1. WINTER
A Synthesis of the
Template
Intervention Studies on
UDL in K-12 Settings
Minwook Ok
Kavita Rao
Brian R. Bryant
2. Who we are
Minwook Ok
Doctoral Student
University of Texas at Austin
Kavita Rao
Assistant Professor
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Brian R. Bryant
Research Professor
University of Texas at Austin
3. Today’s agenda
Duration Presentation/Activity
40 minutes Present results from our literature synthesis
10 minutes Small group discussion of UDL application
10 minutes Whole group discussion
4. Setting the context
Universal Design Models Sources/Referen
ce
Universal Design (UD) Center on Universal
Design, NCSU
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Center for Applied
Special Technology,
National Center on UDL
Universal Instructional Design (UID) Goff & Higbee (2008);
based on Chickering
and Gamson
Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) Burgstahler (2009)
Universal Design for Assessment (UDA) Thompson, Johnstone,
& Thurlow (2003)
5. UD “Educational Models”
• Adapt the original universal design principles that
focused on design of products and environment
• Educational models focus on curriculum and
instruction
• Principles/guidelines provide information for
differentiation within instructional activities and
learning environments
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design of Instruction (UDI)
Universal Instructional Design (UID)
6. The big question
What are the outcomes of using UDL?
• A dearth of empirical evidence
• Lack of definition of construct
“while we are awaiting widespread availability of
the promise of UDL, we are left to our own devices
to try to apply the UDL principles to create more
accessible accommodations”
-Edyburn (2010)
7. Purpose
To examine:
• How researchers/practitioners describe their
application of UD principles and guidelines
to their projects?
• Whether enough information is provided to
replicate the project/study
8. Search Procedure
Databases:
ERIC, Academic Search Premier, Professional Development
Collection, PsycInfo and Social Sciences Index
Keywords:
• universal design for learning
• universal instructional design
• universal design of instruction
• universal design
• postsecondary, college, university, higher education
• elementary, middle, high, secondary
Results:
more than 200 articles
9. Inclusion/exclusion criteria
Inclusion
1. Reported an empirical study
2. Referenced study conducted at K-12 or postsecondary level
3. Referenced UDL, UDI and/or UID
4. Published between 2000-2011
Exclusion
1. Descriptive article (with no research design or participant outcomes)
2. Examined software usability
3. Mentioned UD models only conceptually
Results:
17 articles
K-12: 8 articles
Postsecondary: 9 articles
11. Overview of K-12 findings
• All of the K-12 studies referenced the UDL model
(CAST/NCUDL defintion)
• Varying degrees of detail on how researchers
described their application of UDL principles
• Range of projects/interventions, including:
• Specific lessons, curricula, surveys, assessments
• Elementary (3), Middle school (1), High School (4), All
levels (1)
12. 1. Preschool Curriculum
Children’s School Success (CSS)
Purpose of study:
To explore the notion of access to the general curriculum for preschool
children with special needs, with a specific focus on ensuring that children
not only have access but make meaningful progress
Project/Intervention:
General education curriculum accessible to preschoolers with disabilities
or who are at risk for school failure. Focus on:
(a) Academic competence (e.g., language, literacy, mathematics,
science concepts),
(b) Social competence (e.g., self-regulation, prosocial interaction with
peers),
(c) Individualization
Authors: Lieber, Palmer & Fleming, 2008
Title: Access to the general education curriculum for preschoolers with
disabilities: Children's school success
Journal: Exceptionality
13. 1. Elementary (Pre-K)
Children’s School Success
1. Academic Competence
• ScienceStart (French, Conezio, & Boynton, 2003)
• Large group activity & small group activity
• Curriculum Integration
2. Social Competence
• Dina Dinosaur Classroom-based Curriculum (Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2002)
• Classroom rules, doing your best in school, anger management,
feeling, self-regulation, making friends, talking with friends, etc.
• Large group activity & small group activity
• Curriculum Integration
3. Individualization
• Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs
(Sandall et al., 2002)
• Environmental support, materials, adaptation, simplify the activity,
use child preferences, special equipment, adult/peer support
14. 2. Elementary
Shared Stories
Purpose of Study:
To demonstrate a method for planning and implementing shared
stories for students with multiple disabilities that incorporated both
task analytic instruction and team planning using principles of UDL
Project/Intervention:
• Three popular elementary picture books selected and adapted to
(a) have student’s name as the main character
(b) include a repeated story line for the main idea and surprise
element and
(c) sensory materials/objectives were used during the lesson
• Use of UDL principles to individualize the task analysis for each
student
Authors: Browder, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, & Lee, 2008
Title: Teaching elementary students with multiple disabilities to participate in
shared stories.
Journal: Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities
15. 3. Middle School
“Alien Rescue” Cognitive Tools for Comprehension
Purpose of Study:
To examine whether there is a relationship between students’ reading
ability, use of cognitive tools, and their comprehension of scientific
concepts and processes? If so, what is the nature of the relationship?
Project/Intervention:
• “Alien Rescue”: Technology-based scientific-inquiry curriculum
• Supports cognitive processes using multiple modalities
• Study examined correlations between students use of cognitive
support tools within Alien Rescue to academic performance
• Students grouped by reading levels
Author: Marino, 2009
Title: Understanding how adolescents with reading difficulties utilize
technology-based tools.
