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Spring 2015 I, II & III
Meeting Dates:
Tues 3/24/15 @ 1:50 pm
Tues 4/21/15 @ 1:50 pm
Tues 5/19/15 @ 1:50 pm
In the first meeting of the UDL FIG, we examined the need for UDL in terms of the diversity of KCC students. Not just disability, but also language, cultural, educational, and physical differences among students color how faculty teach and what they ask of their students. It was a productive discussion! In preparation for the 4/21 meeting, we agreed to read Chapters 1 – 3 of Fostering the Increased Integration of Students with Disabilities. We will consider practical changes (tech and low/no-tech) that may make current courses even more accessible to all students.
At the April 21 meeting, we discussed actual classroom situations and concrete ways to make the classroom environment more accessible to all students. We agreed to read Chapters 5 and 7 of Fostering the Increased Integration of Students with Disabilities for our next meeting (and last for the semester) on Tuesday, May 19.
At our last session, the discussion focused on psychiatric disabilities in the classroom. Chapter seven in our text was limited in meeting the needs as expressed by the FIG participants and I suggested the chapter on Psychological Disorders in Reasonable Accommodations: A faculty guide to teaching students with disabilities. The chapter also has a number of external links for more information.
Suggested Readings:
- Huger, Marianne S. (Ed), 2011. Fostering the Increased Integration of Students with Disabilities: New Directions for Student Services, Number 134
- Universal Design for Learning: Theory & Practice, which in true UDL-style is offered in print, in accessible e-format, and in interactive web-based format. The book provides very good background information that supports the need for UDL. The examples used, however, are mainly K-12.
- Reasonable Accommodations: A faculty guide to teaching students with disabilities is published by CUNY’s Council on Student Disability Issues (COSDI) to provide faculty with helpful suggestions on how to successfully meet students’ needs in the classroom and other college settings
- A Short Guide to Inclusive, Learning-centered Course Design and the accompanying Goals & Outcomes Worksheet
- Guide to Backward Design of Courses
Fall 2014 I, II & III
Meeting Dates:
Tues 9/30/14 @ 11:30am
Tues 10/28/14 @ 11:30am
Tues 11/25/14 @ 11:30am
In the first session, we spoke about variability in students and about how disability happens at the intersection of the individual and the environment. We discussed the need to remove barriers in the environment – “essential for some; good for all”. In the next session, we looked at ways of making assessments accessible to all students by utilizing UDL principles. And in the final session, we considered the accessibility of materials used in courses. Chapter 6 of UDL: Theory and Practice describes “materials” as encompassing “the media used to present learning content and the tools and media used by students while learning and to demonstrate knowledge”.
Suggested Readings:
- Universal Design for Learning: Theory & Practice, which in true UDL-style is offered in print, in accessible e-format, and in interactive web-based format. The book provides very good background information that supports the need for UDL. The examples used, however, are mainly K-12.
- UDL on campus is a website designed specifically for post-secondary educators.
- UDL On Campus > Selecting Media and Technology > Flexible Media looks at how multimedia can be used in flexible ways that support accessibility.
- Appendix D of the KCC 2014-2015 Faculty Handbook has a quick and easy checklist for promoting the use of accessible materials.
- Four Ways to Incorporate Universal Design for Learning into Your Assignment Instructions by Robbin Zeff, Assistant Professor of Writing, George Washington University
- Analyzing a college course that adheres to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework by Frances G. Smith. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, , Vol. 12, No. 3, September 2012
- To Care and Comply. In this video produced by Portland Community College, students with physical disabilities tell of their struggles with their education. It discusses ways faculty and staff can improve course materials to make course content more accessible.
Spring 2014 I, II & III
This semester we will focus on practical applications of UDL in the classroom. Participants will bring in classroom material (syllabi, assignments, tests, etc.) which we will look as a group in terms of UDL principles.
Meeting Dates:
Tuesday 4/1/14, 1:50pm
Tuesday 4/29/14, 1:50pm
Tuesday 5/13/14, 1:50pm
Suggested Readings:
[Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) has a different framework from UDL, but they have similar goals of reducing physical, cognitive, intellectual, and organizational barriers to learning. ]
Barile, M., Nguyen, M.N>, Havel, A., & Fichten, C.S. (2012). Universal design of instruction: A win-win situation! Pédagogie collegiale, 25(4), 20-22. Retrieved from http://www.adaptech.org/sites/default/files/Barile-Vol_25-4(eng).pdf
Barile, M., Mimouni, Z.,Nguyen, M. N., &Fichten, C.S. (2013). ICTs: Tools for universal design for instruction. Porfweb [online]. Retrieved from http://www.profweb.qc.ca/en/publications/reports/icts-tools-for-universal-design-for-instruction/the-issue/
King, L., Nguyen, M.N., Chauvin, A., Fichten, C.S., Mimouni, Z., Havel, A., Barile, M., Budd, J., Raymond, O., & Juhel, J. (2012). Let’s Get Together and Read All Right: How all Kinds of College Readers Respond to Technology. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.qc.ca/pdf/aqeta/king-et-al-rendez-vous-25-2-2012-ENG.pdf
- Burgstahler (Ed.). Universal design in higher education: Promising practices. Seattle: DO-IT, University of Washington. Retrieved from www.uw.edu/doit/UDHE-promising-practices/
What would a UDL-designed syllabus look like? Below is a rubric that could help make that determination and an accessibility/usability tool that lets you check how well you are doing currently.
Universal Design for Learning: A Rubric for Evaluating Your Course Syllabus
ACCESSed: Syllabus AUDIT
Fall 2013 I, II & III
Readings and Resources:
Introduction to UDL
- http://enact.sonoma.edu/content.php?pid=218878&sid=2031274
- http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/2205/451067/CAST_UDL_Guidelines.pdf
- Universal Design in Higher Education: Principles to Practice: Chapters 1, 2
Multiple Means of Representation
- http://enact.sonoma.edu/content.php?pid=218878&sid=1818825
- Universal Design in Higher Education: Principles to Practice: Chapters 3, 4, 6
Multiple Means of Engagement
- http://enact.sonoma.edu/content.php?pid=218878&sid=1818826
- Universal Design in Higher Education: Principles to Practice: Chapters 3, 4, 6
Multiple Means of Expression (including assessment)
- http://enact.sonoma.edu/content.php?pid=218878&sid=1818827
- Universal Design in Higher Education: Principles to Practice: Chapters 4, 5
Three meetings were held this semester on 9/24/13; 10/29/13 and 11/26/13.
