UDL – Part III The “What” of Learning

This article is Part I in the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) series.
Read Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV

We will continue the discussion on the second principle of the UDL framework, Multiple Means of Representation. Instead of the feelings driven by the affective network of the learners’ brains, we will get to deal with “what” the learners’ brians can recognize through human senses, or lack thereof. When you develop or choose content for your course, always keep in mind that you may have learners with learning disabilities in your class. According to LDA (n.d.), “A learning disability cannot be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong challenge. However, with appropriate support and intervention, people with learning disabilities can achieve success in school, at work, in relationships, and in the community.” While support and accommodation for students with learning disabilities are primarily addressed through accessibility, other students may also share the benefits. By the same token, students with learning disabilities may also be accommodated when you utilize multiple means of representation of the UDL framework to capture learning from a wider range of students.  

The key to this principle is that there is no such thing as one size fits all. Different students have different needs to optimally interact with your course contents; therefore, your learning as well as assessment activities should come in multiple forms to serve as many students as possible. While a form of content representation may match the needs of multiple student groups, a group may need more than one form to learn best. 

Based on CAST’s Guidelines 1-3 (n.d.), the following are examples of activities that may be applicable to your course:

1. A learning activity in the form of a video recording with captions — offering alternative forms of auditory information for international students and those with hearing disabilities.
2. A reading article with a combination of text, images, equations, etc rearranged based on (responsive to) the device displayed — offering ways to customize how information is displayed, manually or automatically for students accessing contents from different devices.
3. The same reading article with the read-aloud capability — offering alternative forms of visual information for students with visual disabilities and those who commute long distance.
4. A scientific lab experiment with a handout containing glossary of chemicals used in the experiment — supporting decoding of complex information to any students to reduce cognitive load and to process information faster.
5. A quiz allowing multiple attempts, with immediate feedback at the end of an attempt — maximizing knowledge solidification and transfer for perfectionist students or those who learn through repetition.
6. A concept mapping activity, group or individual, at the end of a module — guiding information processing and visualizing how elements are connected for any students including visual learners, and those who see things holistically.
7. A coding activity using Python and C# to calculate an average of any random numbers — illustrating the same information using different media/tools for any students who learn through hands-on practice or those who organize knowledge using compare & contrast approach.

Of course, there are many more ways that you can practice this UDL principle. I would like to hear and learn from you what you have done with your course.

References:

Ableser, J. and Moore, C. (2018, September). Universal Design for Learning and Digital Accessibility: Compatible Partners or a Conflicted Marriage?. EDUCAUSE. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2018/9/universal-design-for-learning-and-digital-accessibility-compatible-partners-or-a-conflicted-marriage

CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). (n.d.). About Universal Design for Learning. https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl

LDA (Learning Disabilities Association of America). (n.d.) Types of Learning Disabilities. https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/