Universal design can help all learners. Learn how to use technology to support students with learning disabilities. Learn what programs are currently available, and how to advocate for consistent best practices in your school.
5. What
percentage of
America's
prison
inmates are
illiterate?
Prison Cell In Alcatraz Prison. Photograph.Encyclopædia
Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 16 Jan 2014.
http://quest.eb.com/images/105_1397481
5
7. Prison Cell In Alcatraz Prison. Photograph.Encyclopædia
Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 16 Jan 2014.
http://quest.eb.com/images/105_1397481
What
percentage
of juvenile
offenders
have reading
problems?
7
8. 85%
8
Literacy Statistics Reference Information, U.S. Department of Education
13. What
percentage
of boys were
diagnosed
with ADHD?
C/O Brian Summers / First Light / Universal Images Group
Boy. Photograph. Encyclopdia Britannica
13
ImageQuest.Web.
http://quest.eb.com/images/152_1599094
16. Multiple attentiveness may mean…
• Unable to focus
• Overactive
• Unable to control
behavior
• or a combination
of these
16
17. Is ADHD Under-diagnosed?
• 52% of children not diagnosed
• Girls are less likely than boys to have
condition recognized
• Only about 10 percent of adults
diagnosed and treated
17
18. Not obvious Symptoms
Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless
mistakes in schoolwork
Has difficulty keeping attention during tasks or play
Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish
school work or chores and tasks
Has problems organizing tasks and activities
Avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental
effort (such as schoolwork)
Often loses toys, assignments, pencils, books, or tools
needed for tasks or activities
Is easily distracted
Is often forgetful in daily activities
18
23. 20%
23
Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity
24. Out of 10
students with
dyslexia, how
many will
qualify for an
IEP and
support?
Prison Cell In Alcatraz Prison. Photograph.Encyclopædia
Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 16 Jan 2014.
http://quest.eb.com/images/105_1397481
24
26. Reading Processing Disorder -
Dyslexia
• Brain does not properly recognize and process certain
symbols.
• Involves difficulties in acquiring and processing language
• Typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading,
spelling, and writing.
• High percentage of comorbidity with ADD and
dysgraphia
26
27. The Gifts in
Dyslexia
Problem-Solvers
Vivid Imagination
Curious Intuitive and Insightful
27
38. • Encourage note-taking
• Teach Cursive!
• Teach typing!
*Anything you write you are 6 times
more likely to remember.
38
Take Notes!
39. Paper/Presentation Style
Strategies
•Use lightly colored background
•Use matt paper to reduce glare
•Use good quality paper
•Avoid light text on a dark background
•Online = limit distractions
39
40. Presentation Style Strategies
•Break text into short, readable units
•Use wide margins and headings
•Use at least 1.5 line spaces between lines of text
•Use bold print to highlight
•Highlight important text in a box or use color
•Keep text left justified with a ragged right edge
40
44. Recommended Apps
• OTB Notebook – for organizing ($4.99)
• Notability – for organizing
• Voice Dream – reading software
• Noteshelf and LiveScribe Pen - write on paper
and have notes transferred to ipad ($40)
44
57. 85 percent
of juvenile
offenders
have
reading
problems.
Prison Cell In Alcatraz Prison. Photograph.Encyclopædia
Britannica ImageQuest. Web.
http://quest.eb.com/images/105_1397481
57
58. Only 1 out of
10 students
with dyslexia
will qualify for
an IEP and
support.
Prison Cell In Alcatraz Prison. Photograph.Encyclopædia
Britannica ImageQuest. Web.
http://quest.eb.com/images/105_1397481
58
59. What have we learned?
• Cracks in education system exist
• Learning disabilities = learning differences
• Universal Design helps EVERYONE
• Train, train, train!
59
And…
85% Reference: U.S. Department of Education. There are no studies comparing valedictorians to students with learning differences.
85% Reference: U.S. Department of Education. There are no studies comparing valedictorians to students with learning differences.
Expand our way of thinking. We don’t accommodate. We EMPOWER!