Journal: Exceptionality
16. 3. “Alien Rescue”
Screen shot with some cognitive support tools
http://alienrescue.edb.utexas.edu
17. 3. Middle School
“Alien Rescue” Cognitive Tools for Comprehension
• Cognitive support tools provided more benefits for the lower
readers
• However, low ability readers did not use the cognitive support tools
as frequently as proficient readers
• Teachers should monitor tool use
• Recommendation that teacher asks students tor review and reflect
on which tools are helpful, as a way to provide explicit instruction
and self-monitoring strategy
18. 4.High School
Universally Designed Inclusive Science Course
Purpose of Study:
To describe the experiences of school personnel involved with
redesigning one inclusive high school science course
Project/Intervention:
• Adapted areas: instructional delivery, student participation,
curriculum, materials, assessment
• Redesign of high school science course included:
(a) Team discussion
(b) Development of a series of questions for redesigning the course (e.g.,
curriculum, instructional delivery, student participation, materials)
(c) Cooperation between teachers: redesign the whole class content first
then consider student’s specific needs
Authors: Dymond, Renzaglia, Rosenstein, Chun, Banks, Niswander, & Gibson, 2006.
Title: Using a participatory action research approach to create a universally
designed inclusive high school science course: A case study.
Journal: Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities
19. 5. High School
UDL strategies in Algebra & Biology
Purpose of Study:
To provide findings on student perceptions of individual interventions
based on the principles of UDL
Project/Intervention:
• Designed and implemented a total of 24 interventions (14 algebra &
10 biology) using principles of UDL
• Each intervention was designed to meet three principles
• Two dominant features:
(a) Technology
(b) Novel activity that were deviated from traditional instructions
Authors: Kortering, McClannon, & Braziel, 2008
Title: Universal design for learning: A look at what algebra and biology students
with and without high incidence conditions are saying
Journal: Remedial & Special Education
20. 6. High School
Read Aloud Test Accommodations
Purpose of Study:
To investigate the potential of computer-based read-aloud testing
accommodations, not only group-wide effects but also the impact of
the accommodation on individual students
Project/Intervention:
• Computer-based system with optional text-to-speech (CBT-TTS)
• Provide a flexible, customizable testing environment
• CAST eReader™: (a) read aloud test passages, questions and
responses, (b) highlighting, (c) students select
words, sentences, or passages
• Navigation bar: students can see their progress
Authors: Dolan, Hall, Banerjee, Chun, & Strangman, 2005
Title: Applying principles of universal design to test delivery: the effect of
computer-based read-aloud on test performance of high school students with
learning disabilities.
Journal: Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment
21. 7. High School
Digital Backpack Project
Purpose of Study:
To define the concept and necessary components of the digital
backpack; to discuss its potential as a readily accessible and
adaptable means for schools to appropriately provide for desired
outcomes in diverse student environments
Project/Intervention:
• Included hardware, software and instructional technology support
materials
• Project-based learning experience – students answer the question
“What is freedom” by making multimedia project
• Description of process with three teams of students
• Link to all UDL principles with flexible learning options
Authors: Basham, Meyer, & Perry, 2010
Title: The design and application of the digital backpack
Journal: Journal of Research on Technology in Education
22. 8. All levels (elem, middle, high)
ICEQ Survey
Purpose of Study:
To examine students’ perception toward their instructional environment in
classrooms exploring UDL
Project/Intervention:
• Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ: Fraser,
1990)
• To measure secondary-school students’ perceptions of the classroom
environment
(a) Personalization, (b) Student participation, (c) Independence in
decision making, (d) Investigative problem solving, (e) Differentiation
• Published and validated tool to examine the classroom environment
variables aligning with UDL principles and related variables
Authors: Abell, Jung, & Taylor, 2011
Title: Students' perceptions of classroom instructional environments in the
context of "universal design for learning”
Journal: Learning Environments Research
23. Where do we go from here?
• Defining UDL application within studies
• Linking principles/guidelines of UDL to
specific elements of a project
• NCUDL website
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
24. In a pair/small group
Discuss the UDL Sample Project and Sample Mapping
Questions to consider:
1. What are your thoughts about the Sample
Mapping and the level of detail provided? Does it
help make the use of UDL principles explicit?
2. What would you add/change?
3. How have you applied UDL in your own projects?
25. In a small group
Sample Scenario
(see detailed description on handout p. 2)
6th grade writing project using digital graphic organizer
• Teacher provides pictures
• Students categorize/organize in visual web
• Students generate writing and record audio
• Students generate text from outline
• Writing rubric, Personal Goals sheet
Questions to consider:
1. What are your thoughts about the Sample Mapping and the
level of detail provided? Does it help make the use of UDL
principles explicit?
2. What would you add/change?
3. How have you applied UDL in your own projects?
26. Your feedback
1. What are your thoughts about the Sample Mapping and the level
of detail provided? Does it help make the use of UDL explicit?
2. What would you add/change?
3. How have you applied UDL in your own projects?
27. Questions/Comments?
Minwook Ok
minwook.ok@gmail.com
Kavita Rao
kavitar@hawaii.edu
Brian R. Bryant
brianrbryant@aol.com
www.bit.ly/udlsynthesis
Thank you for attending our presentation
