1. Universal Design and Differentiated Instruction Notes
Universal Design Learning (UDL) is an approach that focuses on providing alternatives that make learning possible to learners with diverse needs. When planning a UDL lesson, a teacher should think about the students’ cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity. What are the students’ strengths, needs, and preferences? What prior learning do they have? What are the possible barriers to learning? Barriers can include attention, motivation, language, following directions, and transitional skills. UDL principles include multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression.
Multiple means of representation.
-Provide multiple examples and non-examples
-Use multiple media/formats
-Provide support for limited background knowledge (tutors, interpreters, classrooms resources)
Multiple means of engagement
-Offer choices
-Vary demands and resources
-Provide strategies to develop self-regulation skills (checklists, reminders)
-Offer reward choices
Multiple means of expression
-Provide multiple media for communication
-Offer opportunities to practice with supports
-Provide ongoing positive feedback
-Provide flexible opportunities to demonstrate skill
2. Specialized instruction is instruction designed to meet the unique needs of an individual student. Specialized instruction (delivered by the special educator) may include multisensory approach, task analysis, fading approach, and functional approach.
3. Differentiated Instruction (delivered by the general educator) provides a model for planning, delivering, and evaluating effective inclusive instruction to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities and other related disabilities. Instruction is provided in the general education setting. Differentiated instruction includes PASS variables.
The PASS variables stand for:
P – Prioritize instruction. Standards, goals and objectives are clear and included. The scope of what will be covered can be determined. There is a clear path of content progression or order. Scope and sequence allow for long-term planning and evaluation of instruction.
A- Adapt instruction -Adapt materials -Adapt environment -Use different modalities
-Appeal to different learning styles
S- Systematically teach using SCREAM variables:
S- Structure lesson
C: Clarify- Speak clearly and directly, eliminate vague language
R: Redundancy: Emphasize and reinforce most important aspects of lessons
E: Enthusiasm
A: Appropriate rate of presentation
M: Maximize academic engagement
S- Systematically monitor and evaluate instruction.
Strategies for DI include:
• Multiple Intelligences (See Gardner’s MI)
• Tiered Assignments
• Cubes
• Choices
• Questioning
• Inquiry-based learning
• Self-paced strategies
• Flexible Grouping
• Anchor Activities
Accommodations or modifications are tools used to assist a child to achieve to his or her
full potential. Accommodations or modifications are NOT specialized instruction (See p. 92-
94). Accommodations include enlarged font, FM system, preferential seating, organizational
tools (folders). *See pages 92- 94 for detailed list.
Your inclusive classroom of 25 students includes the following:
1 student with Specific Learning Disabilities
1 student with Emotional and Behavior Disorders
1 student who is gifted and talented
1 student who has other needs (CLD, ESL, or at risk for school failure)
1. Using UDL principles OR Differentiated Instruction approach, discuss how you would
adapt instruction to meet the needs of ALL students in your inclusive classroom. Be sure to
specify the problem area for each student. You can use attached notes for guidance. Cite
sources in APA format and include references.
2. Respond to ONE of your classmate’s post (name included).
*Please follow this example presented below:
Subject Area: Math
Lesson Topic: Addition
Approach: UDL
Adaptations (Discuss): Using multiple means of engagement, ……
Or
Approach: DI
Adaptations: (Discuss): Using multiple intelligences …….
Benefits for each student (One sentence for each student is acceptable).
References
Gargiulo, R.M. & Metcalf, D. (2017). Teaching in Today’s Inclusive Classrooms: A
Universal Design for Learning Approach. Cengage.
Lerner, J.W., & Johns, B.H. (2015). Learning Disabilities and Related Disabilities. Cengage
Learning
Mastropieri, M.A. & Scruggs, T. E. (2014). The Inclusive Classroom: Strategies for Effective
Differentiated Instruction (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
