Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be a game-changer for students with print and/or learning disabilities because UDL provides learners with multiple means of engagement, representation and action/expression. Here are some great tools to enhance reading for all students through UDL: Engagement: One of the guidelines of UDL that leads to greater engagement suggests that instructors provide options for Recruiting Interest by giving students a choice in the materials and methods used during teaching and learning. One tool that can help teachers differentiate instruction for students with a variety of reading levels is Newsela.com. With Newsela, teachers can find articles about the same content, but with different versions written at different reading levels. Instructors can print off several copies of various reading levels and allow students to choose the reading level that feels like a good fit for them. For more information on Newsela, go to Common Sense Education’s product review or sign up for a free Newsela account at Newsela.com. Representation: One simple way to introduce content without overwhelming students who are reading below grade level is to use infographics as a starting point. Infographics combine icons, charts, diagrams and photos with minimal text to give students a “Cliff’s Notes” version of content. Using an infographic is totally in line with the UDL guideline of comprehension which asks instructors to guide information processing and visualization. Teachers can create their own infographics, or, browse tons of infographics created by other users at Easel.ly, a user-friendly web tool for designing infographics. Action & Expression: Read Write Gold (RWG) isn’t your typical screen reading software. When using RWG, students are provided with support for reading, writing, studying and researching. One guideline within the Action and Expression category of UDL highlights the need that many students have for help with executive functioning problems like organization, time-management and study skills. RWG is a great program to help students manage these executive functioning deficiencies. Students at the University of Kentucky are lucky to have access to a university-wide copy of RWG which can be downloaded from the UK ITS software downloads page. For more information on RWG, watch Read and Write Gold Demonstration, a video that shows many of the product’s features.
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AuthorJennifer Pusateri is a Universal Design Consultant at the University of Kentucky's Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT). Archives
January 2019
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