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