Abstract

With the passage of No Child Left Behind and the development of the New Freedom Initiative, the federal government has made a commitment to provide students with disabilities with a high-quality education and to ensure that persons with disabilities, as stated in Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, have an "equal opportunity to participate" and an "equal opportunity to benefit from" service. This effective practice, submitted by the National Service Inclusion Project in June 2007, shares examples of instruction that employ principles of universal design, as well as additional resources on this topic.

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Issue

In a classroom setting it is essential to consider the inclusion of all students. Universal design principles can be applied to the overall design of instruction as well as to specific instructional materials, facilities, and strategies such as lectures, classroom discussions, group work, Web-based instruction, labs, field work, and demonstrations.

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Action

Listed below are examples of instruction that employ principles of universal design. They are organized around eight performance indicator categories, with a goal statement for each.

1.  
   1. Class Climate. Adopt practices that reflect high values with respect to both diversity and inclusiveness.
      Example: Put a statement on your syllabus inviting students to meet with you to discuss disability-related accommodations and other learning needs.
   2. Physical Access, Usability, and Safety. Assure that activities, materials, and equipment are physically accessible to and usable by all students and that all potential student characteristics are addressed in safety considerations.
      Examples: Develop safety procedures for all students, including those who are blind, deaf, or use wheelchairs; label safety equipment simply, in large print, and in a location viewable from a variety of angles; repeat printed directions orally.
   3. Delivery Methods. Use multiple accessible instructional methods.
      Example: Use multiple modes to deliver content and motivate and engage students — consider lectures, collaborative learning options, hands-on activities, Internet-based communications, educational software, and field work.
   4. Information Resources. Assure that course materials, notes, and other information resources are flexible and accessible to all students.
      Example: Choose printed materials and prepare a syllabus early to allow students the option of beginning to read materials and work on assignments before the class begins and to allow adequate time to arrange for alternate formats, such as books on tape.
   5. Interaction. Encourage effective interactions between students and the instructor and assure that communication methods are accessible to all participants.
      Example: Assign group work for which learners must support each other and that places a high value on different skills and roles.
   6. Feedback. Provide specific feedback on a regular basis.
      Example: Allow students to turn in parts of large projects for feedback before the final project is due.
   7. Assessment. Regularly assess student progress using multiple, accessible methods and tools, and adjust instruction accordingly.
      Example: Assess group/cooperative performance as well as individual achievement.
   8. Accommodation. Plan for accommodations for students for whom the instructional design does not meet their needs.
      Example: Know how to get materials in alternate formats, reschedule classroom locations, and arrange for other accommodations for students with disabilities.

   Note that employing universal design principles in instruction does not eliminate the need for additional accommodations for students with disabilities. For example, you may still need to provide a sign language interpreter for a student who is deaf. However, applying universal design concepts in course planning, such as designing Web resources in accessible formats as they are developed, assures full access to the content for most students and minimizes the need for additional work when students with disabilities do enroll in the class.

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Context

Universal design principles can be applied to many products and environments. Using the Center for Universal Design format, universal design of instruction can be defined as the design of instruction to be usable by all students, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The Council for Exceptional Children elaborates:

In terms of learning, universal design means the design of instructional materials and activities that makes the learning goals achievable by individuals with wide differences in their abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand English, attend, organize, engage, and remember. Universal design for learning is achieved by means of flexible curricular materials and activities that provide alternatives for students with differing abilities. These alternatives are built into the instructional design and operating systems of educational materials — they are not added on after-the-fact.

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Citation

Universal Design of Instruction: Definition, Principles, and Examples by Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D. University of Washington DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center.

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Outcome

Accessible design benefits students with disabilities but also benefits others. For example, captioning course videos, which provides access to deaf students, is also a benefit to students for whom English is a second language, to some students with learning disabilities, and to those watching the tape in a noisy environment. Delivering content in redundant ways can improve instruction for students with a variety of learning styles and cultural backgrounds. Letting all students have access to your class notes and assignments on a Web site benefits students with disabilities and everyone else. Planning ahead saves time in the long run.

Employing universal design principles in everything we do makes a more accessible world for all of us. It minimizes the need to alter it for anyone.

For a checklist for the application of UDI consult Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction.

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Resources

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities has compiled great resources on how to best include children with disabilities in typical classroom environments. Some of the available topics include how to stop bullying and other behavioral issues, developing curriculum, and research on learning and brain function.

Related Practices

• Understanding the principles of universal design

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Related sites

U.S. Department of Education

NICHCY (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities)

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