Over view of Assistive Technologies connecting with Universal Design for Learning.

1. Design creates culture. Culture shapes values.
Values determine the future.
Robert L. Peters
I believe the children are our future. Teach them
well and let them lead the way.
Greatest Love of All, Whitney Houston
Tuesday, June 11, 13

2. Universal Design for Learning
& Universal Access
How Apple’s VoiceOver and Text To Speech Tools
Relate to UDL Guidelines
Tuesday, June 11, 13

3. What is Universal Design for Learning?
Universal Design for Learning is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals
equal opportunities to learn. UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods,
materials, 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.
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl
Tuesday, June 11, 13

4. 3 Primary Principals that Guide UDL
I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation
II. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression
III. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
Tuesday, June 11, 13

5. What is VoiceOver?
VoiceOver is screen-reading technology. Users can hear a spoken description of
what’s onscreen and can control their computer using only the keyboard (no
mouse required). They can also use VoiceOver to browse the web, chat, send
and receive email, edit text documents, and more. Settings can be customized,
and preferences can be saved on a USB flash drive and applied to other
computers. VoiceOver uses built-in voices that speak 22 languages.
http://www.apple.com/education/special-education/
Tuesday, June 11, 13

6. What is Text to Speech?
Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology can read aloud a selection of text or an entire
document. TTS includes various male and female voices. TTS works with all
applications that support the OS X Speech engine, including Mail, iChat,
and TextEdit.
http://www.apple.com/education/special-education/
Tuesday, June 11, 13

7. Tools like VoiceOver and Text To Speech are designed
to help users that are hard of hearing or deaf or
vision impaired. As a side benefit, they also help
students with cognitive disabilities as well as auditory
learners.
Tuesday, June 11, 13

8. Relating VoiceOver To UDL
I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation
Using VoiceOver in one’s teaching can create a more thorough understanding of visual material presented.
It could be very useful helping students with various cognitive disabilities who have trouble understanding
graphs and charts.
III. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement
ESL and foreign language students using VoiceOver can check their pronunciation of words, expressions and
even entire passages as a means of self-regulation.
Tuesday, June 11, 13

9. Relating Text To Speech To UDL
I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation
Using TTS in one’s teaching creates multiple means of representing the subject matter. Pairing a computer
using TTS with a SMART board or wide screen monitor gives the educator a way to connect to auditory
learners who listen to the presentation as well as visual learners who read along with the lesson. Students
who may be on lower reading levels will also benefit from hearing and seeing the words and making new
connections to vocabulary. It also allows students of all backgrounds and learning style greater opportunity
for comprehension because the material is presented in different ways.
II. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression
With a deeper understanding of the material, students using TTS will be more adapt at communicating their
reaction to the lesson. Students who are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with their written voice can hear it
read to them and make adjustments to improve their writing skills.
Tuesday, June 11, 13

10. Design is about making things good (and then
better) and right (and fantastic) for the people
who use and encounter them.
Matt Beale
Everyone designs who devises courses of action
aimed at changing existing situations into
preferred ones.
Herbert Simon
“Everything is design. Everything!”
Paul Rand
Final quotes
Tuesday, June 11, 13

11. Resources
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
http://www.apple.com/education/special-education/
Shelly, G (2012). Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating
Technology In A Connected World. CENGAGE Learning, 40
Tuesday, June 11, 13

12. Slideshow Created By:
Joseph King
josephcking@mac.com
Tuesday, June 11, 13