EDLD+5364+Week+2

=Week 2 Reflection=

As we reviewed technology strategies that positively affect student learning this week, my eyes were opened to a vast array of possibilities. Every good teacher’s goal is to help students succeed no matter what challenges they face. This week’s readings and lectures provided new information that could actually help every student succeed. This opens up exciting opportunities for students who have had limited success because of a learning disability, being an English Language Learner, lack of educational opportunity, etc. The best find for me out of this week’s lecture was the CAST: Center for Applied Special Technology website. It is based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It provides various tools to design lesson plans that allow for differentiated instruction to children with various abilities. The book, //Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design// by Rose and Meyer (2002) states, “By developing and applying UDL, we can minimize barriers and realize the promise each student brings to school.” What teacher wouldn’t want to break down barriers and foster educational growth and self-esteem for each student?

I did further research on UDL and found The Advocacy Institute website which hosts additional information on UDL. One classroom scenario on the website caught my attention in particular. A seven-year-old boy with Down Syndrome is given a story to read through a UDL-based digital picture book. To begin with, heavy support is given. A video clip is provided to familiarize the student with the content of the book. The student is able to click on words he does not recognize to find out their definitions. What appeals to me most about this type of digital tool, is that support can gradually be removed to enable the student to become more independent. I wish I had known about this type of intervention as a general education teacher. Now that I am teaching special education, I feel it is my responsibility to incorporate new UDL-based tools into my instruction to allow my students future success.

To read more about Universal Design, go to the following websites: [] []