Assistive Technology and UDL

I am in way over my head! I recently made the leap from classroom teacher to resource teacher and most days I feel like I am drowning. Now that I am keenly aware of the diverse and extensive needs of the students in my school I am overwhelmed and afraid that I am going to fail them.

All teachers should have extensive training in inclusive education. When I was solely a classroom teacher I know that I was not meeting the needs of ALL my students. I was overwhelmed by the diversity of learners and students who could not access the curriculum the way that I was delivering it. I was frustrated because I couldn't believe that I was expected to deliver vast quantities of curriculum to students who seemed unable to access the content.

Learning about the principles behind Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has really opened my eyes and given me hope that I can meet the needs of all learners. The CAST website has been an invaluable resource. The website is extensive and is full of practical information and resources; it even shares a "toolkit" that includes UDL training materials. UDL is a concept that I want to share with all teachers. Although teachers often get frustrated with the revolving door of fad initiatives that are usually forced upon them by their superiors, I truly believe that teachers would value the lessons that can be learned about UDL.By learning how to meet the needs of all learners in their class, they would be able to reach more of their students and because of this they would have fewer behaviour issues because their students would be engaged in their learning.

The most powerful piece of information that I have learned from the principles of UDL is how important it is to learn about your students as learners. I know recognize the importance of knowing the composition of my class--how they learn and what their needs are. I have recently replaced the activities that I do on the first day of class. Instead of playing name games, I now ask my students to fill in learner profiles. The best tool that I have found is the questionnaire on the VARK website. This gives me a chance to learn about my students and it gives my students to learn about themselves as learners.

There are so many amazing resources for UDL I actually found it very difficult to write this blog because I was continually getting side-tracked with all of the valuable information I was finding! Here is a brief list of just a few:

UDL Resource
UDL Inclusion
UDL and technology
IPads and UDL

I think that a great indicator that we are heading in the right direction is that one of the most popular pieces of technology--IPads--are also the most powerful educational tools we have. I'm not sure if it was on purpose, but IPads are the perfect tool for following the principles of UDL. IPads, because they are incredibly interactive and accessible, help students to access the curriculum in ways that are fun, cool, and engaging. IPads give students full access to content and offer exciting ways for students to represent their knowledge. For students who cannot access content due to learning differences or physical impairments IPads are a game changer. IPads are cheaper, cooler, multifunctional, and widely popular.

Look for future posts on just how powerful IPads can be for our students!