Staff Development and the Implementation of UDL: Some Important Questions Alan Hurst Independent Consultant (Retired Professor, School of Education and Social Sciences University of Central Lancashire, Preston, U.K.)

Questions Who should be responsible? When should it occur? Why are inclusive curriculum design and pedagogy needed? What should be the content of professional development on UDL and inclusive curriculum and pedagogy? How should professional development be presented/delivered?

Possible Answers 1 Mainstream staff developers As early as possible in the career of the teacher Basic right of disabled people to equal (fair) treatment in all dimensions of life in society and more efficient and effective use of financial and human resources and compliance with anti-discrimination law

Possible Answers 2 The “what” question The “how” question Workshop task – in small groups, try to design possible content and possible strategies to encourage teachers to design their curricula, their approaches to classroom activities for learning and teaching, and their methods of academic assessment

An Example of a Successful Project Encouraging Universal Curriculum Design The “Teachability” Programme in Scotland (2000)

Course Teaching Staff Asked to: identify ways in which the subject/course/programme for which you have responsibility or with which you are associated closely is accessible to students with a range of impairments ( i.e. impaired hearing/mobility/vision/intellectual functioning et al) identify barriers to prevent the participation of students with a range of impairments and if so what are they? suggest how might these barriers be overcome? outline what needs to be done in order to implement the strategies you have identified for overcoming the barriers? say how attention van be drawn in an honest way to the possibilities and challenges posed by our current subjects/courses/programmes of study?

The “Teachability” Project Experience in Scotland suggests that sometimes teaching staff need more assistance at the start of the tasks. If this is the case then the key question they need to address is: What do you consider to be the core requirements/ core skills which all students must have on completing the subject/course/programme of study successfully?

Principles of Universal Design for Instruction (Scott, Shaw and McGuire 2003) Nine principles Equitable Low physical effort Flexible Community of learners Simple and intuitive Instructional climate Perceptible information Tolerance of error Size and space for approach and use

Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory (Lombardi et al 2011) Response stem Attitudes “I believe it is important to....” Actions “I do......” Applied to six subscales

Subscale Areas 1 Accommodations e.g....provide copies of my overhead and/or Powerpoint presentations beforehand to students with documented disabilities Accessible course materials e.g....put my lecture notes on-line for ALL students Course modifications e.g....reduce the course reading load for ANY student who expresses a need

Subscale Areas 2 Inclusive lecture strategies e.g.....summarise key points throughout each class session Inclusive classroom e.g....present course information in multiple formats(e.g. lecture, text, graphics, audio, video, hands-on exercises) Inclusive assessment e.g......allow students to demonstrate knowledge and skills in ways other than traditional tests and exams (e.g. essays, portfolios, journals)

Subscale Area 3 Stem I am confident in.... Area = Disability law and concepts e.g....my understanding of universal design my understanding of the legal definition of disability

Closing Comments “People with disabilities do not want to be ‘included’; they wish it to be acknowledged that they already belong”. (Hastings 1997 working in Australia) “The law cannot deliver what the culture does not will”. (Johnson 2003 working in the USA)