SPED 738.

99 Teaching Students with Adaptive Learning Needs

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Due June 9- 20 Points
UDL is a systematic approach to instruction that is based upon knowledge of how the
brain works and different technologies and media that are now available for teaching and
learning. This information has the potential to radically change instructional
methodologies that have been used for many years. The goal of this assignment is for you
to learn new knowledge and skills that can be used to improve instruction.
Access the Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age book at
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/ and read chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Answer the following questions, consider each one carefully and take time to learn about
concepts and principles related to UDL.
Chapter 1: Education in the digital age
1. What is universal design for learning?
UDL is an approach to education which seeks to equalize the learning
environment for all students through the application of specific principals in order
to individualize curriculum development.
2. Discuss challenges posed by greater diversity and greater accountability.
With a more diverse mix of students in each classroom along with increased
expectations for student achievement, teachers will need to utilize a much wider
variety of learning tools in order to maximize each students performance. Under
this differentiated instruction approach, the teacher is tasked with assigning
individual criteria for success as well as modes of instruction for each student.
3. What does the author mean by the statement, UDL an intersection of initiatives?
The intersection of initiatives refers to the idea that UDL can bring together
new brain research on individual learning capacities and new technologies which
can be easily molded to fit the needs of each student. The goal is to bring
multiple approaches and theories to bear on the challenge of individualized
instruction.
4. How could this information impact education in general?
Ideally, the information should create a much more level playing field in the
general education environment so that students of all learning abilities and styles
can achieve their full potential through differentiated learning.

5. How could this information be used to make a difference in a school or

classroom?
This will necessarily transform the teaching environment from one in which the
teacher uses mainly print text to teach material in the traditional sense to one in
which the teacher acts more like a mentor, guide, coach, etc. to assist the student
in using the wealth of information available in the form of new technologies.
Through the use of these principles and practices, special needs students could be
integrated into a greater number of general education courses because the
instruction would be catered to their individual needs. This would create
opportunities for all students to learn in a more diverse environment and learn
from one another.
Chapter 2: What brain research tells us about learner differences
1. What are the major functions of the three primary networks essential to learning?
The major function of the recognition networks is to identify and comprehend
information, ideas and concepts by interpreting patterns of sound, light, taste,
smell and touch.
The strategic networks facilitate the planning, execution and monitoring of
virtually all actions, whether they are mental or physical in nature.
The affective networks attach emotional significance to objects and situations
with which we interact, influencing the way that we perceive those things.
2. What are the two common characteristics that have particular significance for
learning?
All 3 types of networks are distributed across different areas, or modules. Each
module is specifically designed to process a different component of each stimulus.
Also, all 3 types of networks are hierarchical in nature. In other words, all
involve both bottom-up and top-down processing.
3. How does distributed modular specialization work and what are its implications
for individual differences?
Distributed modular specialization refers to the fact that every element of sensory
input the human brain receives is processed in a distinct area, or module, in the
brain. In fact, each modality includes submodalities which further dissect the
stimuli into distinct components. This means there are countless opportunities for
each brain to experience a given stimuli in a manner different from all other
brains. It also helps explain why different individuals can perceive the same
stimuli in vastly different ways.

4. What is bottom-up and top-down processing and explain implications for reading.
In bottom-up processing, information is gathered from the environment, for
example, through sight, hearing, touch, etc., and then moves through the nervous
system to the area of the brain responsible for interpreting the specific type of
information involved. In top-down processing, information and experiences
already stored by the brain are brought to bear on new information in order to
assist in recognizing and classifying the new information. It uses prior knowledge
and context to predict what will occur next.
A bottom-up processing approach to reading requires the learner to build letters
into sounds and sounds into words and so on. The effectiveness of this approach
can be limited by the word superiority effect in which the brains top-down
approach causes it to recognize letters more efficiently in the context of words
than in isolation.
5. Why is it important for teachers to understand the parallel nature of strategic
processing?
While the modules of the frontal lobes function in parallel, allowing all aspects of
an action to be completed at once, the modules are also interdependent.
Therefore, it is often more effective to teach the various components of a skill
simultaneously than piece by piece. After the entire skill is taught, individual
components can then be examined more closely.
6. How do differences in strategic networks manifest themselves in the classroom?
Differences in strategic networks manifest themselves in the classroom as specific
preferences, likes or dislikes, and strengths or weaknesses. For example, one
student may be very adept at identifying goals, but may need assistance with selfmonitoring, while another student who feels frustrated with the idea of designing
a plan will be very competent at executing the plan.
7. Why is it important for a teacher to understand the concept of affective processes?
Affective processes impact every thought and action of an individual to some
extent. As the chapter states, What individuals see is determined partly by their
own internal state a melting pot of emotions, needs and memories. For this
reason, a teacher cannot ignore the importance of the experiences each student
brings to the classroom because those experiences will shape the way each student
perceives every aspect of instruction.

