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Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies

More Than Promising: Universal Design for Learning, Technology, and Brain Research Raise Hopes for Engaging All Learners

By Bonnie L. Reidman

Some things we know: The stakes are high. We are challenged to pursue “cognitive access to learning” for all students. We strive to help all students “learn how to learn” and become all they can be.

We know that learning is significant when “constructed” through active involvement and powerful engagement. We recognize that students need to be able to manipulate and use information in critical and creative ways. We know that no single technique works best for all learners while we witness that the student population represents more diversity than ever before. We are acutely aware that the school’s role to impart knowledge and information has changed dramatically in this new technology age. Power is what can be done with information: making arguments, connecting different data, perceiving themes, reaching new understandings, providing services that are useful in the real world (Wilhelm, 1998). And we know that the expectation of high standards, at last and rightfully, applies to all students.

And so... We find ourselves at the center of rethinking how we do business in schools, how we envision what instruction is all about, and how we identify what is important for each child to know, learn, and be able to do. Education, as we know it, is on the verge of exciting transformation. Envision just how wonderful it would be to think of schools as truly inclusive environments where all teachers share a philosophical orientation with regard to a respected continuum of differences among students. “Inclusive teaching begins with the stance that differences (of opinion, ethnic cultures, lifestyle, and so on) are not only okay but, in fact, necessary for a vibrant and healthy society.” (Royse, 2001). It is timely that advances in technology and brain research are creating new options and possibilities to help us meet some of these challenges. The following discussion takes a look at some of these options.

Universal Design for Learning

New information about how the brain functions during learning and advances in technology led David Rose and colleagues at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST, 2002), to the development of the concept of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL. According to CAST, “the central practical premise of UDL is that a curriculum should include alternatives to make it accessible and appropriate for individuals with different backgrounds, learning styles, abilities, and disabilities in widely varied learning contexts” (Rose & Meyer, 2002). (By way of background, Universal Design for Learning, had roots in Universal Design (UD), a concept developed earlier by Ron Mace at North Carolina State University to increase facility access and mobility needs of people with disabilities. Now, through an expanded international movement, the benefits of UD have been found to increase usability of buildings, products, transportation and communication modes by everyone, not just those with disabilities.) David Rose’s reworking of UD to UDL makes it applicable to education and cognition. We can think of it as a framework with which we can question ourselves, up front, as we plan instruction, to intentionally build flexibility and options into appropriate individual goals, and resulting strategies and materials. In doing this, we will increase our ability to significantly remove barriers and instruct the widest array of students in a way that is equitable, respectful, caring, and empowering.

The Learning Brain, The study of brain functioning during learning has revealed three complex and interrelated neural pathways. The reader is referred to CAST 2002, for a more precise description. From an educational point of view, we can “roughly” describe these in the following manner:

  • Recognition networks are used to recognize or to identify information, patterns, structures (i.e., letters, words). As we teach, we need to use multiple ways to present information.

  • Strategic networks are used when a student is actively involved in the learning process, such as in writing, reading, or in another cognitive task. Our teaching needs to include multiple pathways for students to use and to express themselves as they are working.

  • Affective networks deal with student determinations of importance regarding the learning. Crafting multiple learning options for student engagement, in ways preferred by students or complementing their learning styles, stands a greater chance of enhancing motivation.

Technology and Instruction in the digital age

Technology has given us the ability to use digital media to increase learning access. Once text is in digitized, it becomes transformable from one medium to another (i.e., into Braille, from speech-to-text or text-to-speech). An example of a program coupling technology with learning, to increase cognitive access by recognizing individual learning differences, is Wiggleworks (www.scholastic.com/wiggleworks/index.htm). This an early literacy program on CD-ROM, appropriate for a wide range of children. The staffs at CAST and Scholastic, Inc. collaborated to create this flexible and versatile program in which students can turn pages, access controls with a button or switch, select larger print with high contrast background, opt to hear text read aloud, and hear buttons “speak” their functions, - all tailored to individual student need and preference.

While this is one example; many software programs, hardware options, and other technologies are rapidly becoming available. A few resources follow.

Informed Teaching: Applying What We Know

Teachers have always known that every learner is unique when it comes to learning style, preference, capacity, and efficiency. The information from brain research helps to validate our observations and gives us specifics with which to plan systematically. The technology gives us tools to broaden implementation options for individualization. In addition, we already know much about teaching concepts, strategies, and techniques that work in our classrooms. A review of a few of these strategies, techniques, and ideas that practitioners have found successful with a wide range of learners follows. We know about the necessity to provide “just the right balance of challenges and supports” for learners.

The “Gradual Release of Responsibility” (Pearson, 1995; Wilhelm, 2001) refers to a process by which when a new skill is first being introduced, the teacher provides the highest level of support. As the student begins to internalize the skill, he/she is more confident and able to work with less support. After sufficient “guided and then independent” practice, the learner is able to proceed more independently. Metacognition, the awareness and monitoring of one’s own thinking processes during learning and problem solving, has been shown to aid students’ understanding and recall (Baker and Brown, 1984). The techniques of Modeled, Shared, and Guided instruction include “built in” scaffolding through the use of both the Gradual Release of Responsibility” and “metacognition.”