8.4 % That’s 5.2 million kids. Reference: Center for Disease Control, 2011
That’s 6.4 million kids. Reference: Center for Disease Control, 2011
12.O % of boys and 4.7 % of girls Reference: Center of Disease Control, 2011
13.2% of boys and 5.6% of girls Reference: Center of Disease Control, 2011
From now on, we will be referring to ADD/ADHD as multiple attentiveness.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a problem of not being able to focus, being overactive, not being able control behavior, or a combination of these. Some people with ADHD have mainly inattentive symptoms. Some have mainly hyperactive and impulsive symptoms. Others have a combination of different symptom types. Those with mostly inattentive symptoms are sometimes said to have attention deficit disorder (ADD). They tend to be less disruptive and are more likely not to be diagnosed with ADHD.
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine concluded that 52% of children who met the American Psychiatric Association's criteria for ADHD
had not been diagnosed with the disorder.
Boys were about twice as likely as girls to meet the criteria for ADHD,
but girls who had ADHD were far less likely than boys to have their condition recognized.
Adult ADHD (American Psychological Association - March 2012)
A study also found that only about 10 percent of adults who met the diagnostic criteria
for ADHD had been diagnosed and treated for it.
Inattentive symptoms are not so evident and, therefore, usually under-diagnosed.
Flexible- Because children with ADD/ADHD consider a lot of options at once, they don’t become set on one alternative early on.
They are more open to different ideas.
Creativite – Children who have ADD/ADHD can be marvelously creative and imaginative. The child who daydreams and has ten different thoughts at once can become a master problem-solver, a fountain of ideas, or an inventive artist. Children with ADD/ADHD may be easily distracted, but sometimes they notice what others don’t see.
Enthusiasm and spontaneity – Children with ADD/ADHD are rarely boring! They’re interested in a lot of different things and have lively personalities. In short, if they’re not exasperating you (and sometimes even when they are), they’re a lot of fun to be with.
Energy and drive – When kids with ADD/ADHD are motivated, they work or play hard and strive to succeed. It actually may be difficult to distract them from a task that interests them, especially if the activity is interactive or hands-on.
Diagnosed (National Institute of Health)
Dyslexia affects 20%, or 1 in every 5 people. Some people may have more mild forms, while others may experience it more severely. Dyslexia is one of the most common cause of reading difficulties in elementary school children because
Undiagnosed
1 in 10 dyslexics will qualify for an IEP and special education that will allow them to get the help in reading that they need.
Only 5% of dyslexics are diagnosed
85% of adult illiterates are undiagnosed illiterates.
Diagnosed (National Institute of Health)
Dyslexia affects 20%, or 1 in every 5 people. Some people may have more mild forms, while others may experience it more severely. Dyslexia is one of the most common cause of reading difficulties in elementary school children because
Undiagnosed
1 in 10 dyslexics will qualify for an IEP and special education that will allow them to get the help in reading that they need.
Only 5% of dyslexics are diagnosed
85% of adult illiterates are undiagnosed illiterates.
65% Reference: U.S. Department of Education
Diagnosed (National Institute of Health)
Dyslexia affects 20%, or 1 in every 5 people. Some people may have more mild forms, while others may experience it more severely. Dyslexia is one of the most common cause of reading difficulties in elementary school children because
Undiagnosed
1 in 10 dyslexics will qualify for an IEP and special education that will allow them to get the help in reading that they need.
Only 5% of dyslexics are diagnosed
85% of adult illiterates are undiagnosed illiterates.
Developmental reading disorder is a reading disability that occurs when the brain does not properly recognize and process certain symbols. It is also called dyslexia. It is a variable, often familial learning disability, involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language, that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing. There is a high percentage of comorbidity with ADD and dysgraphia
They can utilize the brain's ability to alter and create perceptions (great problem solvers).
They are highly aware of the environment.
They are more curious than average.
They think mainly in pictures instead of words.
They are highly intuitive and insightful.
They think and perceive multi-dimensionally (using all the senses).
They can experience thought as reality.
They have vivid imaginations.
They have highly developed auditory recall
Famous dyslexics:
Leonardo di Vinci, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford
For architects, product designers, engineers - This design model allows access for the disabled but it is also more accessible and better designed for the entire population.
For educators
Universal design is an approach to designing course instruction, materials, and content to benefit people of all learning styles without adaptation or retrofitting. Universal design provides equal access to learning, not simply equal access to information. Universal Design allows the student to control the method of accessing information while the teacher monitors the learning process and initiates any beneficial methods. It’s just good teaching.
