divide is important because they can be applied to any discipline or content area in order to include all learners in a learning experience. Teaching students these strategies will help when they encounter technology. They will be able to use technology to their advantage and optimize learning. The purpose of the NETP is to revise and reform our thinking on how to reach all kids educationally and how to best incorporate technology into that process. Technology can make things more efficient and diverse if used to its full potential. These resources, and a wealth of others, are all trying to do just that- figure out how to make education and technology available to all students and provide every child with the best possible learning experience.

  

Basham, J. D., Smith, S. J., & Satter, A. L. (2016). Universal Design for Learning: Scanning for Alignment in K-12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials. Journal Of Special Education Technology, 31(3), 147. doi:10.1177/0162643416660836