Here are some questions to spark your reflection: How could schools be created to to ensure equal access? What tools would be helpful in our schools and homes? How do I see myself as an inclusive educator? What is needed to ensure equal access? How do all students learn in schools? How can a school be a welcoming place for all learners?
You will share your thinking in a 350+ words blog response. Please comment on at least 2 other participants.
| Universal Design for Learning is a set of principles for education that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, environments, structures, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs. An Educators Guide Worksheet is a tool that supports educators when considering their classroom curriculum and environment. Resources: UDL Wiki-space for Free Resources National Center of UDL Making learning accessible and engaging for all studentsA Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Universal Design for Learning Lesson Plan Questions to Consider in UDL Observations of Early Childhood Environments UDL Teacher Reference Guiding Principle Chart UDL Lesson Plan Template Universal Design for Learning in Early Childhood Inclusive Classrooms UDL Classroom Environment Equal Access Guidelines 2.0 Version UDL Educator Anchor Checklist UDL DIY Figure Visual Supports Checklist UDL in the Classroom UDL Curriculum Resources CAST was the creator of Universal Design For Learning. They have created a number of teacher tools to support the variability of learning in your classroom. UDL Studio: Allows anyone to make universally designed educational materials with levels of learning supports. UDL Exchange: Enables educators to create, mix, and share instructional resources based on UDL and aligned to the Common Core Standards. UDL Curriculum Tool Kit: Empowers curriculum developers and researchers author and publish educational materials that are flexible and responsive to the needs of all learners. UDL Lesson Builder: Helps educators to design lessons/units of study to meet the diverse learning challenges, skills, and background of students in today's classrooms. iSolve It Math Puzzles: Innovative, research-based games that teach essential math reasoning and problem-solving skills. UDL BookBuilder: Enables educators to develop their own digital books to support reading instruction literacy learning. UDL Curriculum Self-Check: Helps educators build options and flexibility into each element of the curriculum in order to reach and engage all students. |
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Communicator Feature Comparison from Enabling Devices. http://enablingdevices.com/files/content/ComparisonChart.pdf
The TAM (Technology and Media) Division of the Council for Exceptional Children offers a variety of information about assistive technology and special education instructional technology. You can learn more about it’s publications, conferences, and membership at http://www.tamcec.org.
If you have students who use a single switch to access a computer, take a look at http://www.switchintime.com. This website by the developers of Scan ‘n Read is full of cool freebies. It is all for the Macintosh platform. There are outstanding freeware programs that you can download. They include: CD Jukebox, Single Switch Bingo, Scan ‘n Read, and Word Search.
Florida Assistive Technology Education Network (ATEN) Homepage has tutorials that can be downloaded on a variety of assistive technology devices. http://www.aten.scps.k12.fl.us/.
Trace Research & Design Center includes software toolkits and many disability related articles and papers. http://trace.wisc.edu//world/computer_access/multi/sharewar.htm
Closing the Gap is a website offering a variety of articles, resources, and interactive activities related to assistive technology. It offers the “Question of the Week” to encourage visitors to share their knowledge and feedback with other visitors. The site now has a search capability to allow visitors to search their Resource Directory of computer related products for individuals with special needs. http://www.closingthegap.com/index.lasso
World Institute on Disability promotes access to the internet in K-12 schools for students with disabilities. They have a new handbook entitled “The Internet: An Inclusive Magnet for Teaching All Students”. It provides practical tips, general access guidelines, resource listings, and success stories. It can be downloaded for free from their website at: http://www.wid.org/publications/the-internet-an-inclusive-magnet-for-teaching-all-students/.
YaacK, which stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)connecting Young Kids, is a wonderful site. You will find it at: http://aac.unl.edu/yaack/toc.html. It begins with what AAC is and when does a child need AAC. Also on AAC, for great information on creating literacy based communication boards and an excellent resource list on AAC, go to: http://www.aacintervention.com. Watch this one for Tips of the Month, too.
WisTech (Wisconsin Department of Health Services) http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/disabilities/wistech/