Universal Design for Information Literacy

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Universal Design for Information Literacy

• Ted Chodock Elizabeth Dolinger
• Research Services Librarians
• Landmark College
• Putney, VT
• Presented at New England Library Instruction
  Group Annual Conference
• Western New England College
• June 6, 2008

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Universal Design for Information Literacy

• Learning Disabilities / Learning Differences
• Universal Design
• Our experiences applying UDI at Landmark
• How do you apply UDI principles in your
  classrooms?

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What is a Learning Disability?

• A disorder that affects peoples ability to
  either interpret what they see and hear or to
  link information from different parts of the
  brain.

Matthews, D. D. (Ed.). (2003). Learning
disabilities The basics. In Learning
disabilities sourceboook (2nd ed., p. 5).
Detroit Omnigraphics.
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Dyslexia

• is characterized by problems in coping with
  written symbols, despite normal intelligences.
• common characteristics are difficulty with
  phonological processing and/or rapid
  visual-verbal responding.

Turkington, C., Harris, J. R., American
Bookworks (Eds.). (2006). Dyslexia. In The
encyclopedia of learning disabilities (2nd ed.,
pp. 81-83). New York Facts on File. Matthews,
D. D. (Ed.). (2003). Learning disabilities The
basics. In Learning disabilities soureboook (2nd
ed., p. 151). Detroit Omnigraphics.
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

• Is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or
  hyper-activity-impulsivity that is more
  frequently displayed and more severe than is
  typically observed in individuals at a comparable
  level of development.

American Psychiatric Association (Ed.). (2000).
Attention-deficit and disruptive behavior
disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual
of mental disorders DSM-IV-TR (4th ed., text
revision, p. 85). Washington, DC American
Psychiatric Association.
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How many?

• 1999-2000
• 9.3 of undergraduates reported some type of
  disability
• 2003-2004
• 11.3 of undergraduates reported some type of
  disability

See Horn, 2002 2006.
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Students with Dyslexia

• Handwriting
• Trouble with rapid visual-verbal responding
• Find concept maps helpful
• Note-taking is problematic
• Slower than average reading and reading
  comprehension

Farmer, M., Riddick, B., Sterling, C. (2002).
Table 7.1 Frequency and percentages of staff
responding to question on problems of students
with dyslexia. In Dyslexia and inclusion
Assessment and support in higher education (p.
119). Philadelphia Whurr Publishers.
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Behaviors of students with AD/HD

• Disinterested
• Disorganized
• Procrastination
• Misjudging available time
• Impulsivity

Conners, C. K. (2006). What are typical
characteristics of those with AD/HD? In Attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder The latest
assessment and treatment strategies (pp. 8-15).
Kansas City, MO Compact Clinicals.
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Behaviors of students with AD/HD

• Executive Function Dysfunction
• Working memory problem solving processes
• Control of emotions impulses
• Internalized speech
• Reconstitution

Conners, C. K. (2006). What are typical
characteristics of those with AD/HD? In Attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder The latest
assessment and treatment strategies (pp. 8-15).
Kansas City, MO Compact Clinicals.
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Universal Design (UD)

• 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.

Connell, B. R., Jones, M., Mace, R., Mueller, J.,
Mullick, A., Ostroff, E., et al. (1997, April 1).
The principles of universal design Version 2.0.
Retrieved May 23, 2008, from NC State University,
The Center for Universal Design Web site
http//www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/udprincipl
estext.htm Doylesaylor. (2007, September 17).
Afternoon sun raking curb cut. In Flickr
Photograph. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from
http//flickr.com/photos/doyle_saylor/1399859064/
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

• The burden of adaptation should be first placed
  on the curriculum, not the learner. Because most
  curricula are unable to adapt to individual
  differences, we have come to recognize that our
  curricula, rather than our students, are
  disabled.

CAST (2008). Universal design for learning
guidelines version 1.0 (p. 4). Wakefield, MA
Author.
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UDL Principles

• 1) Provide Multiple Means of Representation (the
  "what" of learning).
• 2) Provide Multiple Means of Expression (the
  "how" of learning).
• 3) Provide Multiple Means of Engagement (the
  "why" of learning).

CAST (2008). Universal design for
learning guidelines version 1.0 (pp.3-4).
Wakefield, MA Author.
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Universal Design for Instruction (UDI)

• With an absence of legal mandates relating to
  planning individualized instruction for students
  with disabilities at the postsecondary level,
  change will be fueled by thoughtful approaches
  that are responsive to the culture of faculty and
  features of their work that are distinctly
  different from those of their colleagues in
  elementary and secondary settings.

McGuire, J. M. Scott, S. S. (2007). Universal
design for instruction Extending the universal
design paradigm to college instruction. Journal
of Postsecondary Education and Disability (19)2,
126.
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UDI Principles

• Equitable Use
• Instruction is designed to be useful to and
  accessible by people with diverse abilities.
• Flexibility in Use
• Instruction is designed to accommodate a wide
  range of individual abilities.
• Simple and Intuitive Instruction
• Instruction is designed in a straightforward and
  predictable manner, regardless of the student's
  experience, knowledge, language skills, or
  current concentration level.

