Universal Design A Threshold Concept Tronheim 2012

UD

INCLUSION in EDUCATION

AHEAD Research Higher Education 1994: /9: /4: /6: /73, /106,300

Commitment to Inclusive Education What is it?  Inclusion..is the persons right to belong to his/her mainstream school, to be valued and to be provided with all the supports he/she needs to thrive…it is a continuing process involving a major change of school ethos and it is about building a school community that accepts and values difference…” Richard Reiser

Types of Disability in HEI 1. Specific Learning Disability 2. Mobility impaired 3. Blind and Visually Impaired Deaf and Hearing Impaired Mental Health Other

Legal Requirements Equality Legislation  an educational establishment will discriminate against a student with disability if they do not do all that is reasonable to accommodate that student Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 Disabilities Act 2005  accessible information  accessible buildings  access to all elements of college services

Universal Design Universal design refers to the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size or disability

Threshold concept A transformative state in the process of learning in which there is a reformulation of the learners meaning frame, … a crucial concept the learner finds hard to grasp Schwartzman 2009

The Challenge: Inclusive Education A paradigm shift Moving beyond the ‘deficit’ model – from remediation to inclusion Disability is socially constructed From students with ‘special needs’ to identifying barriers to learning that deny some students access Inclusion sees the learner as a community member with rights and expectations It assumes that the community should respond to the learner’s needs Curriculum designers need to consider the learning needs of a diversity of learners in subjects and extra- curricular activities

Shift in thinking: medical to social Medical Model Patient Fix/cure Passive Different experience Segregation/institutionalisati on Non political Consumer Alter environments Active citizen Disabled peoples expertise Self determination Community participation Consumer run Rights Advocacy and peer support

UD Principles Equitable Use Flexibility in Use Simple and intuitive Perceptible information Tolerance for Error Low physical effort Size and Space for approach and Use

UD Principles continued Community of Learners Instructional design

Understanding UD LINK-conference, GENT Level 4: Personal assistance where adjustments, assistive techonology and including solutions are not suficcient. Ex: Mentors and daycare Level 1: Universal design: Including most students in the ordinary solutions Level 2: Adaptions to groups with similar needs, i.e. Accessible Literature for student with reading diffuculties Level 3: Reasonable adjustments to the individual. Ex: Assistive technology

Student View

Kornhaber, 1997, Intelligence: Multiple Perspectives Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC. “Notions about intelligence vary over time, across cultures and even within cultures. Definitions of intelligence depend on whom you ask, their methods and levels of study, and their values and beliefs. Note, for example, the different words in the Irish language for intelligence (éirimiúil; cliste; glic; críonna; stuama; tuisceanach; intleachtúil).

Intelligence in different cultures (from Kornhaber, 1997) Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC. Industrialised North Americans tend to associate intelligence with speedy answers Rural members of the Baganda tribe in Uganda think of intelligence as slow, careful, active, straight forward, sane In the Mashona tribe in Zimbabwe, the intelligent person exercises prudence and caution especially in social interaction For the Kipsigis of Kenya their word for intelligence includes social responsibility

Multiple Intelligences

BREAK

Linguistic Capacity to use words effectively, both orally and in written form. Ability to manipulate the structure, phonology semantics and pragmatic dimensions of language. Journalists, poets, playwrights, public speakers…...

Logical Mathematical Capacity with numbers, logical patterns and relationships. Use of categorisation, classification, calculation and hypothesis testing. Mathematicians, accountants, statisticians, scientists... Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Spatial Ability to perceive the visual spatial world accurately. Sensitivity to colour, line, shape, form and space. Ability to orient oneself in a spatial matrix. Architects, artists, inventors, designers... Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Bodily Kinaesthetic Show expertise in using one’s body to express ideas and feelings. Ability to use one’s hands to produce or transform things Co-ordination, dexterity, flexibility. Dancers, athletes, surgeons, mechanics, artists Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Musical Perceive musical forms as a music aficionado. Discriminate as a music critic. Transform as a composer. Express as a performer. Have one’s life enriched by music. Musicians, disc jockeys, singers, song writers... Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Ability to perceive and make distinctions in the moods, intentions motivations and feelings of other people. Teachers, psychologists, politicians, salespeople... Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Naturalist Ability to function well in the natural environment. The recognition and categorisation of natural objects. (farmers, scientists...) Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Learning and UD Principles

UD1. Equitable Use in teaching environment Instruction is accessible to all Student cannot listen and take notes Use multiple ways to access notes, notes on line Podcasts Class notes

UD 2 Flexibility in teaching environment Provide a choice of method of learning Student struggles to process all the reading in her course Can the student learn through the use of videos are there utube presentations Are the texts available on tape

UD 3 Simple and intuitive Instruction is straightforward, avoid unnecessary complexity The student is struggling to deal with writing an academic essay, referencing is hard enough Provide her with templates for essays, formative supports help the learning process

UD 4 Perceptible information The instruction communication is clear The student does not know what is expected of her in her assignment Provide clear marking schemes, ensure the student understands what is expected

UD 5 Tolerance for error BUILDING AN ARGUMENT A GUIDE TO WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

UD 6 & 7 6.Low physical effort  Use of technology 7.Size and Space for use  Size and shape of classroomes  Shape of learning  Use of mindmaps, skeletal notes etc

8 Community of Learners: Welcome

9. Instructional design Teaching is welcoming and high expectations for all students

Set up in 1988 AHEAD: Provides expertise and information Promote inclusive education Produce a range of publications Lobbies for change Operate a learning network

AHEAD Contacts Joan McGuire, Journal of Accessibility and design for all, 2011, pgs 38 – 54 Marion McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC