Barriers With Implementing a Universal Design for Learning Framework

Inclusion ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
LaRon A. Scott
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
General Education Teacher ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Service Training

Abstract Inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings is often contingent on teachers' liberties to use inclusive instructional strategies. The current qualitative investigation used focus group, observation, and interviews of 9 special education teachers to understand their attitudes and beliefs concerning challenges with implementing the universal design for learning (UDL) framework to meet the needs of students with and without disabilities. A constant comparative analysis method was used to categorize the data into the following themes that emerged as barriers for implementing the UDL framework: (a) general education teacher support for inclusion, (b) need for administrative support, (c) need for improving general education teacher knowledge of UDL, (d) additional preservice field-based training on UDL, and (e) additional in-service training on UDL. Although the teachers in the study continued to indicate a passion for implementing the UDL framework, the need to address the barriers faced by teachers, and future research and implications significant to moving UDL forward as an inclusive teaching framework are underlined for discussion in the study.

Using a Universal Design for Learning Checklist to Teach Secondary Transition Skills

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-251
Author(s):  
Audrey L. Bartholomew ◽  
Nancy Griffin
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Secondary Transition ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
General Education Teacher ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Inclusive Instruction ◽  
Guiding Questions

The authors present a tool teachers can use to modify their instruction so that it is based on universal design and includes secondary transition topics and skills. This checklist includes Universal Design for Learning (UDL) checkpoints and prompts teachers to go through a set of guiding questions that focus on both UDL and secondary transition. Also included in the article are examples of how a general education teacher can use the checklist to design inclusive instruction around secondary transition topics.

scholarly journals Co-Teaching: A Simple Solution That Isn't Simple After All

2008 ◽  
pp. 9-19
Author(s):  
Marilyn Friend
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Common Planning Time ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
General Education Teacher ◽  
Professional Educators ◽  
Common Planning ◽  
The Many

Among the many programs that professional educators are developing to better help their increasingly diverse students reach their potential, co-teaching is emerging as an innovative and potentially effective approach. As a way to ensure that students with disabilities or other special needs have access to the same curriculum as other students and the opportunity to succeed in the general education setting, co-teaching occurs when two professionals, typically a general education teacher and a special education teacher or another specialist, partner in delivering instruction. Although the research base on co-teaching is still emerging, it suggests that co-teaching is far more complex to effectively implement than it might seem at first consideration. Challenges to co-teaching that have been identified and must be addressed include: arranging time for co-planning, building positive working relationships between co-teaching partners, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and ensuring administrative support. When creative strategies for arranging common planning time, building understanding and collaboration between co-teachers, planning and delivering instruction, and enlisting principal and other administrative supports are implemented, the potential of co-teaching for improving student outcomes is significant.

Including Individuals With Disabilities in UDL Framework Implementation: Insights From Administrators

Inclusion ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Alisa Lowrey ◽  
Sean J. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
District Personnel

AbstractIn 2015, the AAIDD National Goals panel recommended the inclusion of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in services designed to support the needs of learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). As a framework that can be implemented district/schoolwide, little is known about the implementation process and administrators' experiences with implementation. Less is known regarding the experiences of administrators' as they implement the framework with learners who struggle or have identified disabilities. To better understand these experiences in implementation, researchers conducted interviews with eighteen school principals/district personnel in a district recognized for fully implementing UDL. A subset of questions from these interviews focused specifically on efforts in implementation to include the needs of learners that are struggling or that have identified disabilities. This research analyzes responses from those administrators specific to supporting students with disabilities. Findings are shared, including those specific to the inclusion of individuals with IDD. Implications for future research and practice are provided.

Reaching Out to Paraprofessionals: Engaging Professional Development Aligned With Universal Design for Learning Framework in Rural Communities

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda L. Barrio ◽  
Aleksandra Hollingshead
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Inland Northwest ◽  
Effectiveness Of Training

The literature reveals that paraprofessionals are responsible for supporting students at risk of/with disabilities in a variety of academic and nonacademic tasks, yet they often lack appropriate training. Recent studies demonstrated the effectiveness of training for paraprofessionals to support students with disabilities in a meaningful way. In rural communities, such professional development and training opportunities are often unavailable despite the need. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a Universal Design for Learning (UDL)–based ongoing professional development model for paraprofessionals in rural general and special education classrooms. Specifically, this study sought to first examine the professional development needs among paraprofessionals in rural communities in the inland Northwest United States and second to provide effective and ongoing professional development opportunities. Findings from this study suggest that ongoing professional development models for paraprofessionals working with students with disabilities, based on needs assessments and consistent with UDL framework, have positive effects. Discussions of implications for future research and practice are included.

