scholarly journals Universal Design: Strategies and Examples to Assist Educators in the Classroom

Author(s):  
Linn Jorgenson ◽  
Korey Singleton ◽  
Deborah Mitchell

"College can be challenging for all students, and the challenges for students with visible and invisible disabilities are even greater. According to Taylor & Colvin in About Campus, the number of students with disabilities attending institutions of higher education has increased by 20% from 2003 to 2009 (2013).  Technology can be used to transform course materials from inaccessible to accessible. Universal design (UD) was coined by architect Ronald Mace to design products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible (Vance, 2014). Universal instructional design (UID), a term used on college campuses, will potentially make it easier for students and faculty with different learning styles, students with disabilities, and international students to access course material and participate more fully in the classroom (Adams, 2013). The unspoken way an institution of higher education communicates with any underserved population is by offering a welcoming environment. Teaching and learning opportunities through universal design is an exciting new avenue through which more students will be able to participate and be successful as they pursue a agree in higher education. ReferencesAdams, M. (Eds.). (2013) Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge, 98._Taylor, C.M. & Colvin K.L. (2013). Universal design: A tool to help college students with  Asperger's syndrome engage on campus. About Campus, 18(3), 9-15. doi:10.1002/abc.21118Vance, L.V. (Eds.). (2014). Beyond the Americans with disabilities act. Washington, DC: 37-8.

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Alice Cassidy

“Hop on the bus, Gus. Make a new plan, Stan.” * What are some techniques to hook or ‘lure’ learners and to keep them motivated? Knowing the diversity of students, their interests, backgrounds, and preferred learning styles, no single technique will be successful all of the time. This paper describes a large number of ways teachers can engage students with course material and objectives, citing examples from the author, participants in a 2008 Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) conference session, and web resources. After reading this paper and checking out some of the many hotlinks, readers will have ‘more spice’ to add to their teaching repertoire. We all want to help students learn. Let’s see if we can add 50 ways to do just that. “The answer is easy if you take it logically.”


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Chao

The objective of this article is to facilitate mobile teaching and learning by providing an alternative course material deployment method. This article suggests a course material deployment platform for small universities or individual instructors. Different from traditional course material deployment methods, the method discussed deploys course materials by using services provided by Android Market. After comparing the traditional course material deployment and the alternative deployment, the author presents strategies to take advantage of Android Market in delivering course materials to mobile devices. Through a case study, this article illustrates the application of these strategies in deploying a class menu for an object-oriented programming course in the computer science curriculum.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nageswara Rao Ambati

The present study is an exploratory in nature. The papers aims to understand the attitudinal barriers encountered by students with disabilities in higher education institutions and its impact on their learning experiences. The study was conducted in the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh (now bifurcated in to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), India. For this study, the researcher selected three universities in different parts of Andhra Pradesh by using purposive sampling. In the second phase the researcher interviewed 100 students with disabilities from the selected universities by using snowball sampling. For this study, quantitative and qualitative data analyses were used and in most cases quotes of real text for each theme were maintained and used extensively. The findings of the paper covered characteristics of students with disabilities, attitudinal barriers faced by them. The findings of the study suggests that changes are needed to be made, not only in the physical environment in which teaching and learning takes place, but also in the way in which higher education curriculum is organised, delivered and assessed and changes should also come in attitudes of teachers, university administration, peer group and public at large.


Author(s):  
Baraka M. Kagombe ◽  
Michael P. J. Mahenge ◽  
Sotco Claudius Komba ◽  
Safari Timothy Mafu ◽  
Camilius Aloyce Sanga

This chapter emanates from a study which sought to investigate challenges of teaching and learning computer programming in higher education. The study was conducted at Sokoine University of Agriculture. The study had three specific objectives: first, to identify learners' prior knowledge on computer programming at the time of joining the university; second, to investigate learners' self-efficacy in computer programming course; the third objective was to evaluate the learning styles used by learners in the computer programming course. The study adopted a quantitative research method, grounded in experiential learning theory. The data was collected from respondents using questionnaires and the analysis of the data was done using statistical software. The findings indicate that inadequate computer laboratories, lack of competent staff in ICT-based instructional design, inadequate teaching and learning materials, and students' lack of prior knowledge on computer programming at the time of joining the university are the main challenges.