These practices are excellent considerations for all learners but particularly successful for students with learning disabilities. Fountas and Pinnell (2001), are a good source for detailed information on Modeled, Shared, and Guided reading. Many teachers have found that the Think-Aloud strategy, where the teacher makes manifest his/her own thinking by talking about what is go on in his/her mind while reading/composing, helps students become aware and gradually apply these skills on their own. We know that getting to know students as individuals and coming to understand what is important to them are among the most simple and yet profound things we can do as a prerequisite to meeting their needs. By learning about their interests as well as their skills, we glean valuable information with which to plan instruction that is meaningful and relevant. Why not ask our students what they need! This practice honors the element of choice... respecting and trusting that students can give us invaluable help in creating more appropriate experiences. The attention that we give to time and classroom organization is also significant. Many students need more time and consistency for instruction and practice via uninterrupted time blocks. This offers the potential for students to get into the stride of learning, in ways that replicate how people “on the outside of school” really operate.

We have learned that direct teaching and modeling of comprehension strategies is critical for developing comprehension. Research with proficient readers reveals a discrete set of effective comprehension strategies which can be directly and explicitly taught, again through the cycle of modeled, shared and guided practice, and then followed by an abundance of independent practice and application (Strickland 2001; Pearson, 1984; Keene & Zimmermann, 1997). We know the importance of a high volume of practice with easy material to develop fluency.

In speaking about struggling readers, Cunningham and Stanovich (1998) note, “The absence of abundant reading practice with materials that are interesting and important to them may be the most harmful aspect of these students’ reading development.” Trade books are powerful tools for use in meeting the needs of a variety of students with diverse learning needs (Cornwell, 2001). Often, students with disabilities have been left out of classroom literature experiences in the interest of time. But exposure to classroom Read Alouds, a practice where students can listen to complete and well developed literature and take part in the pleasure of discussion, can aid students in developing a sense of story structure, seeing positive characteristics of listening and attending modeled, and developing an appreciation of alternative perspectives (Scala 2001). Teachers” efforts in using as many ways as possible to differentiate instruction and to incorporate multiple intelligences can have a profoundly positive impact on the provision of accommodations for a wide range of learners.

Summary

It is true that we can celebrate considerable progress in creating “physical” access in our classrooms, yet when it comes to meeting the “learning and cognitive” needs of all students, in our hearts, we know that many challenges remain. We know that too many of our students, especially those with disabilities, currently feel disenfranchised and do not enjoy school or learning. All of our students should enjoy a quality education which positively impacts all areas of their lives. Civil rights legislation, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1997), and the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, have confirmed that all students are entitled not only to a “free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment,” but also to access to the general education classroom curriculum and program.” The UDL framework can assist us in making good teaching decisions as we create Inclusive environments and target our instruction to meet a broader audience. The UDL framework can be used, first, as a barometer for evaluating our current teaching practices, and second, as a guide for designing the necessary flexibility into goals, objectives, instruction, and assessment.

Specifically, we need to deliberately plan to provide for: multiple modes of presentation, multiple means for student expression, and multiple ways for student engagement in order to appeal to and meet the needs of all learners. Just as was it was found that universally designed environments worked well for ALL people, teachers have found that when instruction works well for students with disabilities it usually works amazingly well for all students! We can use the UDL framework to blend what we already know about quality instruction with evolving technologies and findings from brain research, allowing us to hone in on the most important goals for each individual and to enhance instruction within inclusive environments for learners.

Further Inquiry and Information

  • Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) http://www.cast.org

  • Maine Center for Assistive Technology and Software http://www.mecats.org and www.alltech.usm.maine.edu

  • Allington, Richard. (2001). What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing Research-Based Programs. New York, NY: Addison Wesley.

  • Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers grades 3-6: Teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

  • Nolet, V. & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students With Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

References

Cornwell, L. (2002). Using Books sin the Classroom to Improve Reading Achievement: Research-Based Findings. Brochure compiled by Linda Cornwell, National Literacy Specialist, Paperbacks and Teacher Resources Division of Scholastic Publishing. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Baker, L., & Brown, A. L. (1984). Metacognitive Skills and Reading. In Pearson, P.D., Barr, R., Kamil, M. L., & Mosenthal (Eds.). Handbook of Reading Research (Vol. 1), New York: Longman.

Cunningham, A., & Stanovich, K. (1998). What Reading Does for the Mind. American Educator 22: 8-15.

Keene, E., and Zimmerman, S. (1997). Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension

in a Reader’s Workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Rose, D. with Meyer, A. (2002). Universal Design for Learning Column. Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). Journal of Specialized Education Technology: Associate Editor Column. Retrieved September 3, 2002, from JSET Online. (www.cast.org & http://jset.unlv.edu)

Rose, D. H. & Meyer, A., Stranagman, N. & Rappolt, G. (2002). Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Royse, D. (2001) Teaching Tips for College and University Instructors: A Practical Guide. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Scala, M.C. (2001). Working Together: Reading and Writing in Inclusive Classrooms. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Strickland, Dorothy, S.; Ganske, Kathy; and Monroe, Joanne K. (2002). Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers: Strategies for Classroom Intervention 3-6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. and Friedemann, Paul D. , (1998). Hyperlearning: Where Projects, Inquiry, and Technology Meet. York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. (2001). Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies. New York: Scholastic Publishers, Inc.

Wilhelm, J.D., Baker, T. N., & Dube, J.( 2001). Strategic Reading: Guiding Students to Lifelong Literacy 6-12. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc.

Wood, K.D. (2001). Literacy Strategies Across the Subject Areas. Allyn & Bacon.

 

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Updated: 01/11/2007