Inclusion and UDL

In this day and age, it is extremely important to include all students and make sure they are learning properly, which can often be a struggle for teachers. There are hundreds of ways to include students, some of them being more simple than others.

Changing the time of day that something is taught or even the seating arrangement or space a student works in can make a big difference. A huge difference for many learners also regard the methods and materials used. Sitting on the rug versus sitting at their desks, using props and charts, and standing in a different part of the class are all examples of these, and although they may seem minor, changing how the lesson is delivered can make a big impact on some kids. Another change that I read about and found interesting was changing the teacher, and having another staff member or parent teach it. It might be a little more complicated to arrange than the other examples previously listed, but it could be fun and would be interesting to see.

Another HUGE thing that can be used so that a teacher can assure that all students are learning properly, regardless of disability or not, is through UDL. Before we get into that, I want to first mention IDEA, since they are closely related.

IDEA stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendment of 1997. Before this, students with disabilities could be discriminated against, and could be denied a public education. After this act was passed, all students, regardless of disabilities have the right to an equal education. After this was all said and done, students were still being discriminated against because of the curriculum, causing UDL to be created.

You might be thinking, what the heck is UDL? UDL stands for Universal Diverse Learning. The goal of the program is to include all diverse learners in the classroom, since after all, one learning style does not meet the needs of all students. Some students are visual learners, while other are kinesthetic or auditory learners. Some students also have disabilities that affect the way they learn. However, UDL provides many flexible approaches and methods to meet the needs of all students. Through UDL, all students work together.  When teachers are using UDL, they must be open to adapting their approaches so that all students can learn properly, which might seem difficult, but will be best for the students in the end.

The Goals of UDL according the the UDL Website

In conclusion, it is extremely important that all students receive an equal education, thanks to the IDEA Act of 1997, and this can be done through inclusion and the UDL curricula. To read more about UDL and its benefits, visit the the National Center On Universal Design for Learning.