UNIVERSAL D

ESIGN

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WHAT IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN?

• Designing products/ideas to allow usage by the greatest number of people possible

• Requires a “big picture” view of the creation, but a detailed view of those involved in the use of the creation

• Considers everybody that a situation could possibly effect

• Can be applied to education in the classroom

• Requires planning ahead

• Allows above- and below-average learners to learn

together

• Takes away the disability of the school, not the

students

GUIDELINES FOR UNIVERSAL DESIGN

• Provide more than one form of representation• Can every child perceive it?• Can everybody understand how it is represented?• Can a child process the information?

• Real Live Example: Mapquest• Arrow on the left = visual perception• Street name written out = linguistic• Time estimation = spatial• Exact mileage = mathematical/logical

GUIDELINES FOR UNIVERSAL DESIGN

• Provide multiple means of “doing” and expression• Can every learner physically “act” the material?• Allow them to represent their work in the most fluent

way possible (writing/speaking/drawing)

GUIDELINES FOR UNIVERSAL DESIGN

• Practice multiple ways of motivating and engaging students in learning• Keep the engagement sustained over a period of time• Teach students self-regulation

IMPLEMENTING UNIVERSAL DESIGN

• Use different techniques in the classroom

• Make sure assessments are accurate

• Rewarding for teachers and students• Non-readers participate in conversation about a book• Teacher “knows they are doing something right”

• Be bold – it is not always easy

• Learning should be exciting!

• Remember, you have no excuse• It is for EVERYBODY