Ask the reader what they are interested in. If they are going to put in the effort, make it worth it.
Never choose a book that is beyond the reading level of the student. Make it easy and help them see growth.
Introduce the book – it takes some students longer to dive in
Read the first few paragraphs
Provide background knowledge for NF
Introduce the book as if it were a “problem” that the author is going to solve
Recommend books with larger fonts. Acquire and advocate for audio and text-to-audio features. Reading aloud- A child with ADD listening skills are usually stronger than their reading skills. Children can comprehend more if they read along silently as you read the book out loud. Create a list of books and textbooks with an audio component
Engage Imagination- Encourage the reader to visualize the events in the story to create a picture or movie in their mind. After a few pages, ask the reader to describe it.
Show how books are organized- Textbooks are structured in a way that highlights and summarizes important information. Point out glossaries and indexes. Explain charts and graphs.
For architects, product designers, engineers - This design model allows access for the disabled but it is also more accessible and better designed for the entire population.
For educators
Universal design is an approach to designing course instruction, materials, and content to benefit people of all learning styles without adaptation or retrofitting. Universal design provides equal access to learning, not simply equal access to information. Universal Design allows the student to control the method of accessing information while the teacher monitors the learning process and initiates any beneficial methods. It’s just good teaching.
*These strategies are also effective with multiple attentiveness. Help them see the big picture. Since many students with dyslexia are so focused on decoding the meaning of each word that they "miss the forest for the trees," Scaffolding is necessary (see ADHD strategies for active reading)
Build on background knowledge - Encourage a reader to bring their own experiences and interests to understand the book.
Ask for predictions- when reading aloud , stop occasionally to ask what the child thinks will happen. that requires them to integrate what they have learned about the character and story- and about the way stories are typically organized to anticipate the rest of the plot .
Encourage note taking- Have a student use post it notes or a notebook if they can’t take the book with them. Have them briefly jot down what is happening or what a section is about. Note taking requires readers to make sense of what they are reading and engages more of the mind. Anything you write you are 6 times more likely to remember. It’s great study tool.
Use a colored paper, even cream or off white. Some individuals will have specific color preferences, e.g. yellow or blue.
Use matt paper to reduce glare.
Don’t use flimsy paper which may allow text from the other side to show through. Good quality 80 or 90 gsm is effective.
Avoid light text on a dark background.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Try to break text into short readable units. Use bullet points and numbers rather than long passages of prose.
Use wide margins and headings.
Use at least 1.5 line spaces between lines of text, if possible.
Use bold print to highlight. Italics and underline should be avoided as they can blur text.
Highlight important text in a box or use color.
Keep text left justified with a ragged right edge.
Don’t use unnecessary hyphenation.
Use a san serif font such as Arial, Comic Sans, Verdana or Sassoon.
Use a minimum of 12pt or 14pt font size.
Use lower case letters. Avoid unnecessary use of capitals. Using all capital letters can make it harder to read, and it can also appear that you are shouting at the reader.
For iPad 3 and newer…
iPad Advantages include:
One-touch enlarge print, change bk color, access audio, use learning apps.
Anything you can highlight can be read aloud
PC/Microsoft 2010 or newer.
One Note works with Macs too. iPad app doesn’t include audio feature yet.
If you don’t see “speak” listed, change the pull down menu listing to “all commands.”
Bookshare.org membership is $75 for individuals and $50 per year after that.
Kurzweil 3000(for test taking)
Text to speech support allowing independent access for students with reading disabilities
Compatibility with IntelliKeys and other third party assistive technology tools to support those with physical disabilities
Language translation, an integrated dictionary and thesaurus to support English Language Learners
Multiple question and response formats including fill-in-the-blanks, multiple-choice, true/false, circling tools, highlighters, short answer, essay and recorded responses
Features that can be enabled or disabled for tests depending on the needs of the student and the test requirements
85% Reference: U.S. Department of Education. There are no studies comparing valedictorians to students with learning differences.
65% Reference: U.S. Department of Education
Do your teachers and students REALLY know the difference between the table of contents and an index, or the difference between a database and a website? We all have learning deficiencies and advantages. We ALL learn differently, so…