Reflection+Paper+Section+508,+Universal+Design+and+Assistive+Technologies

=The Reflection on Universal Design, Assistive Technologies, EDU 508 =

Education is facing many challenges in the 21st century. Educators have an ethical responsibility to educate all individuals in schools regardless of race, gender, religion, physical ability or social or economic status. Leveling the field for all citizens is a challenge for all educators. An educational approach that looks at giving solutions to the questions posed to education is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a pedagogical teaching approach that tackles the challenges of transforming all pupils into competent learners. Curriculums that are inflexible, one-size-fits-all should not be included in school programs. It is not only students with disabilities who find it very challenging to be successful in this type of curriculum. Many students without disabilities also struggle with this type of rigid curriculum. When the curriculum is designed to instruct he student population in the broad middle, it hinders those students whose learning styles are different, or whose socioeconomic backgrounds are different from the middle class. Pablo Freire, a noted educational theorist, would say that inflexible, one-size-fits-all curricula is necrophilic in nature. It is geared to preserve the established status quo (Spring, p. 147). However, Universal Design for Learning aids educators in answering the challenge posed by diversity. It suggests that educators use a broad variety of instructional approaches, teaching techniques and strategies. This approach is also time-saving for educators because if they set lesson plans that place all students in the class under the wider teaching spectrum, educators will not have to go back to the drawing board every time they encounter students who are not able to comprehend the teacher’s instructions. UDL has three guiding principles. Through the principles of 1. Providing multiple means of representation; 2. Providing multiple means of expression and 3. Providing multiple means of engagement educators can design curriculums that address the particular needs of all students in the classroom (Gronneberg, pp. 1-2). One of the particular groups of students that presents a challenge for educators are students with disabilities. In recent years, the implementation of school policies such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) “sets the bar higher to ensure that teachers possess the ability to serve the range of students they regularly encounter in schools and classrooms across the nation. As a result, more than ever before, preparing every teacher to work effectively with students who have disabilities is the business of educators in both special and general teachers” (Blanton & Pugach, p. 5). Therefore, with the combination of the guiding principles of UDL and assistive technologies, I can be of better service to pupils with disabilities. For example, three technologies that have made me successful in turning my Spanish lessons into inclusive lessons are puppets, musical instruments and computer technology such as PowerPoint presentations, short videos and vocabulary games. In my personal experience, every child opens up when they see the puppets. Students love to pretend that they can talk through the puppets. Using the puppets and a stage, we role-play short dialogues in Spanish. All students get to shine, regardless of whether they are students with disabilities or not. By including these technologies, I aid my students by focusing on providing multiple means of learning. I realize that in my lesson I applied the principle of providing multiple means of action and expression by using a World Language teaching technique called Total Physical Response (TPR). This approach allows students who are timid to participate orally and to show me they understand the target language by completing the action that is asked for. Finally, I include the principle of providing multiple means of Engagement by providing an extensive repertoire of activities such as Sesame Street movies in Spanish, a variety of games (bingo, fly-swatter game, baseball, robot game, miming games, pictionary), songs, books for storytime in Spanish and dances. In conclusion, I believe elementary school is a great level to teach because it is easy to implement a great variety of teaching approaches, so that I can cater to a wider range of students.

References

Blanton, L. & Pugach, M. (2007). //Collaborative Programs in General and Special Teacher Education: An Action Guide for Higher Education and State Policymakers.// Washington, D.C.: Council of Chief State School Officers.

Gronneberg, J. (2007). //CAST Universal Design for Learning.// Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines/version1.html#intro [|http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~kes9/page5.htm] http:/[|/www.pai-ca.org/pubs/532901.htm] Spring, J. (1999). //Wheels in the Head: Educational Philosophies of Authority, Freedom, and Culture from Socrates to Human Rights.// Boston: McGraw-Hill College.

 What is your definition of assistive technology?

Assistive technoloy is any devices or services that students with disabilities can benefit from to aid them to receive their education in the least restrictive environment.

What abilities and disabilities can assistive technology support?

It supports abilities such as hearing, visual, speech and language.

It supports disabilities such as orthopedic, mental retardation and autism.

1) Tool name: Alpha Smart

It would help students read, and it can help students who have dyslexia or are hinder by verbal communication.

It has slow keys and large display.

2) Tool name: Read Please

It would read to them. It would help students with dyslexia and visual impaired. It has a laser guiding feature that it's easy to use.

3) Tool name: Intellikeys

It helps students who can not use traditional keyboards. It helps children with physical, visual or cognitive disabilities. It is easy to manipulate.