Accessibility and Universal Design

O LJaclyn McClaryOklahoma State UniversityEDTC 5053

A . U DAccessibility Universal Design

Designed for: People with disabilities EVERYONE; minimizes the need for adaptations because it works for as many different types of people as possible.

Laws: ● Mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that public facilities and services are accessible to people with disabilities.

● An amendment to the Rehabilitation Act mandates that U.S. federal agencies use accessibility standards for information technology.

● Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008)

Characteristics considered: Disabilities Disabilities, gender, height, weight, age, race/ethnicity, culture, language, learning preference

Unknown. (2017). http://www.washington.edu/doit/what-difference-between-accessible-usable-and-universal-design?337=

QuizWhich is an example of universal design?

C !

Photo: http://committoinclusion.org/universal-design/ Photo: http://www.amsvans.com/blog/

● Automatic doors: benefit people with wheelchairs or crutches, pregnant women, elderly people, and people with their hands full.

● Ramps: benefit people with wheelchairs or crutches, small children, pregnant women, elderly people, people with arthritis.

● Elevators: benefit people with wheelchairs or crutches, pregnant women, small children, elderly people, people with their hands full or with luggage.

● “Rocker” light switches: the newer flat switches are easier to use for someone who doesn’t have full use of hands either because of a disability or full hands. It’s easy to hit it with an elbow or shoulder to turn it on or off.

● Sidewalk “curb cuts”: benefits people with wheelchairs, strollers, and suitcases.● Closed captioning: benefits people who are deaf, people who are exercising on

treadmills, people learning a new language, and travelers in airports (Rose & Gravel, 2010).

Universal Design f

Universal Design for Learning G

The National Center for Universal Design for Learning has guidelines to help educators meet the needs of many

learners. It’s broken down into three main sections: engagement,

representation, and action & expression.

Engagement: learners are involved and excited about learning.

Representation: learners can get information from multiple options.

Action & Expression: learners can show their learning in a variety of ways.

CAST (2015). http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/take_a_tour_udl

W ?

Text to speech read aloud toolsTranslate to different

languages

Multimedia glossary

Multiple representations of content (text, audio, video, etc.)Visual organizers

Concept maps

Embedded links for

students to learn more

Digital highlighter

CAST. (2015).

Student choice in how to respond to learning

Closed captions

Stop & ThinkW f ?

W ( )?

Go back to slide 4 for ideas

Go back to slide 6 for

ideas

W accessibility universal design ?

(Jamerson, 2016)

I C S

T f C

This video mostly addresses inclusion in physical schools, but it

highlights the importance of

accessibility and universal design that

applies to online learning as well.

(Heissenbuttel, 2014)

The Future of universal design in learning

● Just like it is unknown what technologies will be invented and used in the future, it is unknown how these future technologies will be accessible and universally designed.

● However, it appears that more and more schools are implementing universal design. There is a state-wide UDL initiative in Michigan where schools are encouraged to adopt UDL practices in their teaching, purchasing, and policies. Many individual districts or schools throughout the country are also implementing UDL. (Rose & Gravel, 2010)

● Scholastic has published nine award winning books in a UDL format. Many textbook publishers are designing their online textbooks to be UDL. (Rose & Gravel, 2010).

● The U.S. Department of Education recently endorsed a standard (NIMAS) that requires textbooks and other print materials to be available digitally so they are accessible to more students. “This legislation is remarkably revolutionary – the first of its kind to recognize that printed instructional materials are no longer adequate to serve the full population of students in our schools.” (Rose & Gravel, 2010).

H UDL ?While it might not be necessary to implement UDL practices at all times, UDL is “essential for some, good for all.” (Hargreaves & Braun, 2015). Here are some resources for educators if you are interested in implementing UDL in your teaching.

● CAST UDL Exchange: educators can create, browse, and share UDL lessons and resources. CAST UDL Exchange can be found at: http://udlexchange.cast.org/home.

