Theme of the Month

Thanks, Lynn. I think a huge hurdle is the stigma around autism and students don't want to be singled out or seen as different or needing extra help. The term neurodivergence helps a lot with that, but not all are ready to embrace it. It goes back to the argument of something being part of one's identity versus a disability, so this is huge in my mind right now. Many of the STEM faculty at my college exhibit tons of ND signs, but because of their age have no Dx. They are also ironicly, some of the most challenging to get to open up on this conversation.

Vis-a-vis the question of identity vs. disability: As a heads up, it's worth noting that many versions of this question are rooted in Ablism. The neurodiversity movement questions the medical/pathologized cultural construction of "Autism is a disease" and instead pivots to something closer to "Society disables autistic people". In other words, it's still a (culturally constructed and culturally situated) disability, but not some inherently "bad" pathology/deviation from normal. In short, Autism is both an identity and a disability.

Another conversation I think I hear you thinking about in your choice of language is the question of person-first vs. identity-first language. Within the autistic community, identity-first is most popular, minimally because person-first is commonly rooted in Ablism (e.g. "I want to separate the person from the 'disease' of autism"). Autism isn't a disease separable from who we are, but is instead a neurology which is fundamental to how we experience the world (and how the world experiences us).

I think some of the discussion around universal design is relevant to you as well here, Diane - currently, most courses are designed for a "typical" student, and anyone who doesn't fit those expectations is allowed to ask for extra help (through an IEP at the K-12 level or through a university's accommodations office). Students have to identify themselves (or the school has to identify them) as "disabled" to access the support they need.

If courses were set up so that anyone could choose the options that are made available for autistic learners - like different ways of demonstrating mastery - it would take away some of the stigma around using these options, and probably benefit a lot of learners who are neurotypical as well as those who don't know yet that they are neurodivergent.

Totally! Universal Design is also beneficial because a lot of autistic girls, people of color, and trans folk are often undiagnosed, and therefore don't have access to the supports they need. So if programs are designed to include everybody, then these individuals have access to an accessible education. 

I'm a huge proponent of universal design and entirely agree with the above. I'll, also, however add that overwhelm and cognitive load can be a challenge for some learners (or really for all of us at least some of the time), so there are tricky questions about how to integrate options / UDL offerings in ways that are response to this and not adding to the problem. (e.g., In a tech or game environment, offering too many things that can be customized can have the unintended consequence of people not customizing anything because the options are, themselves, overwhelming.)

I'd love to hear how people attempting UDL have made decisions about what to include or not include, as well as how to present the offerings.

Getting started with UDL....might start here.  There's a lot of other resources on the BioQUEST/QUBES hub

Many people think that UDL applies only to people with sight or hearing impairments, but this is not accurate.

 The guidelines are about reaching all students through multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representing material and multiple ways to show learning. Taken together, the Guidelines lead to the ultimate goal of UDL: to develop “expert learners” who are, each in their own way, resourceful and knowledgeable, strategic and goal-directed, purposeful and motivated.

Today we will explore a worksheet and also reflect on who are learners are and what their goals and aspirations mean to the learning environment.

So first I want you to take a few minutes to think about YOUR students.  Do you have people with dyslexia, autism, different learning styles, different goals and aspirations?  That may help you decide where to begin.  Please write a bit in the chat about your learners.

Then we will briefly go thru some of the strategies and see where you might want to begin.  UDL is meant to be iterative and you don’t have to do everything at once.

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/representation

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/frequently-asked-questions

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/about-graphic-organizer

https://mlpp.pressbooks.pub/mavlearn/front-matt...

Hasley, A. O., Orndorf, H. (2022). Getting Started with Universal Design for Learning. Universal Design for Learning, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/8EC1-V892

Three resources for faculty interested in an introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This module contains three resources for getting started with CAST's Universal Design for Learning framework. We suggest moving through the resources in order: 

• Introduction to the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
• UDL Mapping Activity
• Applying UDL to Existing Materials

These activities can be completed independently but there is great benefit to sharing and discussing your responses, mappings, and ideas with others. https://qubeshub.org/publications/2837/1

Hasley, A. O., Orndorf, H. (2021). UDL Mapping Activity. Universal Design for Learning, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/E9D6-YE29

Using the UDL Guidelines as an analysis tool promotes a deeper understanding of UDL checkpoints, provides practice in recognizing alignment between UDL checkpoints and instructional strategies, and yields a result that highlights patterns and areas of improvement within the material. In this activity, faculty select a short, modular resource, either one they developed or something they use regularly, identify the learning objectives, and then conduct a UDL Mapping. Examples and templates for conducting a mapping are included. https://qubeshub.org/publications/2770/1

https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1200&context=lib_services_fac_pubs

10 Strategies for Engaging Learners with Universal Design for Learning
and Antiracism
Published version online: https://mlpp.pressbooks.pub/mavlearn/chapter/10...-
learners-with-universal-design-for-learning-and-antiracism/

Hasley, A. O., Orndorf, H. (2021). Introduction to the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. Universal Design for Learning, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/3MJJ-4D08

https://qubeshub.org/publications/2769/1

The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines were developed by CAST in the 1990s using learning and neuroscience research. The UDL Guidelines advocate for designing learning environments and materials to plan for variability rather than average, better supporting all learners in becoming experts in how they learn. With its three principles, nine guidelines, and 31 checkpoints the UDL framework can at first be overwhelming. The activities included in this module are intended to guide faculty, instructors, and professional developers towards a foundational understanding of UDL. The activities include: 

• Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
• Cultivating a UDL Mindset

Hasley, A. O., Orndorf, H. (2021). UDL Guidelines Workbook. Universal Design for Learning, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/FJDE-KT82

https://qubeshub.org/publications/1836/1

Hasley, A. O., Orndorf, H. (2021). UDL Guidelines Workbook. Universal Design for Learning, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/FJDE-KT82

https://qubeshub.org/publications/1836/1

In the spreadsheet the UDL guidelines and checkpoints are linked to their full descriptions and examples at CAST There is space to map pieces of a learning resource or activity to the guidelines. Analyzing a resource with the spreadsheet can act as an exercise to familiarize yourself with the guidelines, identify how a resource aligns to the UDL guidelines, and identify where additional options for engagement, representation, and action & expression could be applied. 

Short exercise

Take some time exploring the UDL Guidelines on CAST's website and review this video, The UDL Guidelines in Under 5 Minutes.

• STEM OER Accessibility Framework
• Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
  • UDL Background Information
  • https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/udlcases2022/collections

Patricia, this is so so so great! Thanks for putting all of these resources together, I can't wait to read through. 

Thank you for your comments during the breakout session David, they were appreciated. You pushed myself and some of the others out of our comfort zones and in a good way. I am always looking to bring in new perspectives into my own research and if you are interested would love to discuss ideas for future lines of work if you are interested in collaborating.

Thank you for the kind words! I'm very open to the possibility of collaboration - Will drop you an email.

Hi, David. Thanks from me, too, for sharing your perspective and expertise.

And thank you for both speaking up to fill a silence and clearly letting everyone, especially those who hadn't spoken yet, know they were welcome to "take the floor" back from you. I think I've usually run a decent meeting, but over the last few years, I learned a lot more about when and how to speak up and when to stay silent, about how to encourage and support people in sharing their ideas and otherwise contributing, and about how to encourage ans support others to consciously step back and not overly stear a conversation. There's a real art and balance to this, one I'm still learning, and I'm very appreciative when I get to see others engaging in this, too.