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Universal Design for learning and Case study

Jane Doe is a special and unique individual who is thirteen years old and is currently in year

8. She has been medically diagnosed with mild intellectual disability and exhibits signs of

behavioural difficulties. Education Corner defines Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) as ‘an

impairment of cognitive skills, adaptive life skills, and social skills’. It further states that

‘individuals with MID are slower to learn new skills and concepts than their peers, but with

the assistance of a supportive educational system are often able to live independently as

adults’. Students with MID have learning disabilities which are reflected in problems with

acquisition and retention of information. Students that have been diagnosed with MID tend to

have impairments in ‘oral language, reading, writing and mathematics with functioning

which is significantly lower than age peers’ (Teaching for Inclusion). Academically speaking,

these students face difficulties with organisation, self-care and social skills.

Intellectual Disability states that approximately two per cent of all children have an

intellectual disability. There are varying degrees of intellectual disability ranging from mild

to profound with majority of children being in the mild range’. Inclusive education is on the

rise meaning teachers must come up with lesson plans that acknowledge all students in the

classroom to achieve their maximum potential. Inclusive teacher practices have ‘shown to

improve learning for all students regardless of individual different’ (Loreman, Deppeler &

Harvery p. 12). Carrington & Robinson 2004 and Kraayenoord 2007 in Loreman et al.,

highlight that ‘teachers benefit from inclusive education as it acts as a catalyst for enhanced

skill development in professional learning communities’. According to UNESCO,

‘international standards on human rights are based on the idea of full participation of all

persons in society on equal terms and without discrimination’ (UNESCO, 1994, 2000).

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Positive teacher attitudes, according to Sharma and Desai (2002), ‘is essential to making

inclusion work’. Loreman et al., states that ‘in education students must have the same

educational opportunities’ (p.22) regardless of their disabilities.

Jane works passionately when she is in a happy emotional state. Her strengths include the use

of technology and she enjoys playing games on her mobile. Her enthusiasm is represented

during class by engagement in discussions, responding to questions, classroom task

completion and following instructions given by the teacher. Jane, when engaged in the class

works independently and with minimal support. She has shown great initiative when working

on research tasks individually. She becomes involved when numeracy applications are being

taught and in particular especially during game-based learning (e.g. Kahoot). It has been

observed that during such tasks, she has proven to be creative and engages with fellow

students enthusiastically. Although her creativity excels at game-based learning and

application tasks, her behavioural and cognitive issues represent a difficulty that she has in

class. The days that Jane is not engaged or motivated, she lags behind in class. She does not

follow instructions and shows low levels of comprehension especially in literacy. When she

is disengaged, she becomes agressive in class and unresponsive to work (Johnson-Harris &

Mundeschenk, 2014). At times Jane refuses to complete her set task, implying the evasion of

work. In doing so, she tends to disrupt other students in order to gain their attention. Her lack

of organisational skills indicate she is ill prepared for classwork, especially during lessons

that are consecutively carried out (Johnson-Harris & Mundeschenk, 2014).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) according to Morin, is ‘a way of thinking about

teaching and learning that helps give all students an equal opportunity to succeed’. She

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further states that it ‘offers flexibility in the ways students access material, engage with it and

show what they know’. Teachers develop lesson plans this way in order to help their students

especially those that might have learning and attention issues. Johnson-Harris & Mundschenk

state that UDL ‘creates a classroom that caters to the wide student populace and which

includes the classroom environment, lesson activities, equipment thus benefitting learners

with behavioural and cognitive difficulties’. The use of UDL not only benefits MID students

but according to research it can equally assist mainstream students (Vitelli, 2015). To teach

effectively, teachers must reach their students, students who come to the classroom with

varied backgrounds, expectations, abilities and learning styles and this understanding is the

heart of the philosophy of practice known as UDL (The Teaching Common). Kortering,

McClannon and Braziel (2008) highlight the importance of flexibility within UDL so that

teachers are able to provide students with varying strengths and opportunities to outshine in

their own style. This is beneficial to the teacher where a lesson can be modified to teach the

entire class including mainstream students.

Universal Design for Learning has three fundamental principles. The first one is multiple

means of representation. This means to give ‘learners various ways of acquiring information

and knowledge’ (Loreman et al., p.140). This implies to presenting the information to the

learners in multiple formats. Different learners perceive and comprehend information that is

presented to them differently. Learning and transfer of learning occurs when multiple

representation are used because they allow students to make connections within as well as

between concepts. There is no one means of representation that will be optimal for all

learners hence the option for multiple representation is essential (National Center for

Universal Design).

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The second one is multiple means of expression. This means to ‘provide all learners

alternatives for demonstrating what they know’ (Loreman et al., p.140). Multiple means of

expression means to provide students different avenues for assessments which can be

anything beyond the traditional written assessments. According to Accessible Instruction, ‘it

should be recognised that action and expression require a great deal of strategy, practice and

organisation another area in which learners differ’. By providing options for action and

expression students can greatly improve in class and in doing so students are provided

alternative ways of demonstrating what they have learned.

The final principle is multiple means of engagement. This means to ‘tap into all learners’

interests and offer challenges and increase motivation’ (Loreman et al., p.140). The learning

styles, differing needs, abilities and interest are considered along with the strengths of

individuals. Engagement considers individual students interests, strengths and needs as keys

to motivation. Activities incorporated during lessons needs to be relevant to their lives as well

as age, ability and cultural appropriateness (Carmill). By providing students choices to meet

learning and behavioural objectives, individuals can increase the perceived challenge of a

task, access needed support and develop pride and self determination as they work towards

their goal. Carmill further adds that ‘individuals need to see value and relevance in what they

are doing. The level of novelty and sensory stimulation can vary depending upon the students

needs’. However, by providing a variety of model and prompts can heighten self-regulation

skills. Continue to Learn website states that ‘providing multiple means of information

representation, expression options, and engagement allows teachers to reach students

regardless of their abilities’.

