Universal Design for Learning in Rehabilitation Education: Meeting the Needs for Equal Access to Electronic Course Resources and Online Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22
Author(s):  
Gina R. Oswald ◽  
Robert David Nathan Adams ◽  
Jeffrey A. Hiles
Keyword(s):  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Equal Access ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Diverse Field ◽  
Design For Learning

As rehabilitation services and counseling educational programs aim to promote a philosophy of equal access for persons with disabilities within the classroom, in the profession, and within society in general, higher education accessibility measures should not be an afterthought but proactively sought throughout course design and delivery as an exemplar for future professional service provision and learning opportunity. Learning the basic principles of universal design will improve the ability of rehabilitation students to create an inclusive environment within a diverse field and working environment. Clear and easily achievable recommendations for course content and program materials accessibility compliance are outlined.

scholarly journals Familiarity, Current Use, and Interest in Universal Design for Learning Among Online University Instructors

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl D Westine ◽  
Beth Oyarzun ◽  
Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell ◽  
Amanda Casto ◽  
Cornelia Okraski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Online Faculty ◽  
University Instructors ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Survey Results

This study investigated online faculty familiarity, course design use, and professional development interest regarding universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines. The researchers surveyed all 2017 to 2018 online faculty at a large university in the southeastern United States. Findings included 71.6% of faculty reporting familiarity with at least one UDL guideline, with most respondents indicating familiarity with guidelines relating to perception, expression, and communication. Faculty reported the highest implementation of UDL guidelines was for those suggesting options for comprehension as well as expression and communication; the lowest implementation was for those suggesting options for physical action as well as language and support. Survey results also indicated high to moderate interest in learning more about all UDL guidelines, with emphasis on comprehension, persistence, and expression. This study suggests that faculty members desire UDL training and offers possibilities for planning and implementing such professional development in areas targeted to best meet the needs of online faculty.

Administrative Factors in Design and Delivery of Open and Distance Learning Course Materials

2018 ◽  
pp. 117-145
Author(s):  
Hakan Altinpulluk ◽  
Hakan Kilinc
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Universal Design For Instruction ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
The Disabled

Principles of the Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) can be applied to open and distance education systems as an approach derived from universal design principles. UDI can be used not only for the disabled learners in open and distance education institutions but also for the creation of accessible learning environments for all learners. Within the scope of this study, the history and features of universal design principles in the field of architecture are explained first; then, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Universal Instructional Design (UID) and UDI concepts, which are educational adaptations of universal design principles, are examined in detail. In the last section, management processes of open and distance education systems, examples of universal design in open and distance education and managerial processes in course design and delivery, are examined. In this way; modern approaches such as UDI principles are studied in terms of their applicability within the framework of design and delivery management in open and distance education environments.

Cultivating Student Engagement in a Personalized Online Learning Environment

2020 ◽  
pp. 267-287
Author(s):  
Jeremy Anderson ◽  
Heather Bushey ◽  
Maura E. Devlin ◽  
Amanda J. Gould
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Degree Completion ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Course Content ◽  
College Degrees ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Frameworks

Higher education has a national imperative to change the ways it supports its increasingly non-traditional populations who seek completion of college degrees in more flexible online environments. However, online education can present challenges to such students learning remotely and often independently, and who may struggle with accessing, understanding, and processing course content and achieving mastery of outcomes. A unique model based on technology and data-driven decision-making that is undergirded by two teaching and learning frameworks—adaptive learning and universal design for learning—is presented, along with outcomes and best practices. By adopting revolutionary methods of engaging students online and ensuring mastery of course and program learning outcomes, which enhance persistence and degree completion, such a model addresses this national educational imperative.

Removing the Disability from Distance Education

2014 ◽  
pp. 156-168
Author(s):  
Christina Yuknis
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Instructional Design ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Accessibility Issues ◽  
Education Courses

Students with disabilities are increasingly opting to take distance education courses. As a result, many courses are not prepared to adequately meet the needs of their students. This chapter provides an overview of the main accessibility issues, including the delay in technology use and adaptation and assistive technology integration for people with disabilities in distance education courses. To mitigate these issues, a framework for instructional design, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), is presented. UDL is a set of three principles that, when applied from the beginning of the course design, can reduce the need for later modifications or accommodations. Instructors may use UDL to ensure that the course is accessible, not just for students with disabilities, but for all students in the course.