● Udio: Udio’s name is a cross between UDL and studio. This resource is funded by the Department of Education and targets struggling readers in middle school. It uses articles on topics that kids are interested in and then offers supports such as text to speech, digital highlighters, and translators for kids who are learning English.

● Here’s a report issued by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs that offers ideas for educators interested in implementing UDL practices: http://sde.ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/DI_UDL.pdf

● On Twitter: #udlchat, #udl, #udlahead, #accessibility, #accessibility4all, #spedchat● UDL Intentional Planning template:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/paqqprswe7l4k60/UDLIntentionalPlanningTemplateE3T.MISD.pdf?dl=0

M A QThe research I’ve done on the Hot Topic Project has caused me to reflect on my own teaching practices.

I usually have students with special needs in my third grade classroom each year and while I do differentiate for these students, I don’t use universal design to benefit ALL students as much as I could. My additional questions are just me questioning how I can implement universal design for learning more in my classroom.

One thing I’m thinking about implementing is a more comfortable, cozy, and calming “take a break” spot. I have several students who would benefit from this. One is in foster care and has some problems regulating his anger. Another is highly gifted with sensory issues who often gets overwhelmed. One is a child with autism. If I implemented a more inclusive “take a break” spot, more students would benefit than just these few. Maybe a student who is having a bad day can calm down there. I’m mulling over a few more ideas, but this is one of the things that came immediately to my mind while reading about accessibility and universal design, so I think I’ll start here.

Another thing that I’m considering is that we have access to the online version of our textbooks. I’ve never used the student versions with my kids because I have always thought that it would be too much work and not worth it. I’m reconsidering this idea. I now know that online textbooks often follow UDL guidelines, so it would benefit my students. The only tricky part is that my class shares a set of Chromebooks with 5 other classes, so it will be difficult to get access to them with regularity. Food for thought, though!

Your Assignment:Find an example of universal design, either in your everyday life or online. Take a photo of it and describe

where you found it and how it is universal design. Bonus points if it relates to education! Post it on this page or the next few pages of this presentation. Remember to write your name next to it!

This is in my classroom. Laurie Starling

Working with an online whiteboard. Robinson

YouTube Instructional Video using closed captioning-Yates

Universal Design Examples

Farris

Quintero

Nicholas UDL example online: Chrome Read and Write.

Livescribe Pen - Walker

Universal Design Examples

Davenport

Wright

Beratto

WEST

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Berdick, C. (2015). A new approach to designing educational technology. Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/03/universal_design_for_learning_brings_emotions_into_education_technology.html

Burghstahler, S. (2009). Universal design of instruction (UDI): definition, principles, guidelines, and examples. Retrieved from http://www.umassd.edu/dss/resources/facultystaff/universaldesign/

Burgstahler, S. (2013). Universal design in higher education: promising practices. University of Washington. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-higher-education-promising-practices-pdfs

Heissenbuttel, H. (2014). Inclusive cultures in schools transforms communities.TEDx Talks. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gsbNR2pIts

Jamerson, M. (2016). UDL as an architecture for learning. ITS Learning. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/itslearningusa/udl-as-an-architecture-for-learning

Rose, D. H., & Gravel, J. W. (2010). Universal design for learning. In P. Peterson, E. Baker & B. McGraw (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (pp. 119-124). Oxford: Elsevier. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/sites/udlcenter.org/files/TechnologyandLearning_1.pdf

Unknown. (2015). Take a tour: learn about universal design for learning. National Center for Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/take_a_tour_udl

Unknown. (2017). What is the difference between accessible, usable, and universal design? Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/doit/what-difference-between-accessible-usable-and-universal-design?337=

References

The gradual incline is universal design

because many types of people can benefit

from it. People with disabilities, small children, elderly

people, and pregnant women could all

benefit from entering the pool this way.

Y ! Y ’

!

C .

O ! T

!

This would be considered

accessibility, not universal design.

That’s because it was specifically designed

for people with disabilities, but not everyone can use it.

C .