Chapter 3: Why we need flexible instructional media

1. Describe the roles of recognition, strategic and affective networks in
understanding speech.
The recognition networks allow the brain to receive and interpret auditory
messages and to separate them into individual sounds. The sounds are then
processed in a bottom-up fashion, i.e. building meaning from the external clues
present, and in a top-down fashion, i.e. using previously stored information and
context to gain understanding of the sounds received.
The strategic networks are responsible for the active listening required in order to
remember what is heard. Necessary strategic processes include organizing
lengthy amounts of speech into manageable segments, giving context to those
segments, and coming up with ways of remembering new information.
The affective networks process the emotional content of speech. During the
listening process, they bring into play the listeners feelings and memories in
ways that can interfere with or enhance the ability to attend to the speaker. From
a bottom-up perspective, the affective networks allow the listener to appreciate
subtleties in speech by conveying intonation, facial expressions and gestures.
2. Describe the roles of recognition, strategic and affective networks in the process
of reading.
Recognition networks facilitate the decoding of text through the differentiation of
letters, letter-sound correspondences, sentences, paragraphs or passages using
bottom-up (letter shape to letter name) and top-down (letter to sound) processes.
Because comprehension involves the construction of meaning in a text through
interpretation and analysis, the strategic networks are intimately involved in this
process. Active reading requires planning, experimentation and evaluation, all of
which are functions of the strategic networks.
In text we attempt to recreate speech, which is rife with emotive elements which
are experienced through the affective networks. In order to bring the emotions of
speech to text, the reader uses top-down processing to determine the correct tone
of the writing. Also, a learners feelings about reading can greatly affect their
success or lack thereof with written material.
3. Describe the roles of recognition, strategic and affective networks in
understanding images.
The recognition networks allow an observer to appreciate the various elements of
an image, such as size, depth, movement, color and shape.

Strategic networks help the viewer decide which elements are the most important
and to focus their attention there.
Affective networks also play a significant role in assigning importance and
meaning to an image. The observers own emotional state can either impede or
enhance their ability to appreciate the emotional content of the image.
4. Give at least 4 reasons for why we need flexible instructional media.
Flexible (i.e. digital) media are versatile. They can be presented in any
combination of text, video, images and sound, depending on the needs of the
learner.
Flexible media are transformable. Within a given media, adjustments can be
made in volume, size of text, appearance of images and so forth to customize the
media experience to the needs of the viewer. Information can also be transformed
from one medium to another such as when a program converts text to speech for a
student with reading challenges.
Flexible media are markable. Digital marking tools allow users to alter the
content of the media to suit their individual needs. The modifications can be
changed and adapted as needs arise.
Flexible media are networkable. They can be combined and shared in countless
ways which makes them infinitely more versatile than traditional media.
5. How does this information impact educators?
The communication of information and ideas to students can now be customized
to play to the strengths of individual students in a way that was not feasible using
only the more traditional media formats. Using digital media, a teacher can
effectively reach more diverse groups of students because of the ability to present
information and ideas in multiple formats.
Chapter 4: What is universal design for learning?
1. Describe the differences between access to information and access to learning.
Providing students with access to information does not necessarily equate with the
advancement of the students learning. Teachers must assess the individual needs
of the student in order to decide how much and what type of information to make
available to a particular student in order to achieve the individual goal desired.
Learning requires access to information along with challenge and resistance in the
appropriate areas.

2. What are the three principles included in the framework of universal design for
learning (UDL)?
Principle 1: To support recognition learning, provide multiple, flexible methods
of presentation.
Principle 2: To support strategic learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of
expression and apprenticeship.
Principle 3: To support affective learning, provide multiple, flexible options for
engagement.
3. Give examples of how an educator can provide support in each of the primary
networks: recognition, strategic and affective.
To support the recognition networks, a teacher can incorporate electronic media
into a lesson alongside print media. For example, material can be offered to
students in traditional book format as well as via customizable digital version
which allows for text to be read aloud, highlighted on screen, or presented in
Braille.
To support the strategic networks, digital and traditional media can be augmented
using assistive technologies such as alternative keyboards or digital notebooks.
To support the affective networks, teachers can take advantage of digital media
options such as links to background knowledge, vocabulary and outside
information related to various aspects of the text.
4. The UDL framework guides three pedagogical steps; identify them and discuss
reasons for including them in instructional planning.
Setting Clear Goals. It is important for instructors to examine goals with an eye
toward making sure they are achievable by all students. Goals should be broad
enough to allow for the use of flexible materials in order to support each student.
Individualized Instruction. By using diverse digital tools which promote the UDL
principles, a teacher can provide appropriate support to each student, whether that
means assistance in areas where one student has challenges, or challenge where
another student needs some resistance. In that way, each student has the
opportunity to participate in a meaningful way and to maximize his/her learning
experience.
Assessing Progress. Assessment is important not only to providing feedback to
students about their performance and progress, but also to helping the teacher to
determine whether or not the instruction is meeting the goals. If not, the methods

and materials being employed can be adjusted to better address the instructional
goals.
5. What is the value of UDL?
UDL offers teachers a framework for reaching students of all physical and
learning abilities by focusing on the use of flexible media and methods of
instruction. It encompasses goal setting and assessment in order to project and
monitor student success and allows for ease of adjustment in the curriculum to
maximize results. In other words, it seeks to make the curriculum as accessible to
all students as the building in which it is taught.