This document discusses strategies for customizing student learning through differentiated instruction and universal design for learning. It advocates designing instruction that meets the unique needs of individual students. Differentiated instruction is a proactive approach that involves flexible grouping, content, processes, and products. Universal design for learning promotes removing barriers through flexible materials, methods, and assessments. Both approaches rely on technologies to provide flexibility and accessibility. The document provides examples of how teachers can differentiate instruction using technologies to customize content, processes, and products.

1. Customizing
Student Learning
CENNAMO, K., ROSS, J., & ERTMER, P. (2014) TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
FOR MEANINGFUL CLASSROOM USE: A STANDARDS BASED APPROACH,
SECOND EDITION. WADSWORTH: CENTAGE LEARNING

2. Involves Two Constructs Using
Technologies
 Differientiated Instruction- involves emphasizing the unique needs,
abilities, and preferences of individual students and requires you
(the teacher) to use strategies and resources in your classroom that
support all your students and their uses of educational technology-a
process known as differientaion. DI builds on the tenets of the
constructivist learning theory, understandings from brain research,
and relies on the growing interest in learning styles (Anderson 2007).
 Universal Design for Learning-UDL- is a more recent concept that has
its origins in special education policy and practices supporting
students with learning disabilities.
 Both have at their core the concept of purposefully designing and
delivering personalized and customized instruction to meet the
learning needs of a diverse population of students.

3. More on customized learning with
technolgy
 Differientiated Instruction is personalized and customized learning.
People learn differiently and teachers should provide variation during
instruction, but DI goes further than this. DI is Proactive-not reactive. It’s
purposeful and begins before instruction occurs.
 Differientiated instruction is NOT a collection of teaching strategies. You
don’t just decide to use it in one lesson and not the next. It also does
not involve making some students “do” more than others.
 Instead it provides flexibility and choice in terms of the content and
processes you use in your classroom and the products that students
create to demonstrate their learning.
 Differientiated Instruction means use you purposely design and deliver
instruction that helps every student master the required learning goals-
usually based on a set of standards-depending on their readiness,
interests, and other factors that make up learning profiles (Tomlinson,
1999).

4. Customizing Student Learning
Activities
 An example:
 Use of flexible grouping (Anderson, 2007; Levy, 2008; Tomlinson, 1999;
& Tomlinson and Imbeau, 2010) advocate that while there are many
different processes These groups are never random, but are based
on ability, interest, and learning preferences.
 There are other differienitiated processes teachers can use only
requiring a little creativity, but of upmost importance is making sure
your learning outcome (product) is the desired result of the specific
process (in other words-processes and products of learning should
match).
 Knowing what, how, and why to differientiate requires teachers
know and understand their students’ abilities, interests, and learning
preferences. Teachers need to know their students learner profile.

5. Ideas for Differentiating Instruction
with Technologyfind
 Differientiate Content- some examples-access primary documents
including images and audio files from museums or the Library of
Congress, create or find Webquests on different topics of study,
incorporate an academic search engine or one designed for
children.
 Differientiate Process- examples- use a comic book creator or app,
incorporate a virtual field trip, explore consequences or manipulate
outcomes through a simulation or digital model, or create a digital
story using presentation software that incorporates text, images, and
/or videos.
 Differientiate Product- examples- create a concept map before
and after instruction, demonstrate a process through a narrated
screen capture video, publish to a blog, or create a infographic
using clipart or text.

6. Universal Design for Learning – UDL
Promoted by CAST
 UDL suggests teachers remove barriers to learning by providing flexibility
in materials, methods, and assessments (Rose & Myer, 2002).
 How is technology critical to the universal design for learning?
 In fact, it is essential for implementing UDL successfully (Edyburn, 2010).
 How it happens- digital media can be created, stored, and
cataloged, searched, adapted, and even linked together.
 Using common software and hardware, teachers and students can find
information in a variety of formats , transform it so it is easy to see, hear,
or understand, repurpose or modify it, or generate new information and
media that can be used to demonstrate guidelines.
 Diverse instruction and assessments can be achieved.

7. Neural Networks Foundational to
UDL
 Brain research ,shows specifically, the multifaceted nature of the
brain that includes recognition, strategic, and affective networks .
These three primary networks influence learning and are as
individual as fingerprints.
 UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN THE ClASSROOM
 Digital technologies are key elements for providing flexibility in the
development and implementation of three fundamental aspectsnof
the teaching/learning cycle: 1- setting learning goals. 2– taking
action by providing learning activities. 3- assessing student progress
to monitor and evaluate student growth.

8. Assistive Technology
 AT was first defined in the Technology-Related Assistance of
Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988(Pub. L. No. 100-407). It is
sometimes referred to as the “Tech Act”. This definition has been
used since then in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) which was reauthorized in 2004 (PUB. L. NO. 108-446).
 Assistive Technology refers to “any piece of equipment, or product
system, whether acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified, or
customize, that is used increase, maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of individuals with disabilities”(Pub. L. No. 108-446).
 Its important to know that its not the device itself that makes it
assistive technology-its how it is used to support individuals. Some
devices may be assistive for some and not for others.

9. Assistive Technology
Continuum=High Tech to Low Tech
 Software- word-processing applications, word prediction software.
 Communication Tools- Augmentative and alternative
communication devices (AAC).
 There is also positioning, keyboard adaptations, and mouse
adaptations. There are also many built in computer assessibility
features such as sticky keys, repeat keys, and slowkeys.
 Mobile Devices??? -in classroom (interesting point of discussion) The
ipad, ipod, and ipad mini.

10. Some Researched Facts-
 While one in six Americans is born with a disability, 700,000 others
become disabled each year. Currently, 4.5 million disabled students
attend our schools. Furthermore, most of these students require special
support and services to help ensure that they receive the education
promised them by law. Also, its very important to note that more than
half of the Americans with disabilities are of working age (between 16
and 65) and only 25% are employed (Castorina, 1994). This can change
with assistive technologies. Most notably, Dr. Norman Coombs (Chair of
Project EASI) teaches African-American history at Rochester Institute of
Technology is disabled. He has a fantastic story thanks to the use of
assistive technology. He uses a speech synthesizer and his students
submit tests and papers electronically (Castorina, 1994). This shows the
importance of teachers ulitlzing all assistive technology available to
students. Moreover, colleges and universities have good reason to
establish adaptive or assistive technology and support services. It
makes economic sense. And it’s the law (Castorina, 1994).

11.  References
 Castorina, C. (1994). Project EASI: s. preading the word about
adaptive technology. Change, 26.2 pp.(45-47). Eric. Web 29. Sept
2015.
 Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2014) Technology Integration For
Meaningful Classroom Use, Second Edition. United States:
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.