OTHER STUDENT PERSPECTIVES HOW IT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER CAMPUSES OSD Orientation Week Happening

UD IN HIGHER EDUCATION * Universal Design is not just a McGill experience. * It has been widely implemented in campuses in North America * Here are some student experiences and within this framework for the management of Disabilities

“No Student Has to Leave the Classroom” The Family Center on Technology and Disability

By universal design the gap may be reduced between the person's abilities and the demands of the environment. ILI promotes the self-determination of people with disabilities

Join the UDL-IRN. The Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network is a grassroots organization that supports the scaled implementation and research related to Universal Design for Learning. Join us now for free to collaborate with other members on UDL projects, access exclusive tools and resources, and stay connected with the UDL-IRN blog. Join us now for free Student Internships: The UDL-IRN is currently seeking doctoral student interns. For more information see the UDL-IRN internships annoucement.UDL-IRN internships annoucement

Universal Instructional Design Curriculum that is designed to support a broad spectrum of learners with divergent backgrounds and learning styles benefits all learners, including those with disabilities. The following is a list of Universal Instructional Design resources.

UDL Bill Passes in Maryland! The Maryland Down syndrome Advocacy Coalition (MDAC) is pleased to announce the passage of the Universal Design for Learning bill (HB 59/SB 467) in Annapolis. The UDL bill is now “enrolled” and is awaiting signature from the Governor. This bill, entitled “Task Force to Explore the Incorporation of the Principles of Universal Design for Learning into the Education Systems in Maryland,” is the first of its kind in the nation, reinforcing Maryland’s reputation as a progressive state that constantly strives for excellence in education. This bill will establish a statewide Task Force of stakeholders that will make recommendations related to UDL implementation in Maryland. Universal Design for Learning in Maryland

Differentiated Instruction and Implications for UDL Implementation Not all students are alike. Based on this knowledge, differentiated instruction applies an approach to teaching and learning that gives students multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas. Differentiated instruction is a teaching theory based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms (Tomlinson, 2001).

The ACCESS Project ACCESS is a three-year initiative designed to promote Universal Design for Learning and student Self-Advocacy. The project, based in the Department of Occupational Therapy, began in 2005 with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (Grant #P333A050015). In 2008 the Project was awarded another three years of funding (Grant #P333A080026). That same year, ACCESS was honored with the 2008 N. Preston Davis Unit Group Award for Instructional Innovation.

Universal Design for Learning Over the past several years, the concepts and the principals of universal design have been integrated into a new set of constructs called Universal Design for Learning (UDL) [1]. As defined by researchers at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), UDL shifts old assumptions about teaching and learning in four fundamental ways: - Students with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than constituting a separate category. - Instructional adjustment for learner differences should occur for all students, not just those with disabilities. - Curriculum materials should be varied and diverse, including digital and online resources, rather than emphasizing a single textbook. - Curriculum should be made flexible to accommodate learner differences, instead of remediating students so that they can learn from a set curriculum.

In 2000, Dr. Jennifer Katz developed a program for establishing a compassionate learning community she called the “Respecting Diversity (RD)” program. The RD program resulted in improved self- concept, respect for others, a sense of belonging, pro-social behaviors, and reduced aggression in students. The success of this program, made it possible for Dr. Katz to try a new practice for implementing inclusive education in her classroom she calls The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Since joining the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in 2009, research on the success of the UDL model has been supported and she has been able to further develop this unique and effective approach for inclusive education. Dr. Jennifer Katz’s model holds real promise of making the inclusive classroom a more concretely understood practice in Manitoba. While we have a legal statute that mandates appropriate education, we desperately need to translate that mandate into everyday experience. Dr. Katz’s “Three-Block Model” can help educators to create that new reality. - John VanWalleghem, Teacher

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that addresses the widest possible variety of learning needs, styles, and preferences. It recognizes that each of us has preferred modes of receiving and processing information or demonstrating knowledge and abilities UDL TIP: Creating a welcoming learning environment for students. Assure students that their voices will be heard...Immediately after the brief review of key components of the syllabus on the first day, engage students in conversation about their reasons for going to college and the purpose of higher education. - Dr. Jeanne L. Higbee University of Minnesota

"Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." - Ron Mace Teaching All Students, Reaching All Learners, including Students with Disabilities as Diverse Learners