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UDI Principles

• Perceptible Information
• Instruction is designed so that necessary
  information is communicated effectively,
  regardless of ambient conditions or the student's
  sensory abilities.
• Tolerance for Error
• Instruction anticipates variation in individual
  student learning pace and requisite skills.
• Low Physical Effort
• Instruction is designed to minimize nonessential
  physical effort.

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UDI Principles

• 7) Size and Space for Approach and Use
• Instruction is designed with consideration for
  appropriate size and space.
• 8) A Community of Learners
• The instructional environment promotes
  interaction and communication.
• 9) Instructional Climate
• Instruction is designed to be welcoming and
  inclusive. High expectations are espoused for all
  students.

Shaw, S. F., Scott, S. S., McGuire, J. M.
(2001, November). Teaching college students with
learning disabilities. (ERIC Document
Reproduction Service No. ED459548) Retrieved
from ERIC database.
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• How many students are we willing to accept that
  we wont reach?

• In traditional postsecondary educationthe
  capacity of enrolled students to master the
  content and achieve the outcomes is essentially
  assumed, often within the range defined by a bell
  curve. A certain amount of failure and sub-par
  performance is expected and even required to
  validate other successes.

Gander, M., Shmulsky, S. (2008). Universal
Design for Instruction Current theory and
practice. Unpublished manuscript, Landmark
College, Putney, VT.
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UDI the ACRL Standards

• ACRL Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction
  Librarians Coordinators
• 6.6 Designs instruction to best meet the common
  learning characteristics of learners, including
  prior knowledge and experience, motivation to
  learn, cognitive abilities, and circumstances
  under which they will be learning.
• 6.7 Integrates appropriate technology into
  instruction to support experiential and
  collaborative learning as well as to improve
  student receptiveness, comprehension, and
  retention of information.

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UDI the ACRL Standards

• 9.2 Presents instructional content in diverse
  ways (written, oral, visual, online, or using
  presentation software) and selects appropriate
  delivery methods according to class needs.
• 12.2 Modifies teaching methods and delivery to
  address different learning styles, language
  abilities, developmental skills, age groups, and
  the diverse needs of student learners.

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UDI Active Learning

• Universal Design for Instruction does not replace
  Active Learning methods of teaching.
• Active Learning methods of teaching become even
  more essential in the framework of UDI.

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Applying Universal Design to Information
Literacy (UDIL)

• Barriers exist in the instruction, not in the
  user, and thus it is the instruction that must
  change. This change in mindset alone improves
  interactions between the non-disabled and people
  with disabilities, as they become potential
  partners in addressing the common problem of
  shortcomings in instructional design rather than
  exhibiting an inequitable power relationship
  where one person is the problem and the other the
  problem solver.

Creamer, D. (2007). Universal instructional
design for libraries. Colorado Libraries, 33(4),
14.
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How we apply UDIL Principles

• 1) Equitable Use
• Create web-based course guides
• Spell vocally and write out search words
• Print words (avoid cursive)
• Use a sans-serif font
• 2) Flexibility in Use
• Preview review lesson plan with a vocalized
  written agenda
• Use of active learning methods that use multiple
  senses
• Repeat back questions
• Focus attention internally by asking many
  questions of the students

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How we apply UDIL Principles

• 3) Simple and Intuitive Instruction
• Eliminate library lingo library-centered
  concepts
• Teach only skills directly related to completing
  the assignment
• Use student topics
• 4) Perceptible Information
• Stress usability features in databases websites
• Shorten task instructions by using few words in
  giving directions
• Presenting information in multiple formats

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How we apply UDIL Principles

• 5) Tolerance for Error
• Allocate 1/3 to 1/2 of each class for individual
  work time
• 6) Low Physical Effort
• Use of citation making software, print icons, and
  other built-in time-saving shortcuts
• Decrease repetitiveness of tasks

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How we apply UDIL Principles

• 7) Size and space for approach and use
• Redesign library instruction space to maximize
  collaboration and minimize irrelevant cues
• 8) A Community of Learners
• Bring a sign-up sheet to class to make follow up
  appointments
• Check in on research progress by e-mail
• Encourage collaboration among the students during
  class

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How we applyUDIL Principles

• 9) Instructional Climate
• Have a goal that provides motivation
• Work with faculty to have a specific goal, such
  as finding at least one research article on the
  topic

For more see Zentall, S. S. (2005). Theory and
evidence based strategies for children with
attentional problems. Psychology in Schools,
42(8), 821-836.
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How we apply UDIL Principles
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Applying UDI principles in your classrooms

• What are your experiences with learning
  differences in your classrooms?
• What techniques can you recommend?
• How will you/do you apply UDI in your
  classrooms?