Annotated Bibliography Pt 2

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Running head: LOCATING WEB PAGES

Locating Web Pages

Whether the use of UDL approach in post-secondary education helps to improve learning outcomes for students with disabilities?

Reference: Rao, K., Ok, M. W., & Bryant, B. R. (2014). A review of research on universal design educational models. Remedial and Special Education, 35(3), 153-

166.

Rao, Ok and Bryant (2014) provide a descriptive review of the most recent articles on the application of the universal design for learning (UDL), universal design of instruction (UDI), and universal instructional design (UID) models, all of which have gained significant prominence in special education since their introduction in the 1990s (Rao, Ok, & Bryant, 2014). The journal article is a descriptive review of 13 studies conducted in post-secondary K-12 settings. These studies are all concerned with how researchers are applying and evaluating UD education programs in different contexts. The studies, carried out between 2005 and 2011, offer numerous suggestions for research design, reporting on and evaluation of the efficacy of UDL programs (Marcyk,

2016).

The authors look into how the various studies can be practical to teaching in early childhood education, elementary, middle and high school classroom settings. Of particular interest is how the studies highlight technology use. Rao, Ok and Bryant (2014) highlight studies that look into tools and various technological applications that can help teachers address principles of the provision of multiple means of teaching and engagement. For instance, they stress on computers being flexible tools that can be aligned with flexible UDL checkpoints and integrated into learning processes for both kids with and without disabilities (Rao, Ok, & Bryant, 2014). The dominant theme across the studies is that UDL supports the academic inclusion of all students. The article also highlights the growing popularity of the field of UDL among researchers, giving possible reasons why it might have remained neglected in the past. Rao, Ok, and Bryant (2014) however, also speak to the problem of a lack of standardization of reporting in UDL based studies, and how standardization can strengthen future research.

Davies, P. L., Schelly, C. L., & Spooner, C. L. (2012). Measuring the effectiveness of universal design for learning intervention in postsecondary education. Journal of

Postsecondary Education and Disability, 26(3), 195-220.

The rationale for this article, based on what the researchers call a gap in research and literature concerning the provision and effectiveness of training to university instructors on the principles of UDL, and the resultant student outcomes, especially when it comes to students with disabilities. Davies, Schelly, and Spooner (2012) start by highlighting the relative lack of research projects focusing on the effectiveness of UDL training for students. The few studies available are not conclusive since they do not use control groups and offer no comparative data. Building on a study by the same researchers, this article describes the process and results of a research project that involved a control and intervention group of instructors (Schelly, Davies, &

Spooner, 2011). The intervention instructors taught psychology classes, with a total of 1164 students enrolled. The participants in the control group had instructors teaching six psychology sections with 646 students enrolled.

Reference: Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Center for research, professional and policy development (2008) Learning (UDL) Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/index.html

Lombardi, A. R., Murray, C., & Gerdes, H. (2011). College faculty and inclusive instruction: Self-reported attitudes and actions related to universal design. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 4(4), 250–261.

People with disabilities have worked for numerous years to achieve integration and full participation within a society. Realizing this goal has involved overcoming huge physical, economic, social, legal and cultural barriers to enable full access and presence. This effort has been particularly noticeable in the area of education. One of those greatest research areas has been in the use of UDL (Universal Design Learning) for learning Universal design in education creates an educational environment that is not just inclusive of students with disabilities, but of all students. Many disability services professionals have touted UDL as a viable strategy for improving access to instructional resources for students with disabilities. UDL is a set of guidelines for encouraging a flexible, unbiased learning curriculum that meet the requirements of a diverse body of learners, in this circumstance postsecondary school education with

disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning aids teachers’ efforts meet the task of diversity by providing flexible instructional materials, techniques, and approaches that help teachers differentiate instruction to meet these varied needs including the disabled. It does this by providing options for giving information and content in different ways (the “what” of learning), differentiating the ways that students express what they know (the question “how” of learning) and thought-provoking interest and motivation for learning (the question “why” of learning). In an educational context, UDL involves critically examining courses, texts, schedules, and other aspects of teaching and education. Calling for multiple means of representation to give students various ways of acquiring information and knowledge; different methods of expression to provide students alternatives for demonstrating what they know; and various means of interaction to tap into students’ interests, offer appropriate challenges and increase motivation (CAST, 2008). By increasing student choice and making connections with students’ prior knowledge, student motivation to participate and to learn is also increased (Lombardi et al., 2011)

Reference: Davies, P. S, Spooner, C.C., & University, C. (2013). Measuring the effectiveness of universal design for learning intervention in postsecondary education. Journal of Postsecondary Education & Disability, 26, 195–220.

Harrison, E. G. (2006). Working with faculty toward universally designed instructions:

The process of dynamic course design. Journal of Postsecondary Education and

Disability, 19(2), 152–162. Retrieved from http://www.ahead.org/publications/jped

Vannatta, R. A., & Fordham, N. (2004). Teacher disposition as predictors of classroom technology use. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 36(3), 253–271).

Education and training of teachers and faculty are also essential to lowering barriers and attitude and growing familiarity with students who have disabilities (Harrison, 2006). Training is important for faculty to be comfortable incorporating universal design into their curricula to reduce barriers. They evaluated attitudes of teacher candidates who trained in assistive technologies, accommodations, functional behavioral assessment, and organizing lessons using UDL, compared to a control group that received traditional training. The authors concluded that the control group delivered much lower in the assessment relative to those who received training. In conclusion, the grades of students with disabilities in classes taught by the educators who received training increased hugely while the grades of their non-disabled counterparts remained unchanged. In contrast, the grades of both groups of students in courses taught by non-trained educators stayed the same or declined somewhat. Consequently, only the grades of the students with disabilities in the classes of the trained educators showed a significant increase after the educators received the training, resulting in the performance of students with and without disabilities educated by qualified educators to similar levels in the post-training period.

Davies, Schelly, and Spooner (2013) conducted a study where they compared students survey data about an interference group of instructors who received UDL training to students survey data from a control group of instructors that did not receive UDL training. Survey data was collected both from students with, and without disabilities, however, this information was not included in the reported results because the numbers were too small to generalize by disability type and against the larger population of students as a whole. The results of the study suggested UDL training had a significant effect on students’ perceptions of instruction in university courses. Notably, the researchers were able to determine specific UDL strategies that students identified as having the most significant impact. For example, the use of instructional videos, providing an outline at the onset of each lecture, and presenting materials in multiple formats is identified as teaching strategies that positively impacted students’ educational experiences. Although limited to students reported perceptions of a UDL intervention and lacking any data as it relates to final grades, one could argue that this study does measure the effectiveness of UDL on student engagement.

The current reality is that enrollment in post-secondary institutions is becoming increasingly diverse as the number of individuals with disabilities, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, continues to rise. Educationalists’ obligation of time to the procedure and their willingness to embrace change associated with the expense of training received (Vannatta & Fordham, 2004). Technology is only a tool for learning, not a guaranteed solution. Additionally, most are not passionate about seeking professional development in technology or finding time to learn new strategies. Using effective instructional strategies, educators can meet the needs of postsecondary students, yet those educators require the knowledge and skills needed to select and adapt curriculum and educational methods according to individual student needs.