Engaging Preservice Teachers in Universal Design for Learning Lesson Planning

Inclusion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-23
Author(s):  
Ruby L. Owiny ◽  
Aleksandra Hollingshead ◽  
Brenda Barrio ◽  
Katlyn Stoneman
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Before And After

Abstract General education teachers often feel unprepared to serve the needs of students with disabilities, including those with intellectual disability, because many teacher preparation programs do not adequately prepare teachers for the diverse classrooms they will encounter. With the increase of inclusion for students with disabilities, it is imperative that teachers develop the necessary skills for engaging all students, including those with intellectual disability, in meaningful instruction. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can assist teachers in designing instruction that meets the needs of their diverse learners. The current study consisted of two parts. First, researchers surveyed preservice teachers on their perceptions of including students with disabilities in their future classrooms before and after instruction in UDL. Second, researchers analyzed preservice teachers' ability to design lessons using the principles of UDL. Results indicated perceptions of inclusion were positive prior to intervention and did not significantly change after the intervention. Lesson plans improved significantly in the use of UDL principles from baseline to postintervention, but there was no significant difference between the postintervention lesson plans and the end-of-semester lesson plans.

scholarly journals Pre-service Teachers' Beliefs: Impact of Training in Universal Design for Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Lanterman ◽  
Karen Applequist
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Epistemological Beliefs ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
General Education Classroom ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Beliefs About Learning

Seventy-seven pre-service teachers enrolled in an introductory special education course completed a questionnaire on their beliefs about learning, teaching, and disability, before and after completing one of two randomly assigned training modules on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Module A presented UDL as a strategy for meeting the specific needs of students with disabilities in a general education setting. Module B presented UDL as a framework to support all learners in the general education classroom through the creation of communities of learners. The Beliefs About Learning, Teaching, and Disability Questionnaire (BLTDQ) was administered with five subscales rated on a 6-point Likert-type scale that measure pre-service teachers’ beliefs about learning and teaching, as representative of their epistemological beliefs, beliefs about disability (from pathognomonic to interventionist) and the role of the teacher in the general education classroom. Analyses of these results suggest that a significant change toward interventionist beliefs about learning, teaching, and disability occurred for participants who completed either module on UDL. Additionally, a small to moderate, positive relationship was identified between pre-service teachers’ beliefs about disability and their epistemological beliefs, with the strength of this relationship increasing following their training in UDL. These findings suggest that training in UDL can have a powerful and positive impact on pre-service teachers’ interventionist epistemological beliefs and beliefs about disability. Shifts toward interventionist beliefs are more likely to result in teaching practices that are more supportive of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Implications for teacher preparation and study limitations are also discussed.

Universal Design for Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 002205742110319
Author(s):  
Sandra Levey
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Design Learning ◽  
The World ◽  
Design For Learning

This review presents the Universal Design Learning (UDL) approach to education. Classrooms have become increasingly diverse, with second language learners, students with disabilities, and students with differences in their perception and understanding information. Some students learn best through listening, while others learn best when presented with visual information. Given the increased number of new language learners across the world, the UDL approach allows successful learning for all students. UDL has allowed students to acquire information more effectively. UDL provides guidance to educators that is especially valuable for the diversity of classrooms and the diversity in modalities in learning,

scholarly journals Reimagining Disability and Inclusive Education Through Universal Design for Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Doolittle Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
White Male ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Regular Classroom ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Design For Learning

In 1975, Congress enacted a law eventually known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures that children with disabilities receive a free, appropriate, public education. Since then, scholarly and popular debates about the effectiveness of inclusive education have proliferated and typically focus on the ability or inability of students with disabilities to succeed in so-called regular classrooms. These debates reflect widespread assumptions that the regular classroom is rightly the province of nondisabled students and a neutral, value-free space that students with disabilities invade and disrupt via their very presence and their costly needs for adaptation. But as many scholars in the field of Disability Studies in Education (DSE) have argued, these discussions often fail to recognize that the space of the regular classroom, far from neutral, is constructed for a nondisabled, neurotypical, white, male, middle-class "norm" that neither reflects nor accommodates the wide range of diverse learners within it, regardless of whether these learners have been diagnosed with a disability. A DSE perspective sees the educational environment, not students with disabilities, as the "problem" and calls for a Universal Design for Learning approach to education, or the design of instructional materials and activities that allows the learning goals to be achievable by individuals with wide differences in their abilities and backgrounds. Agreeing with this DSE perspective, this article uses an autoethnographic approach to reexamine inclusive education and to consider how university classrooms, pedagogy, and curricular materials can be improved in order to accommodate all students, not just those with disabilities. Ultimately, the article argues that Universal Design for Learning has the potential to radically transform the meaning of inclusive education and the very concept of disability.

scholarly journals The Goal of the Universal Design for Learning: Development of All to Expert Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 23-57
Author(s):  
Julita Navaitienė ◽  
Eglė Stasiūnaitienė
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Development

AbstractOver the past 10 years, every learner’s ability to achieve the highest level of learning success has become quite an important topic. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) sets a goal to allow all learners to achieve their optimal learning experience that matches inclusive education. Learners who can assess their own learning needs set their personal learning goals, and monitor their progress are termed the expert learners (McDowell. Developing expert learners: a roadmap for growing confident and competent students. Corwin, 2019). This chapter focuses on theoretical backgrounds for expert learners’ paradigm. It starts from fundamental constructivist theories and moves towards the theory of self-regulation and cognitive neuroscience approach. It concentrates on the theory of self-determination, which, in our opinion, validates in the best way the nature of the expert learners’ development. Implementation of the Universal Design for Learning allows all learners to access, participate in, and progress in the general-education curriculum. This chapter presents the specific profile of the expert learners covering their main characteristics and qualities and revealing the essence of the UDL framework. Educators could use the profile as the educational guidelines conductive to understand how the process of becoming the expert learner proceeds.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document