Universal Design
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that the physical environment be made more accessible to people with disabilities. As a result, concepts of universal design are incorporated throughout public areas. Although designed to remove barriers so people with disabilities can participate in events and activities of daily life, many people without disabilities also benefit from changes to sidewalks, doorhandles, and other common objects.

For example, curb cuts were originally designed so that people who use wheel chairs could move freely and independently from sidewalks to streets, parking lots, etc.

But curb cuts are beneficial to many people without disabilities who use strollers, shopping carts, scooters, and skateboards.

Door handles that push downward rather than turn were originally meant to make access easier for those with physical disabilities, yet anyone with an armload of books or groceries will also appreciate this convenience.

An extension of this concept is universal design for learning, which makes curriculum and teaching methods accessible to the widest range of students possible, including students from diverse cultural backgrounds, those with disabilities, and those with other special needs. A key is to design curriculum that is flexible and supportive of individual differences.

David Rose Center for Applied Science Technology

David Rose, from the Center for Applied Science Technology (CAST) provides some examples of universal design for learning. (Time: 1:32) View Transcript Credit

Click here to see a universal design for learning example from CAST that allows students multiple means of accessing print material. (Time: 0:35) Credit

View Transcript

Differentiating Instruction
Once curriculum content has been accessed using the principles of universal design, teachers must also consider how they will differentiate instruction so that all learners' needs are met. Federal law requires that all students must be able to access the curriculum and be involved in the learning experiences at the appropriate performance level for that student.

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching and learning that benefits all students and can be implemented to support learning and provide challenging instruction for all students. To enhance learning, teachers demonstrate flexibility through multiple options for:

materials access student grouping learning supports room arrangements

teaching arrangements learning activities information processing demonstration of knowledge acquisition

Hoover and Patton (2004) list 4 elements that are necessary for effective differentiation:

• Content - specific subject-area skills and knowledge associated with each curriculum standard (i.e., content standards)
• Instructional strategies - various techniques or methods used to assist students in acquiring content and managing behavior
• Instructional settings - includes small groups, independent work, paired learning, and large groups
• Student behaviors - students' abilities to manage and control their own behaviors within a variety of learning situations and groupings in the classroom (p. 76).

A complimentary relationship exists among universal design for learning, differentiated instruction, and assistive technology. The use of assistive technology provides many students, irregardless of the existence of a disability, greater access to the curriculum. These supports are not always "high-tech." For example, a student with limited fine motor control may simply require a pencil grip to help her with writing activities. Other supports are more advanced, such as electronic speech devices for those who cannot speak. Assistive technology is a special education related service. When a student's IEP indicates that a student needs a specific type of equipment to benefit from instruction, that device becomes one of the accommodations to the learning situation that the student must receive.

The universally-designed social studies lesson that Adán and Carlos will participate in today includes taking brief notes during a lecture, watching a short video, brainstorming with a small group, and writing a paragraph with a partner. Although Adán has good listening skills, he also has a learning disability that results in spelling and writing struggles. Questions Which of Hoover and Patton's 4 components are already being differentiated? Explain how differentiation is occurring. Which components may require additional differentiation? How could you design and differentiate instruction in your class for Adán? Dr. Ginger Blalock University of New Mexico Dr. Ginger Blalock provides some insight into each of the questions above. How is differentiated instruction occurring in this lesson? (Time: 1:45) View Transcript Additional differentiation needed (Time: 1:47) View Transcript Differentiating instruction for Adán (Time: 2:04) View Transcript