Universal Design for Learning ensures that all students should have access to instruction by removing barriers. Many students have difficulty accessing written text, especially in Grade 2. iPad technology allows any text to be read aloud through its accessibility features. Using this feature, students have to highlight the text for themselves, and from previous experience, this is proves frustrating for many students. To make our eBook more accessible, Karla and I have included voice recordings for each of the small sections of text throughout our eBook. Students are able to tap on the speaker icon to hear the text being read aloud to them. Although the recording does not track the words as the text is being read aloud, students are able to hear a fluent adult reading aloud and still access the content. Karla and I were not sure if it would be okay to have more than one voice recorded in the eBook. We were not able to find any research supporting having only one voice, but did find out that students benefit from hearing a fluent adult read the text aloud. Thus, we decided to include both of our voices, but have only one voice per chapter.
Universal Design for Learning is also flexible by providing students with choices for demonstrating their knowledge. Karla and I have built in many formative assessment tasks that allow students to choose between three different tasks, each of which focus on one of: drawing, speaking, or writing, with or without technology. For the students to gain experience and confidence in the apps being presented, we decided to use the same three apps throughout our eBook so learning a new app for each activity did not become a barrier for the students in demonstrating their understanding. We also included a summative assessment in which students are able to choose one of six ways to present their knowledge. We have purposely left the task open ended, to ensure flexibility in choice and creativity, by providing the students with a choice board. Karla and I discussed including a rubric in the book, but we decided against it and just included what a “5-Star Project” would include so students would aim for excellence.
References
Flores, M. M. (2008). Universal design in elementary and middle school: Designing classrooms and instructional practices to ensure access to learning for all students. Childhood Education, 84(4), 224-229. doi:10.1080/00094056.2008.10523013
Hitchcock, C., & Stahl, S. (2003). Assistive technology, universal design, universal design for learning: Improved learning opportunities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 18(4), 45-52. Retrieved from http://www.tamcec.org/jset/
Universal Design for Learning is also flexible by providing students with choices for demonstrating their knowledge. Karla and I have built in many formative assessment tasks that allow students to choose between three different tasks, each of which focus on one of: drawing, speaking, or writing, with or without technology. For the students to gain experience and confidence in the apps being presented, we decided to use the same three apps throughout our eBook so learning a new app for each activity did not become a barrier for the students in demonstrating their understanding. We also included a summative assessment in which students are able to choose one of six ways to present their knowledge. We have purposely left the task open ended, to ensure flexibility in choice and creativity, by providing the students with a choice board. Karla and I discussed including a rubric in the book, but we decided against it and just included what a “5-Star Project” would include so students would aim for excellence.
References
Flores, M. M. (2008). Universal design in elementary and middle school: Designing classrooms and instructional practices to ensure access to learning for all students. Childhood Education, 84(4), 224-229. doi:10.1080/00094056.2008.10523013
Hitchcock, C., & Stahl, S. (2003). Assistive technology, universal design, universal design for learning: Improved learning opportunities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 18(4), 45-52. Retrieved from http://www.tamcec.org/jset/