This document discusses methods for differentiating instruction and universal design for learning through educational technology. It describes differentiated instruction as customizing learning to meet student needs by providing varying content, strategies, and assessments. Universal design for learning removes barriers to learning by offering flexibility. The document provides examples of using technology to differentiate content, process, and product, as well as assistive technologies at different levels. It emphasizes equitable access to technology and promoting cultural understanding through instructional practices and materials that validate student identities and foster respect among diverse learners.

1. EducationalTechnology
Jennifer Reaves
EIM 504

2. Differentiated
Instruction &Universal
Design for Learning
Methods of customizing and personalizing learning through
technology -

3. Differentiated
Instruction
(DI)
 Purposefully designing instruction to accommodate the known
needs of one’s students and providing them with different
content, strategies, and means of demonstrating the desired
learning goals

4. Ideas for
Differentiating
Instruction
with
Technology
 Differentiate content:
 Create or findWebQuests on different topics of study.
 Use short video clips from an education video-sharing site.
 Incorporate text readers for digital books or web pages.
 Differentiate process:
 Use a comic book creator app.
 Write a storyboard for a video or presentation.
 Assign groups based on learning profiles or interests.
 Differentiate product:
 Create a concept map before and after instruction.
 Publish to a blog.
 Create a digital portfolio matched to standards.

5. Universal
Design for
Learning
(UDL)
 An approach to instruction in which teachers remove barriers to
learning by providing flexibility in materials, methods, and
assessments.

6. UDL
Guidelines
I. Provide multiple means of representation:
1.Provide options for perception.
2. Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and
symbols.
3. Provide options for comprehension.
II. Provide multiple means for action and expression.
4. Provide options for physical action.
5. Provide options for expressions and communication.
6. Provide options for executive functions.
III. Provide multiple means for engagement.
7. Provide options for recruiting interest.
8. Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence.
9. Provide options for self-regulation.

7. Assistive
Technologies
 Any item, piece of equipment, or product system used to increase,
maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with
disability
 “Unlike medical technology whose purpose is to improve or
sustain health through diagnosis of, prevention or treatment of a
condition that could lead to reduced functioning (Wise, 2012), the
purpose of assistive technology is to improve function or
performance in everyday life activities a person engages in all
functional life contexts,” (Peterson-Karlan & Parette, 2008;Wise,
2012).

8. Examples of
Assistive
Technology
 High-tech:
 Environmental controls
 Speech synthesizers
 Touch-sensitive pads
 Mid-tech:
 Word-processing software
 Electronic organizers
 DescriptiveVideo Services (DVS)
 Low-tech:
 Scanning print using an optical character recognition (OCR) scanner
 Talking picture frames
 Timers

9. Diversity &Cultural
Understanding
Ways to support learning needs of students -

10. Equitable
Access
 Equitable access in a classroom utilizing technology should include
the following components:
 Access up-to-date hardware, software, and connectivity
 Access to meaningful, high-quality, and culturally responsive
content and the opportunity to contribute to that content
 Access to educators who know how to use digital tools and
resources
 Access to systems sustained by leaders with vision and support for
change via technology.

11. Promoting
Cultural
Understanding
&Global
Awareness
 Consider the following 10 tips to promote culture understanding:
 Acknowledge student’s differences as well as their commonalities.
 Validate students’ cultural identities in classroom practices and instructional
materials.
 Educate students about the diversity of the world around them.
 Promote equity and mutual respect among students.
 Use valid measures to assess students’ ability and achievement.
 Foster a positive interrelationship among students, their families, the
community, and school.
 Motivate students to become active participants in their learning.
 Encourage students to think critically.
 Challenge students to strive for excellence as defined by their potential.
 Assist students in becoming socially and politically conscious.

12. References
 Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration
for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (2nd
ed., pp. 137-162; 269-291). Belmont, Calif.:Wadsworth.
 Peterson-Karlan,G. R. (2015).ASSISTIVETECHNOLOGY
INSTRUCTIONWITHINA CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING
TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT. Quarterly Review Of Distance
Education, 16(2), 61-76.