universal design accessible for all learning styles
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Universal Design Accessible for All Learning Styles. Joseph Atkins, PhD Coordinator of Support Services Assistant Dean of Students. Accounting for Differences, by Design. Universal Design. Left handed. Right handed. Accommodation Process at Colby. Voluntary Disclosure of a Disability Form - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
JOSEPH ATKINS, PHDCOORDINATOR OF SUPPORT SERVICES
ASSISTANT DEAN OF STUDENTS
Universal DesignAccessible for All Learning Styles
Left handed
Right handed
Universal Design
Accounting for Differences, by
Design
Accommodation Process at Colby
• Voluntary Disclosure of a Disability Form States prior accommodation(s) and current
request(s)
• Educational-psychological evaluation report Battery of intellectual and cognitive tests Overall or relative deficits in some areas
• Review of supporting documentation Do the diagnosis, recommendations, and
request(s) match?
Accommodation Process at Colby
• Approved accommodations Deans Office provides accommodation
letters Student meets with professors to discuss
the accommodation and implementation Dean of Students and Dean of Faculty
offices assist with logistics, as needed
• Follow-up Students with ADD/ADHD benefit from
coaching invited to meet with me or advising dean
as needed. (Peer mentoring)
Time management, organization, study skills, etc.
Students who Learn Differently
• What does the landscape look like? Some schools report 100 fold increase in 20
years Increasing numbers of students with dyslexia,
ADD/ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders Anxiety disorders exceed LD/AD in college
• What am I seeing at Colby? Number 1 accommodation – 50% extra time
Now seeing requests for 100% - 300% Quiet / Distraction free test environment
Students read aloud or talk to themselves Assistive technology for reading & writing
(notes)
Americans with Disabilities Act
• What does the law say? Disability means, with respect to an individual, a physical or
mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; major life activities means functions such as caring for one´s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
• What determines what we do? Minimum – meet the legal requirements
Do what is necessary to avoid law suits Parental pressure and expectations
“I wouldn’t want my son to have to take any class he couldn’t get an A in.”
What makes sense to support legitimate needs A partnership between faculty, staff, students
Universal Design – The Whole Student
WhyEvery class has a
range of learning styles
Students are multifaceted
Learning is an active process
New students may not know how to be successful in college
HowStart with strengths
Ask about challenges
Ask about needs
Does the student take ownership of their educational experience?
Do they know about resources?
Universal Design – Knowing the Needs
What & WhyAccommodations are like
band aids, they serve a meaningful purpose but are not the solution.
Students need to know why they have accommodations
Being mindful of strategies to address challenges
Think about how your class is being perceived, and how it can evolve.
HowHave a conversation about
the accommodations you are asked to fulfill:
What challenge does this address?
How have you managed this?
How is this accommodation going to help you?
What are your concerns? Emily, who can’t talk in class
Universal Design – Learning Styles
What & Why People tend to teach to their
own learning style and intelligence
Think about the range of learning styles students can have: Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Musical
Multisensory learning is robust – encourage creativity
How Be proactive - think about
other ways t0 present information
Support lectures with videos, images, drawings,…
Support videos with captions to accommodate auditory issues.
Are there other ways students can interact with information or concepts? Elaborative learning
We tend to rely on tools we know how to produce.
Universal Design – Crossing Modalities
Making the intangible visual
Universe of relationships
FriendshipLove
Colors?
Universal Design – Executive Function
WhatExecutive function
disorders effect: Self-regulation Organization Planning Initiating actions
With assistance, students can learn coping strategies & improve
HowRequire or strongly
suggest: Outlines Drafts Working with a tutor Peer review
Give real, yet positive feedback so students seek out solutions
Universal Design – Extra Time
WhySlow processing speed:
Read slowly and deliberately
Read & re-read
ADD/ADHD Easily distracted Difficulty staying focused Impulsivity Activation issues
Test anxiety Calming strategies
HowCreate shorter tests:
In a 75 minute class, every student can have 50% extra time on a 50 minute exam
A 90 minute final affords everyone double time
Avoid ‘trick’ questions ‘limbic muscle’
How might test structure effect efficiency?
Universal Design – Quiet Exams
WhyCoping skills
Read slowly and deliberately Read aloud Read & re-read
ADD/ADHD Easily distracted Compare themselves to
others Fidgety, needs to move
around
Anxiety Feeling self-conscious Fear of failure
HowAddress underlying issues:
Comfort Concern about what other’s
think of them What is ‘ideal’?
Possible solutions: Address proactively
Department meeting Deans of Students Office Dean of Faculty Office
Which students can share a space?
Request additional resources Learning center
Universal Design – Reading Comprehension
WhatMost LD’s are language
related: Phonetic awareness Auditory processing Working memory
constraints
Attention Easily distracted Short attention span Sees trees, not forest
Difficulty with concepts, getting the big picture
How Assignments:
Give advice about ‘how to read’ in your field
Read only what you can understand Know what/why you are
reading Paraphrase before moving on Summarize paragraphs
Would technology help? Text to speech (listen & read)
Exams and papers: Use concise and efficient
questions and prompts.
Universal Design
What’s ahead
Increasing numbers Aspergers Autism spectrum disorders Anxiety & executive function
disorders
Increasing expectations Meeting ADA requirements Creating equal access and
opportunity Redefining ‘normal’
Or, just doing away with the notion it’s informative or useful
Physical disabilities Sensory impairments Mobility, access issues
How to meet challenges
Planning Think about learning styles
and challenges in designing courses and lesson plans.
Be an ally to LD students Positive attitude Support Resources
How should education evolve Technology – plus & minus
Social justice Who should have access to a Colby
quality education? What determines who doesn’t Have we built a big enough
doorway?