Author(s):  
Rosangela K. Boyd ◽  
Bonnie Moulton

This chapter will discuss accessibility issues related to online education. It will provide rationale for designing online courses that cater to different levels of functional ability. It will also present an overview of the challenges faced by students with disabilities in accessing and interacting with online course materials and activities. In order to address the potential barriers to full participation, national and international guidelines will be examined, with particular emphasis on their implications for specific course components. In addition, mechanisms for validation of web accessibility will be suggested and resources will be listed for those interested in obtaining further information on the topic.


Author(s):  
Virendra Gawande

Higher Education in developing countries like Oman offers several unique circumstances that suggest curriculum delivery using Blended Learning is a rational choice. Research has been conducted to identify the factors affecting blended learning adoption and to determine whether the teaching and learning process is amenable to its adoption at HEIs in Oman. Based on the findings a model, Blended Learning Acceptance Model (BLAM), has been developed. It was inferred from the findings that there is a positive relationship among the demographic factors and behavioral Intention i.e. blended-learning adoption. In addition, the teaching and learning styles also had significant influence on adoption of blended learning. BLAM was primarily intended to be used at HEIs in Oman, but may also be used in other developing countries as a reference for the adoption of blended learning.


2011 ◽  
pp. 1219-1251
Author(s):  
Rosangela K. Boyd ◽  
Bonnie Moulton

This chapter will discuss accessibility issues related to online education. It will provide rationale for designing online courses that cater to different levels of functional ability. It will also present an overview of the challenges faced by students with disabilities in accessing and interacting with online course materials and activities. In order to address the potential barriers to full participation, national and international guidelines will be examined, with particular emphasis on their implications for specific course components. In addition, mechanisms for validation of web accessibility will be suggested and resources will be listed for those interested in obtaining further information on the topic.


2019 ◽  
pp. 359-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mey A. van Munster ◽  
Laureen J. Lieberman ◽  
Michelle A. Grenier

The aim of this case study was to describe the distinct approaches used by physical education (PE) teachers to accommodate students with disabilities in New York elementary school PE classes. The participants included 1 adapted PE specialist, 5 PE teachers, and 5 elementary school students with various impairments. Through thematic analysis, observations and interviews revealed 3 main approaches: (a) normalized instruction—traditional curriculum with no differentiation in the program; (b) differentiated instruction—adaptations tailored specifically to the needs of each student with disability; and (c) universally designed instruction based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and accessibility to all students. Differentiated instruction, entailing modifications in the program and pedagogical accommodations, was the most prevalent approach at the research site, but lessons based on UDL principles were also observed. In association, the 2 approaches (differentiated instruction and UDL) represented significant resources to accommodate students with disabilities in PE.


Author(s):  
Thomas A. Delaney ◽  
Maiko Hata

Studying English is challenging and, for many learners, undiagnosed learning disabilities can present a serious threat to their success. Recent studies indicate that up to 10% of the world population has a non-apparent disability, such as autism or dyslexia. At the same time, few English language learner (ELL) instructors in higher education have training in learning disabilities, and they are often unsure of how to support learners who seem to have extra challenges. This is especially true when it comes to assessment, as instructors often rely on traditional tools that could negatively affect the validity of the assessment outcomes. In this brief reflection, the authors share how instructors can apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to their assessment practices to support students with disabilities, regardless of diagnostic status. First, disabilities that affect language learning will be briefly discussed, followed by the explanation of how English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) assessments present specific challenges for students with disabilities. Then, the authors will provide an overview of UDL theory, which proposes that learners with disabilities are often best served by accommodations in representation, expression and engagement that can benefit the entire class. Most of the paper will focus on specific, practical strategies for implementing UDL within assessment in higher education. Such strategies include building executive function, implementing multi-channel assessment, and learning about students through an “evaluation loop.”


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