Universal Design for Instruction and Learning is a framework for designing educational environments which allows all students, including those with disabilities, access to curriculum including classroom materials, technology, and assessments. This workshop will provide an overview of the research behind Universal Design, provide multiple and flexible instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs of secondary and post-secondary students with and without disabilities, and develop an awareness of how to reduce barriers to curriculum.

10:00 am

Assistive Technology to Promote Learning
Presenter Steve Fadden

Assistive technology is designed to provide students with the support they need to access information and successfully express what they understand about course content, but it is crucial for educators to know which technologies work best for students with "invisible disabilities" such as learning disabilities and attention disorders, and how to help students utilize this technology. This session introduces assistive technology solutions that are available to support academic and study skills, along with guidance on how to match the appropriate technologies to the diverse student population. There will be a demonstration of several assistive technologies.

Universal Design of Instruction
Presenter Sheryl Burgstahler

Learn how universal design principles, guidelines, and performance indicators can be applied to curriculum and instruction in order to make all learning activities are accessible to all students, including those with disabilities.

12:30 pm

Overview of Universal Design, Effective Instructional Practices
Presenter Steve Fadden

This presentation reviews effective instructional practices that follow the core principles of universal design for instruction and learning, including an overview of the latest research on learning, and guidelines to develop universally usable course materials. Participants will experience how different areas of cognitive processing are affected by having language-based learning disabilities, attention, memory, and math issues, and Asperger's Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism, and how these issues can affect classroom behavior.

Session Titles

• Assistive Technology to Promote Learning
• Transition Solutions for Students with Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities.

2:00 pm

Transition Solutions for Students with Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities
Presenter Steve Fadden

This workshop includes an overview of Asperger's Syndrome, learning disabilities and other conditions that influence learning for high school and college students. Participants will learn about characteristics of individuals who have succeeded in multiple areas of life, best practices and techniques to support students who struggle with learning, universal design approaches to education, technology resources for students, and effective services and support systems.

Increasing the Participation of People with Disabilities in STEM Careers
Presenter Sheryl Burgstahler

Learn barriers people with disabilities face in pursuing academic studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and strategies to assure their full inclusion in these challenging fields.

Presenter Steve Fadden

Steve Fadden is the Vice President for Research and Institute Operations at Landmark College and Director of the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training. His basic research interests include cognitive and perceptual aspects of reading, scene perception, and attention, and his applied interests include evaluating the effectiveness of educational methods and assistive technologies, developing systems for optimal learning and task performance, and applying universal design principles for usability.

Session Titles

• Overview of Universal Design, Effective Instructional Practices. Understanding and Supporting Individuals With Diverse Cognitive Profiles
• Assistive Technology to Promote Learning
• Transition Solutions for Students with Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities.

Presenter Sheryl Burgstahler

Sheryl Burgstahler is an Affiliate Professor in the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. Her teaching and research focus on the successful transition of students with disabilities to college and careers and on the application of universal design to technology, learning activities, physical spaces, and student services in educational settings. She founded and continues to direct the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center and the Access Technology Center. These two centers promote (1) the use of mainstream and assistive technology and other interventions to support the success of students with disabilities in postsecondary education and careers and (2) the development of facilities, computer labs, academic and administrative software, websites, multimedia, and distance learning programs that are welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Session Titles
• Universal Design of Instruction
• Increasing the Participation of People with Disabilities in STEM Careers

$25 Online registration is available through June 3rd

Between session snacks and luncheon are provided.

Bring your own laptop computer or check one out for the day at the registration table.  All conference material will be provided on a flashdrive.

Schedule

• 9:00 am  to 10:00 am Registration Table
• 9:30 am Experience the Virtual Theater
• 10:00 am Session I
• 11:30 am Lunch
• 12:30 pm Keynote
• 2:00 pm Session II
• 3:30 pm Workshop ends
• 3:40  pm Expereien the Virtual Theater

Resources

Provided by

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• Session Presentation PowerPoint
• UD in Postsecondary Education: Process, Principles, & Applications
  PDF and HTML
• Equal Access: UD of Instruction (a checklist)
  PDF and HTML
• Broadening Participation in Science & Engineering by Welcoming Participants with Disabilities
  PDF and HTML
• Accessible Science Equipment
  PDF and HTML
• Making Science Labs Accessible to Students with Disabilities
  PDF and HTML
• Equal Access: UD of Computer Labs
  PDF and HTML

Provided by

Steve Fadden, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research and Institute Operations, Landmark College
Director, Landmark College Institute for Research and Training
P.O. Box 820, River Road South
Putney, Vermont 05346
Work: (802) 387-1642
Fax: (802) 387-6762
http://www.landmark.edu/institute

• Universal Design and Effective Instructional Strategies: Understanding and Supporting Individuals With Diverse Cognitive Profiles
  PDF
• Assistive Technology to Promote Learning
  PDF
• Transition Solutions for Students with Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities
  PDF
• Available tools that can be used to support executive function
  HTML

Additional Resources

• Center for Applied Special Technology: CAST Homepage http://www.cast.org/
• NSF Research in Disabilities website: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5482.
• National Universal Design for Learning Task Forcehttp://www.advocacyinstitute.org/UDL/index.shtml
• National Center on Universal Design for Learninghttp://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
• UDL Guidelines & UDL Educator Checklist and note-taker Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology: DO-IT  http://www.washington.edu/doit/
• National Science Foundation http://www.nsf.gov/index.jsp
• Below is a link to UDL National Universal Design for Learning Task Force website where the Higher Education Opportunity Act is outlined with the UD and UDL principles highlighted. It was passed in 2008. 
  http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/UDL/HEOA.shtml
• Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network PDF and HTML
• RDE-FRI: Effects of Teaching with Tablet PCs with Asynchronous Student Access in Post- Secondary STEM Courses on Students with Learning Disabilities NSF RDE FRI Award 0726449 Annual Report Year 3 PDF