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The modified lesson plan accompanying this assessment firstly highlights the importance of

student wellbeing. Student wellbeing as stated by the New South Wales Education

Department is. ‘ the Framework that supports schools to create learning environments that

enable students to be healthy, happy, engaged and successful’. Student resilience and

wellbeing are essential for both academic and social development which is improved by safe,

supportive and respectful learning environments (Department of Education and Training).

Before the lesson starts the students are encouraged to undertake a five minute yoga session.

This is aimed at the wellbeing of students. According to Paterson, yoga ‘calms and clears the

mind, relieves tension and stress, increases concentration, focus and attention, stimulates

auditory processing, responsiveness, expands imagination, creativity, self-expression,

improves discipline, builds confidence, self-esteem and ability to be less reactive’. Paterson

further states that ‘short breaks with movements like yoga can make a huge impact on

classroom culture and climate and student engagement’. Repetition of this helps students

integrate these practices and use them as a tool in day to day life for a long time (Paterson).

By implementing this strategy it will benefit Jane along with other students struggling with

emotional issues by using UDL. The lesson will look at speeches and the impact it can have

on individuals.

Multiple means of representation will be used in the lesson plan to present the content via

discussion, written vocabulary (hard copy and online), using examples and teacher modelling.

The option of having the work available online means students like Jane, with poor

organisational skills will always have the ability to access all tasks if they forget their work or

misplace it. Miller and Lang (2008) state that through the multiple means of representation

support and guidance is administered to the students with cognitive and behavioural issues

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who may not have the required skills for language comprehension’ hence proving that

students like Jane are suited to benefit from this.

The lesson plan assists students during the I have a dream speech clip task and Gandhi’s

speech by providing students with links to online clip, and having screen captions whilst the

clips are being played along with transcripts of the speak to assist them with their

comprehension. Students will have the choice to use to record their information the way they

want, whether it be typed or handwritten, even allowing them the use of technological

devices if they prefer (Miller and Lang).

Multiple means of expression gives the students a wide variety of choice by which they can

demonstrate their understanding of class content (Johnson-Harris & Mundschenk). The

students at the end of the lesson have the choice to write their own powerful speech or engage

in a performance or drawing that shows their creativity but carries a strong message. Giving

Jane the freedom to choose the way the classroom task is conducted can heighten student

outcomes by permitting students to work according to their individual strengths and by

fostering self-determination in the classroom (Xiang, Gao & McBride, 2011). The lesson plan

incorporates UDL by giving students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their

understanding of speeches (Miller & Lang). Students will be shown images of Gandhi and

Martin Luther King on the smartboard and asked if anyone recognises them and what they

are famous for. During the activities, UDL is also incorporated by giving them a choice in the

way they record their ideas when undertaking the activity. During the video clip, students

have the choice to write or type their ideas giving them a bit more control of their learning.

This strategy is also incorporated in the final activity where students come up with their own

powerful speeches or performances or posters.

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Rao and Torres (2014) state that multiple means of engagement involves the ‘prearrangement

of a variety of pedagogical methods to encourage and maintain student interest’. The teacher

and student can both support multiple means of engagement within the classroom and this

can be accomplished by the teacher by ‘providing students with the opportunity to study the

prescribed content in ways they perceive as being relevant’ (Johnson-Harris & Mundscenk).

Teacher can provide feedback that is beneficial to the student. Clarke & Pittaway (2014) and

Lyons, Ford and Slee (2014) state that ‘research has shown that students appreciate and

respond to feedback and use this to guide future learning’.

The lesson plan uses UDL to incorporate ICT in the form of showing clips. The students also

have the option to work in pairs or individually or in discussion with the teacher hence more

engagement. Teacher modelling is present as the task is explained prior to completion.

Overall, the lesson plan gives students the freedom to learn the way they want via written or

typed. It also gives students visual and written transcripts of the clips played in class. A class

discussion takes place involving students about freedom fighters and what they stand for.

And finally, students are given the freedom to choose the task they want to undertake to show

their knowledge, implying that they can choose a task suitable for their strength.

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Part 2 : Lesson Plan

Colour Key

Multiple means of representation

Multiple means of expression

Multiple means of engagement

English

Year 8

Timing Organisation Teaching Strategies

5 mins Mark attendance Instruct students to participate in yoga

10 mins PowerPoint Start a class discussion on Martin Luther King

Image and Gandhi. Provide students with information

about freedom fighters. Provide a vocabulary

sheet of term and transcript.

10 mins Whiteboard Students write on the whiteboard what freedom

fighter means and does.

15 mins Youtube Students differentiate between different types

of speeches. Students are shown clips of Martin

Luther King and Gandhi. Instruct students to

write down ideas from the videos either by

hand or typed. Video captioned and transcript

with students.

Students to work individually or in pairs.

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5 mins Whiteboard Facilitate discussion about what they thought of

the video.

10 mins Whiteboard Students are to come up with their own piece of

powerful writing or speech, performance or

poster. (handwritten or typed)

They can work in pairs or individually.

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Reference

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June 20, 2018, from https://ssbp.mycampus.ca/www_ains_dc/Introduction7.html

Carmill, A. (n.d.). Multiple Means of Engagement Transcript. Retrieved June 20, 2018, from

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/udl_intro/lib/transcripts/mmengagement.pdf

Clarke, M., & Pittaway, S. (2014). Marsh's Becoming a Teacher(6th ed.). French's Forest,

Australia: Pearson Australia.

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