Universal Design for Learning- Making learning accessible for ALL!

This week is LSSL 5391, we are learning about Universal Design for Learning, or UDL. This is a set of principles or framework for maximizing learning. It started as an architectural concept that found that designing and planning for maximum access for people with disabilities or limited mobility actually is the most beneficial design for all people. As educators struggle to serve a widening variety of learners and abilities, UDL addresses the three facets of learning- knowledge, skills, and motivation. 

Which of these guidelines am I already using?
Of the three brain networks, I am most comfortable with the Recognition network, or Representation. I regularly use different modalities for presentation- books, slideshow presentations, videos, verbal explanations and stories, etc. Using different ways to present information ensures that an wide array of learners can comprehend and relate to the material.

Which of these could I add right now to my teaching practice?
It will take a significant shift in the structure of my library lessons, but I am capable of incorporating the Strategic Network, or Action & Expression. Currently, I have the students respond to my presentations through verbal question and answer.  The only assessments I do are informal assessments, in the form of class discussions. I can start incorporating different ways for the students to show their knowledge, through written exit tickets, online submissions in our Schoology group, or even digital presentations. This would allow for various expressions of knowledge.

Which of these looks great, but I might need some help to implement?
I definitely will need more time and research to understand the Affective network or Engagement. I don't fully understand how educators can fully affect the functions of the Affective network.  It seems to deal with intrinsic motivation.  I know that we can affect motivation through relationship, but there seems to be more psychology behind the this part of the UDL. 

I found a great article connected to the ALA website about Universal Design, "Keeping up with...Universal Design for Learning" by Brown, Welhouse and Wolfe. They literally pose the question, “What Can Librarians Do to Incorporate UDL into Their Library Instruction?” Through the article, the authors help answer that question with some very practical and easily applicable advice.  They suggest beginning by identifying barriers that may be preventing some of my students from reaching their learning potential. One of the most simple changes that would be beneficial to students is adding closed captioning to any videos presented. The assistive technology that the article mentions is something I am going to start researching.

CAST, which started as an acronym for Center for Applied Special Technology, is an exceptional organization whose mission is to "transform education design and practice until learning has no limits." What a beautiful goal! There is a plethora of information on their website,- along with meaningful resources. I also found a great bank of videos on the Cast YouTube channel. The hosts describe the channel as a place that, "introduces research, tools, ideas, policies and practices for education with an emphasis on Universal Design." It currently has 378 videos related to learning and Universal Design. I previewed several, but honed in on one specific issue I wanted to learn more about.

I decided I wanted to learn more about how to make reading more accessible to all learners and increase functional literacy.  I watched and learned from the video, "Clusive & Bookshare: A Powerful Partnership for Inclusive Literacy." The panelists for this webinar were Lynn McCormack and Kristin Robinson, from CAST, Lara Rondberg from Benetech and Julie Johnson, an Assistive Technology Specialist. They spoke specifically about two great online resources, Clusive and Bookshare.

The online tool, Clusive, is absolutely awesome!  I can’t wait to share it with the teachers at my school.  It is an adaptive, customizable learning environment that assists with reading. It has a limited database of about 300 items, but you can upload any Word doc file, and be able to use all of the tools on Clusive. I tried doing this, by uploading a personal document, and it totally worked!  It helped me understand my own document.  I was able to use the dictionary tools, the formatting tools, the read aloud and translation tools. They also talked about the affective appraisal feature they have on the articles. They explained how important this self-assessment is for learning readiness. 

The webinar also included another tool called Bookshare. This is another great support for students who specifically have visual or reading impairments.  It is an online reading database with over a million titles, including everything from textbooks to bestsellers.  You can download books from Bookshare into Clusive in order maximize a reader's ability to comprehend and understand the material. 

I feel like I've only discovered the tip of the iceberg!  There is so much information about UDL. I look forward to learning even more and find ways to apply it to my teaching in the library! 

Brown, R., Welhouse, Z., & Wolfe, A. (2020, April 14). Keeping Up With... Universal Design for Learning. American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/udl (Accessed April 11, 2023)

CAST. (2022, March 4). Clusive & Bookshare: A Powerful Partnership for Inclusive Literacy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_sEBH5XYv8c.

CAST. (2023). https://www.cast.org/