This section explores the three principles of UDL in greater detail and explores how they can be used to facilitate the learning needs of all students. A range of digital tools and methodologies which support inclusion are provided, along with suggestions to improve teacher-generated learning content/resources.
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Multiple Means of Engagement
Multiple Means of Engagement
Think about how learners will engage with the lesson
Think about how learners will engage with the lesson
Does the lesson provide options that can help all learners:
regulate their own learning?
sustain effort and motivation?
engage and interest all learners?
To learn more about engagement, click here.
Multiple Means of Representation
Multiple Means of Representation
Think about how information is presented to learners
Think about how information is presented to learners
Does the information provide options that help all learners:
reach higher levels of comprehension and understanding?
understand the symbols and expressions?
perceive what needs to be learned?
To learn more about representation, click here.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression
Multiple Means of Action and Expression
Think about how learners are expected to act strategically & express themselves.
Think about how learners are expected to act strategically & express themselves.
Does the activity provide options that help all learners:
act strategically?
express themselves fluently?
physically respond?
To learn more about action and expression, click here.
Using Choice Boards to support Inclusion
Using Choice Boards to support Inclusion
Choice boards are a powerful tool for engaging learners. Choice boards should:
focus on a learning goal by providing options to students about how they learn and practice concepts
support differentiation by including different levels of complexity and choices about how students present and demonstrate their learning.
For greater engagement, ask students for feedback on which activities they preferred and use this feedback to improve your choice boards over time. Alternatively, encourage students to create their own choice boards for a topic.
Below are three examples of choice boards. The first two support multiple means of expression and are not subject-specific, while the third combines multiple means of representation, engagement and expression for a subject-specific example, i.e. Geography.
A version of the document below may be shared in advance with learners in a flipped classroom scenario. It could also serve as a revision guide.
Tools for Inclusion
Tools for Inclusion
The following tools can be used to support engagement, representation and action/expression and should be borne in mind when creating learning content/resources.
Consider creating screencasts which enable teachers to create a digital recording of any instructional activity performed on a computer screen, which can be used as learning resources, learning tasks, and to provide learning support. They can provide learners with a student-centred and engaging learning experience in both distance and traditional learning settings. An effective pedagogy focused screencast is created through thorough planning and thoughtful and careful editing to resequence lesson principles, eliminate unnecessary portions, and generate a focused, easy-to-follow presentation.
Closed captions (CC)
Closed captions (CC)
Closed captions are a text version of the spoken part of a screencast or presentation. Closed captioning was developed to aid hearing-impaired people, but it's useful for a variety of situations.
Audio Description
Audio Description
Audio description is an accessibility tool growing in popularity. In addition to being an accommodation for blind and low vision viewers, it promotes a new way of learning through auditory means and can help individuals on the autism spectrum who may have difficulty recognising emotional cues, who are learning English as a second language, or who have other learning difficulties. Others, simply like to use audio description as a different way to consume video content when they are not able to dedicate time to viewing the content, but would instead prefer to just listen.
Colour and Contrast
Colour and Contrast
Ensure that there is a suitable contrast between text and background. Certain background colours may make reading easier for some learners with dyslexia. Avoid patterned backgrounds.
Text size/font
Text size/font
Ensure that the font size you use when creating content for learners is accessible for students. Many tools also have a zoom function which will help students to access text. Fonts should be clear and legible. Accessibility-friendly fonts include Tahoma, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, and Times New Roman. Slab serif fonts including Arvo, Museo Slab, and Rockwell are also considered to be accessible. Open Dyslexic is an open source font, designed to increase readability for readers with dyslexia.
Layout
Layout
Left-align text, without justification. Avoid multiple columns and keep lines shorter in length; 60 to 70 characters is advised.
Pause and replay
Pause and replay
Viewers can pause and replay content at their leisure. This allows learners to progress at their own pace and to direct their own learning.
Annotation/pointer tools
Annotation/pointer tools
When using the Present mode in Google Slides or PowerPoint, teachers can also use the Closed-Captioning feature. Any visual content should also have audio descriptions, and teachers should be sure students know how to use text-to-speech tools that are available on their devices, such as Google’s Read Aloud or Microsoft Immersive Reader. In instances where you are unable to use sites that vary in Lexile levels, tools like Smmry or Rewordify can help students to simplify text that is online. Age-appropriate digital storytelling tools could be utilised during lessons also, e.g. Book Creator/Keynote/DoInk Green Screen/iMovie. These tools provide an engaging method to respond to lessons for students with a clear focus on active learning.
Asynchronous Options
Asynchronous Options
Providing asynchronous or self-paced options for students within a classroom can allow them to move as quickly or slowly as they require. Many teachers are familiar with using video either as a form of lesson replacement or enhancement. Digital tools like EdPuzzle and Google Slides make it easy to select parts of videos to include in a lesson. Teachers can also give students time to pause and reflect between segments. Students will have more motivation when they have interesting choices.
Teachers can also incorporate choice boards into lessons from sources such as SlidesMania and SlidesCarnival. These support differentiation by including different levels of complexity and choices about how students present and demonstrate their learning. Teachers additionally can use sites such as World Book Online or The Smithsonian’s Tween Tribune to provide students with a variety of topics to encourage independence and scaffolded self-directed learning.
EdPuzzle has many impressive features that make it a very effective way of integrating video in instruction. It can be used in class or assigned to students to work on at home. As well as being used to support assessment, EdPuzzle is also a superb tool to support the Flipped Classroom model. Video lessons created by another teacher can be edited and reused. EdPuzzle encourages student engagement, effective questioning and active learning for all learners. It is also device neutral i.e. works on tablets, smartphones and PCs and can be used with other assessment tools such as Edmodo, Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom.
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