Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a method that is designed to minimize barriers and maximize student learning by supporting the needs of all learners (CAST, 2010; Morra & Reynolds, 2010). UDL takes into account that different areas of our brains process the what, how, and why of learning. Teachers need to identify goals and the barriers that might interfere with accomplishing them. To overcome barriers, there are three principles that allow for flexibility in the ways learners engage, receive content, and demonstrate learning. These principles are to provide multiple means of: (a) representation, (b) action and expression, and (c) engagement (CAST, 2010; Gronseth & Hutchins, 2019).
Planning with UDL leads to proactively planning for differing needs of learners instead of planning for the average learner and then accommodating. (Gronseth & Hutchins, 2019). Technology can be used in all of the UDL principles.
My students all have Chromebooks, which include a built-in screen reader, ChromeVox. I supply this link, which has directions to all students at the beginning of the year. When I give online tests, any student who would like to have (or needs) the test read to them can use this, which is helpful when there is not a special-education teacher available.
To improve engagement during lectures, I use Pear Deck, which allows me to include links to additional resources along with comprehension questions. It is a Google Slides Add-On, so teachers only have to modify the wheel instead of recreating it! Pear Deck can be used in any setting, and you can make it student-paced or teacher-paced depending on your need. I have used this in my classroom to help keep in-person students engaged during lectures and to check for understanding at key points along the way. It is also a great tool in a 1:1 classroom. Students can open the slideshow on their own devices at their desk and have the presentation right in front of them, eliminating the “I can’t see the board” problem. I have also used it for remote and absent students on the student-paced mode, allowing for the same check for understanding feedback from them.
Quizlet gives students the opportunity for immediate feedback. I have used Quizlet for review activities and for formative assessments. Students like Quizlet because it offers several options for how to work through the cards, and they can take tests too. Students can play games independently, or they can compete with each other.
References:
CAST. (2010, January 6). UDL at a Glance. YouTube. https://youtu.be/bDvKnY0g6e4.
Gronseth, S. L., & Hutchins, H. M. (2020). Flexibility in Formal Workplace Learning: Technology Applications for Engagement through the Lens of Universal Design for Learning. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 64(2), 211–218.
Morra, T., & Reynolds, J. (2010). Universal design for learning: Application for technology-enhanced learning. Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges, 15(1), 5.
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