Universal Design for Learning
and Assistive Technology:
Breaking down barriers
and meeting the
needs of diverse
learners
Janet Barone-DeSenzo
Consultant, JanTech Educational Services
Technology Coach, Vernon Twp. Public Schools
@jantechnj

What are the origins of UDL?

Have you ever used:
• A curb cut?
• Numbers outside the
edge of the elevator
doors?
• Closed captioning on
your TV?
Necessary for some-
beneficial to ALL

The central premise of UDL:
A curriculum should include
alternatives to make it
accessible and appropriate
for individuals with different
backgrounds, learning
styles, abilities, and
disabilities in widely varied
learning contexts.
~Anne Meyer and David Rose,
Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age:
Universal Design for Learning, 2002

UDL: Making expert learners of all
students
• Our students’ learning styles and
abilities are so varied, a “one size
fits all” curriculum doesn’t work
• “When curricula are designed to
meet the needs of the broad
middle—at the exclusion of those
with different abilities, learning
styles, backgrounds, and even
preferences, they fail to provide
all individuals with fair and equal
opportunities to learn”

Realistically speaking,
UDL supports the use of:
• A flexible curriculum that
addresses all learners
• The use of digital materials
• The use of a variety of
assessment tools
• The use of a variety of
learning activities to
engage and motivate
learners

Who is CAST? www.cast.org
• CAST (the Center for Applied
Special Technology), a nonprofit
organization
• works to expand learning
opportunities for all individuals,
especially those with disabilities
• focus: research and
development of innovative,
technology-based
educational resources and
strategies.

Who is CAST? www.cast.org
The folks from CAST developed
the UDL Guidelines with hopes
that there would be increased
learning opportunities for those
with special needs.

The 3 Principles of UDL:
1. Multiple means of
representation, to give
learners various ways of
acquiring information
and knowledge.

Representation: the “What” of
Learning
Students differ in the ways that they
perceive and comprehend information that
is presented to them. For example, those
with sensory disabilities (e.g., blindness or
deafness); learning disabilities (e.g.,
dyslexia); language or cultural differences,
and so forth may all require different ways
of approaching content. Others may simply
grasp information better through visual or
auditory means rather than printed text. In
reality, there is no one means of
representation that will be optimal for all
students; providing options in
representation is essential. ~UDL Guidelines,
www.udlcenter.org

List Multiple Ways to Represent New
Information to your students:

List Multiple Ways to Represent New
Information to your students:
• Video: self-made, United Streaming,
Khan Academy, Pencasts
• Posters and flip charts
• Graphic organizers
• Document Camera: Model use of
manipulatives? Class notes?
• IWB lessons: reveal small bits of
information at a time
• Interactive websites for math and L.A.
• Podcasts using Audacity

UDL Principle #2
2. Multiple means of
expression, to provide
learners alternatives for
demonstrating what they
know.

Expression: the “how” of learning
Students differ in the ways that they can navigate
a learning environment and express what they
know. For example, individuals with significant
motor disabilities (e.g. cerebral palsy), those who
struggle with strategic and organizational
abilities (executive function disorders, ADHD),
those who have language barriers, and so forth
approach learning tasks very differently and will
demonstrate their mastery very differently. Some
may be able to express themselves well in writing
text but not oral speech, and vice versa. In reality,
there is no one means of expression that will be
optimal for all students; providing options for
expression is essential

List Multiple Ways your students can
Express what they know to you :
How do you measure
knowledge?
Give them options!

List Multiple Ways in which your
students can Express what they know to
you:
• Paper/pencil tests
• Posters/Glogsters
• Oral Presentations/
Demonstrations/Written Papers
• Senteo/Smart Response
• Student created tests/ with
answers
• Debates
• Wipe off boards/iPads

UDL Principle #3:
3. Multiple means of action
and engagement, to tap
into learners' interests, offer
appropriate challenges,
and increase motivation.

Engagement: the “why” of learning
Students differ markedly in the ways
in which they can be engaged or
motivated to learn. Some students are
highly engaged by spontaneity and
novelty while other are disengaged,
even frightened, by those aspects,
preferring strict routine. In reality,
there is no one means of
representation that will be optimal
for all students; providing multiple
options for engagement is essential.

List Multiple Ways to Engage your
students in the learning process :
Side Note:
Don’t rely on technology to
engage and motivate!

List Multiple Ways to Engage your
students in the learning process :
•Utilize manipulatives
•Group activities- collaboration!
•Center based learning
•Allow students to instruct
•Concepts discussions
•Allow students to use the class
SmartBoard, iPad, laptop, etc.
•USE FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM
MATERIALS

FLEXIBLE WHAT????
Flexible Curriculum
Materials??
What are they and
why do we need to
use them?

WHY USE Flexible Curriculum Materials??
• To ensure that all types and
levels of learners can access
your curriculum reach your
lesson goals.

How do you know if your materials are
flexible??
Are they accessible to all of
your students?
• Your visual learners?
• Your auditory learners?
• Your kinesthetic learners
• How about your special
needs students?

So where does assistive technology
fit into all of this????

Assistive Technology: Defined
IDEA: 300.5: Assistive Technology
Device:
“Any item, piece of equipment
or product system, whether
acquired commercially off the
shelf, modified or customized
that is used to increase,
maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of children with
disabilities.”

Assistive Technology is determined
by NEED
…NOT by disability category,
label or IEP mandate
It addresses the
question: what are the
barriers to learning and
how can they be
overcome?

Think about this statement:
Assistive Technology:
necessary for some
beneficial to most
What kind of
technology are we
referring to?

Let’s Think Back to the 3
UDL Principals:
What were some of the technology
tools that could assist with providing
multiple means of representation,
engagement and expression?
Couldn’t many of
these be considered
Assistive Technology?

Universal Design looks to Assistive Technology
make the learning looks at the specific
environment as barriers a student may
flexible and face in whatever
accommodating as environment they find
possible. themselves.
Both approaches strive to
insure the access,
participation &
progress of students with
disabilities.
Joy Zabala, 2006

Helpful resources:
• The UDL Center site: www.udlcenter.org
• The CAST website:
http://www.cast.org/index.html
• UDL Community Connect:
http://community.udlcenter.org/
• Check out a sample UDL lesson
• Check out the UDL Guidelines

Works Cited:
About UDL: The Three Principals of UDL. (2011, February 1). Retrieved
from National Center on Universal Design for Learning:
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl/3principles
Meyer, A., & Rose, D. (2002). Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age,
Universal Design for Learning. Las Vegas: Assoc. for Supervision &
Curriculum Development .
Zabala, J. (2006). NOTE TAKING GUIDE: AT, UD,
UDL: Comp. Retrieved from
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/9910.pdf