Removing the Disability from Distance Education

2016 ◽  
pp. 254-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Yuknis
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Instructional Design ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Accessibility Issues ◽  
Education Courses

Students with disabilities are increasingly opting to take distance education courses. As a result, many courses are not prepared to adequately meet the needs of their students. This chapter provides an overview of the main accessibility issues, including the delay in technology use and adaptation and assistive technology integration for people with disabilities in distance education courses. To mitigate these issues, a framework for instructional design, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), is presented. UDL is a set of three principles that, when applied from the beginning of the course design, can reduce the need for later modifications or accommodations. Instructors may use UDL to ensure that the course is accessible, not just for students with disabilities, but for all students in the course.

scholarly journals Taking Universal Design Back to Its Roots: Perspectives on Accessibility and Identity in Undergraduate Mathematics

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juuso Nieminen ◽  
Henri Valtteri Pesonen
Keyword(s):  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Undergraduate Mathematics ◽  
Disabled Students ◽  
Social Model Of Disability ◽  
Inclusive Learning ◽  
Design For Learning

Universal Design has been promoted to address the diversity of learners in higher education. However, rarely have Universal Design implementations been evaluated by listening to the voices of disabled students. For this study, we investigated the perceptions of three disabled students who took part in an undergraduate mathematics course designed with the principles of Universal Design for Learning and Assessment. The study consists of two parts. First, we observed the experiences students had in relation to the accessibility of the course design. The second part consisted of a further analysis of the students identifying processes to understand how they talked about their learning disabilities during the course. Our results highlight many opportunities and challenges that the course offered to the students, whilst also raising concerns about how the students excluded themselves from their student cohort in their identifying narratives. Based on our results, we argue that Universal Design should be returned to its roots by connecting it with the social model of disability. We call for future research to learn from our mistakes and consider the identifying processes of the students while designing, and hopefully co-designing, inclusive learning environments in mathematics.

scholarly journals UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING - APPLICATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A GREEK PARADIGM

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-166
Author(s):  
Sotiria Tzivinikou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Study Guide ◽  
Post Evaluation ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Crucial Information ◽  
The University

Universal Design supported by literature as an appropriate and effective procedure can help all students including the learning disabled ones to improve their accessibility to written materials (Evans et al., 2010; Rose & Meyer, 2002). The present study reports a UDL application in higher education. More specifically, it aimed to investigate if the revision of the study guide of a Pedagogical Department according to the UDL principles helped the students to improve their access to crucial information regarding their studies. A quantitative method based on pre and post evaluation of the UDL revision of the study guide was employed. The results showed that this revision was regarded by the students as helpful and efficient as they could be well-informed about their studies and ready for making decisions related to their future careers. These findings could have an important impact on higher education course design, instruction and the produced academic written stuff, and finally, the university could become more accessible for all students. Key words: higher education, learning disabilities, universal design for learning.

scholarly journals Accessible by design: Applying UDL principles in a first year undergraduate course

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Lynne Kumar ◽  
Maureen Wideman
Keyword(s):  
Social Presence ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
First Year ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Design For Learning

This article presents a case study of a technology-enhanced face-to-face health sciences course in which the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) were applied. Students were offered a variety of means of representation, engagement, and expression throughout the course, and were surveyed and interviewed at the end of the term to identify how the UDL-inspired course attributes influenced their perceptions of course accessibility. Students responded very positively to the course design, and felt that the weaving of UDL throughout the course resulted in increased flexibility, social presence, reduced stress, and enhanced success. Overall, students felt more in control of their own learning process and empowered to make personal choices to best support their own learning. This course design also led to increased satisfaction from the perspective of the instructor and reduced the need for intervention by the campus disability services department.  

Increase Engagement and Learning

2020 ◽  
pp. 137-147
Author(s):  
Philip Gene Pulley
Keyword(s):  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Fair Use ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Course Content ◽  
The World ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Interchange Format

With the infusion of educational technology and internet access into classrooms, including 1:1 laptops, iPads, and Chromebooks, educators must realize the importance of visuals for their online course content. Today's students are growing up in an internet-forward culture. Social media is an important part of how students connect with their friends, peers, and the world. Their interactions use accompanying memes, emojis, and GIFs (graphics interchange format) that are used to describe and supplement events happening “IRL”—in real life. Just as we use technology to enhance the learning experience in the classroom, it is perhaps equally as important to speak students' language to improve both student engagement and learning while using those devices in the classroom. This chapter reviews research concerning visual use in course content, discusses visuals in the context of universal design for learning (UDL), provides tips on for using visual appeal to improve engagement and learning, briefly discusses the topic of copyright and fair use, and gives examples of visuals including GIFs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document