Universal Design and Student Engagement

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Universal Design and Student Engagement

• Presentation at the
• Focusing on the First Year Conference
• University of Minnesota
• October, 2008

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Presenter Contact Information

• Emily Goff, goff0009_at_umn.edu
• Jeanne L. Higbee, higbe002_at_umn.edu
• Ellyn Couillard, ln061484_at_yahoo.com
• http//www.cehd.umn.edu/passit

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Agenda

• Uncertain Welcome Video Clip
• Defining Universal Design (UD) Universal
  Instructional Design (UID)
• UID In the Classroom
• UD in Student Services
• Scenarios (if time permits)
• Resources for Faculty and Staff

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A Note About PowerPoint

• These slides are designed to be readable, rather
  than pretty. Guidelines include
• Sans-serif font, preferably 32-point, but minimum
  28-point
• Absence of artwork that distracts the reader and
  does not add to content
• Description of any photos, artwork, visuals,
  charts, graphs, etc., that cannot be read by a
  screen reader

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Disclosure

• What can we learn from the video clip on
  disclosure from Uncertain Welcome?
• What can faculty and staff do to encourage
  students with disabilities to disclose?

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Definition of Universal Design

• Universal Design is the design of products and
  environments to be usable by all people, to the
  greatest extent possible, without the need for
  adaptation or specialized design
• Source The Center for Universal Design (1997)

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Not just one size fits all . . .

• Applied to higher education, the primary goal of
  Universal Design is to create inclusive,
  flexible, customizable products, courses,
  programs, activities, and environments.

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Curb-Cuts
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Description of Previous Visual

• The previous slide is a photograph of a street
  corner with yellow painted curbs and white
  striped crosswalks. At the crosswalks the
  sidewalk and curbs are modified so that their
  height descends to street level and that area is
  unpainted.

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Universal Instructional Design(UID)

• UID involves the highly intentional and
  reflective practice of considering the multiple
  and intersecting social identities of all
  students who might potentially pursue an academic
  program, enroll in a class, or use a learning
  support service (e.g., learning center) when
  designing the program, course, or service

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UID Guiding Principles

• Create a welcoming and respectful learning
  environment
• Determine essential course components
• Communicate clear expectations
• Provide constructive feedback in a timely fashion
• Develop natural supports for learning, including
  through use of technology (see Ch 34 Digital
  Divide)

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UID Principles (cont.)

• Use multiple teaching strategies
• Provide multiple types of opportunities to
  demonstrate knowledge
• Encourage contact between students and faculty

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Benefits of UID for Students

• Eliminates need to be segregated for some
  accommodations (e.g., time)
• Addresses stigma associated with medical model
  (disability as deficiency see Ch 2)
• Recognizes individual differences among all
  learners, including in learning styles ways of
  knowing
• Enables students to use their strengths to
  demonstrate knowledge

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What Are Essential Components?

• The outcomes (skills, knowledge, attitudes, and
  habits of the mind) all students must
  demonstrate with or without using accommodations
  to be evaluated in a nondiscriminatory manner
• Outcomes, not process (although in some courses
  skill development requires learning in a specific
  way)

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Articulating essential components allows faculty
to

• treat all students fairly
• feel confident when making course modifications
  for students who are ill or who have extreme
  personal circumstances
• determine reasonable accommodations for students
  with disabilities

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To determine essential components consider

• The purpose of the course
• Whether the course serves as a prerequisite for
  subsequent course work
• Outcomes absolutely required of all students in
  the course, with or without accommodations
• Instructional methods that most effectively
  address the essential outcomes
• Effective measures that allow fair evaluation of
  all students

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UD Principles for Student Development
Programs and Services(UDSD)

• Create welcoming spaces
• Develop pathways for communication
• Promote interaction among students and between
  staff and students
• Ensure equal opportunities for learning and
  growth

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UDSD Principles (cont.)

• Communicate clear expectations
• Use methods that consider diverse learning styles
• Provide natural supports
• Ensure confidentiality
• Define service quality

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Examples of Implementing UD, UID, UDSD

• A prospective students first contact with the
  institution may be via its Web sitewhat do we
  need to know/do to be sure the site and its many
  links are universally accessible and welcoming to
  all?
• How do we design a universally-accessible campus
  tour?

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Examples (cont.)

• How can an adviser ensure that every student
  feels welcome and valued during the advising
  process?
• How do we conduct group interviews (e.g. for
  residence hall staff or orientation leader
  positions)?
• How do we plan a stress reduction/ relaxation
  training workshop?

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Examples (cont.)

• What might we include in a checklist for planning
  campus events and activities?
• What would the syllabus for a universally-designed
  first-year experience course look like?
• How do we design universally accessible career
  servicesincluding campus visits by employment
  recruiters?

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Questions to Consider

• Are you being explicit about the purpose of your
  service or program?
• Are you clear about the information/skills
  students are expected to gain?
• What are the concepts students need to master and
  understand to engage in the process or service?
• How do you measure the proficiency a student
  needs to demonstrate information learned in the
  service area?

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Benefits of UD and UID

• Although UD and UID were originally envisioned to
  provide access for people with disabilities, if
  implemented intentionally to serve all
  inhabitants/ learners/workers, everyone benefits
• Just as everyone benefits from involvement in
  diverse educational settings, everyone benefits
  from making those settings more inclusive
  (distinguishing between diversity
  multiculturalism)

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PASS IT

• U.S. Department of Education grant, 2005-2008,
  P333A050023
• Focus on developing discipline-specific
  professional development materials for teaching
  and student services
• Online resource bibliographies, legal resources,
  book, professional development guidebooks video
  forthcoming