Hoover Elementary SchoolSchool In-service: Students with Disabilities Universal Design for Learning and Inclusion

As many of you are new to Hoover this year, we would like to summarize some of the important areas of focus for our school regarding universal design for learning and inclusion. As you know, universal design for learning (UDL) ensures that students with disabilities can access the general education curriculum via curriculum modifications achieved through technology and instruction.

Some examples of current modifications in use at Hoover, which are based on standards outlined by NIMAS (National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard), include: multiple methods of presentation such as text, graphics and photographs, performance formats like plays and skits and a variety of content delivery options like lectures, PowerPoint presentations, role playing and computer-mediated instruction. Importantly, students at Hoover can submit reports, exams, portfolios, drawings, performances and videotaped reports to demonstrate their mastery of a topic.

The NIMAS methods that we use here at Hoover guarantee that ALL STUDENTS can access academic content information and provide evidence of their learning based on their strengths and abilities. It is our mission at Hoover to meet the needs of all our students and provide flexible and individualized education.

We are always looking to incorporate new ideas in support of our students at Hoover. Each student has an individual story that requires individual attention. Now that you have been at Hoover for a couple months and have gotten to know your students, please break up into small groups and discuss how you feel our UDL program is working at Hoover. Specifically, make a list of the strengths of our program and how we are addressing our students’ needs, the weaknesses you have identified that need to be addressed and any technological

or instructional opportunities you know about which we may want to consider incorporating into our UDL program at Hoover.