Response to UDL- Elena McNish

After listening to the podcast “Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning.” I could not help but feel slightly overwhelmed by the amount of new digital technologies that I am going to have to learn how to use/access. I feel pretty proficient in basic media (text, email, powerpoint, excel, web research), but I know there is so much more out there. However, I do feel very optimistic about possibly being able to meet students varying learning styles and needs.

I was glad when Mr. Rose spoke about assessment and the need for variation. As teachers it is important that we help our students succeed by accurately evaluating them on the specific goal that we are trying to reach. Through our (teachers) trial and error we will be able to change instruction to have students learn on a leveled playing field.

I am currently student teaching at the Rebecca School, which is a private day school for students with neurological disorders of relating and communicating, including PDD and autism. I am in a classroom with eight boys, 1 head teacher, 3 assistant teachers, and 1 para-professional. Two of the non-verbal students use mini mercs (computers) with a Boardmaker program that “talks” for them. The goal for these students is to the use their computer on their own in order to relay their needs (without prompting). Two students are in a therapeutic listening program, where for one hour they listen to a cd that is based around their needs. (i.e. regulation, verbal processing, auditory processing, filtering sounds, language etc.) We often use the smartboard as a way to engage students in literacy activities, but to also work on the the social goals of others. In this setting I am able to see technology used as an empowering vehicle for the population that I am working with.

At the Rebecca School, funding is available for students to have access to UDL in a digital world. But, what about the schools where students are not given a way to listen to the books on tape (without us as teachers buying the media out of our own pockets), or type words instead of write? Not only are their needs not being met, but it seems to me that the gap between low income students and high income students will widen in an unfair way.