Article Review #3

My final article review is on Universal Design. The article "Curriculum Access and Universal Design for Learning" begins with an explanation about how the re-authorization for IDEA mandated that "all students, regardless of their abilities must be given the opportunity to become involved with and progress in the general educational curriculum." The article cautions , however, that such a mandate decrees more than just supplying every student with a textbook or computer. The author points out that it means that students must be engaged in the learning process to meet the letter of the law.

The author points out that often to accommodate student needs teacher have relied on adapted or altered texts and tests. So, for instance they would provide a braille test for a blind students instead of a written one. The author makes the comparison of such after-though accommodations as being similar to the wheelchair ramp added to a building where stairs used to be the only access--they are often awkward and difficult to use. The author claims a more efficient way to provide student access is to consider what their needs are at the beginning of curriculum development and put the accommodations in right from the get go.

The article goes on to explain what Universal Design means from three principals:

1. The curriculum provides for multiple means of representation, using different modalities to present subject matter.

2. The curriculum provides multiple means of expression to allow students to respond with their preferred means of control to accommodate the differing cognitive strategies and motor-system controls of students.

3. The curriculum provides multiple means of engagement because students learn best in their preferred modality and are more motivated when they are engaged in what they are learning.

The article notes that teachers who want to implement Universal Design must use flexible curricular materials. It is stressed that one does not "dumb down" the lessons but instead keep the lessons challenging enough to motivate learners. They give the example of software for reading programs which have different settings for speed to permit readers to select their own speed. It can be a reader that reads and highlights (permitting for different modalities, audio and visual), and can be controlled vocally, with single switch controls or alternate keyboards (multiple expressions). It can request varying levels of feedback from students ranging from having them repeat vocabulary words to writing their own stories (multiple engagements).

This is Universal Design but I call it darn good teaching. This is exactly what teachers should be doing for their students and it doesn't require a lot of money or effort if planned correctly. The article notes that more and more teachers are using this type of teaching and concludes with informational resources for those wishing to learn more about it.

I think that this is so important to education. Universal Design just makes a lot of common sense. It should be embraced and required just as ADA requires embracing accessibility to housing, telecommunications, buildings, etc... It would bring benefits to all of us, not just those with disabilities. Society as a whole reaps the rewards of such sweeping change.