TEACHER KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING

Abstract

Today’s classrooms are composed of a wide variety of students. It is important for all teachers, both special and general education, to have the ability to teach a diverse group of students. In recent years, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has gained a positive reputation as a scientifically validated teaching method that considers individuality. The purpose of this investigation is to assess teachers on their knowledge and use of UDL. A small pool of licensed teachers in the Chicago metropolitan area were polled using an electronically disbursed, anonymous survey. The results show 55% of participants claim to be familiar with UDL and 55% of teachers claim to use UDL in their classroom regularly. The data also shows that all the participants are currently, regularly using strategies that The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) calls the guidelines for UDL.

Keywords: Universal Design for Learning, general education, special education, survey design

             

Chapter 1

 Introduction

Special educators have long advocated for students with disabilities to be in the same setting as their non-disabled peers, and the law now requires that all students have the opportunity to learn the same content and demonstrate ability within the least restrictive environment (LRE) (Kloo & Zigmond, 2008).  According to Morin (n.d.), the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) leaves LRE open to interpretation; LRE is not a place but a principle that guides an educational program (Morin, n.d.). The LRE scenarios are general education classroom with support, inclusion classroom, special education class, and specialized program outside of the school district (Morin, n.d.).

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2016), over 60% of all students with disabilities spend 80% or more of their school day in general education classes. Canter, King, Williams, Metcalf, and Potts (2017) state that the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to curriculum does not meet the needs of today’s inclusive classrooms and diverse learners.  They claim that education needs to change to meet the demands to effectively educate a diverse population to be successful citizens in the 21^st century. They state that one possible solution is to create a school system and environment that embraces the inclusive practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Statement of Problem

Kloo and Zigmond (2008) discuss research showing that (a) highly qualified teachers increase student performance, and (b) teacher quality contributes to student achievement more than any other factor. However, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (1999), only one in five general education teachers felt that they were well prepared to work in classrooms that included students who were culturally or linguistically diverse and students with disabilities. Even despite federal mandates to educate students with disabilities in the LRE, teachers continue to have mixed feelings about their preparedness to educate students with disabilities in the general education settings (Swain, Nordness, & Leader-Janssen, 2012).

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC; 2005) claims that UDL acknowledges a full range of students with the goal of appropriately challenging and effectively engaging those with and without disabilities as well as those below average, average, and above average. The problem lies within teacher knowledge and use of UDL within today’s classrooms. Canter et al. (2017) found varied understanding and use of UDL in their study conducted with general education and special education teacher participants in first through twelfth grade. Similarly, Lowrey, Hollingshead, and Howery (2017) concluded that their seven general education teacher participants’ knowledge and use of inclusion practices and UDL varied.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate both General Education Teachers’ and Special Education Teachers’ knowledge and use of Universal Design for Learning as a way to successfully instruct diverse learners.

Question of the Study

Do current general education and special education teachers know UDL? Are general and special education teachers using UDL in their classrooms? What strategies are teachers using in their classrooms that align with the guidelines of UDL?

Assumptions and Limitations

There is a time constraint imposed by the Multi-Categorical Special Education program at Governors State University graduate seminar class. Due to the limited time frame to conduct the study and collect the data, the ability to generalize may be limited in its scope.  All participants hold current Illinois Professional Educator licenses; therefore it is assumed the teachers have similar education and background.

Significance of the Study

Surveying a variety of General and Special Education teachers reveals the range of knowledge and use of universal design for learning among current educators. The knowledge gained can be used to determine whether school improvement and professional development to enhance teachers’ skill sets for working with diverse learners is necessary to ensure all students find success in school.

Definition of Terms

A child with a disability. As described by IDEA (2004), a child with a disability is a child with mental retardation, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities. It is also a child who needs special education and related services due to one of these reasons.

Inclusion Classroom. The Understood Team (2017) describes this classroom as a mix of students who do and do not require special education services. They also state it is a classroom in which responsibility and teaching are equally shared by a general education teacher and a special education teacher. The teachers include lots of learning support to help students with different learning styles and skill levels.   

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA).  Summarizing Lee (2017), IDEA is a federal law that requires schools to service students with disabilities. It is considered the nation’s special education law. IDEA provides rights and protections to children with disabilities and their parents. It ensures students with disabilities have access to free and public education and that special education is provided in the least restrictive environment (Lee, 2017).

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). LRE intends to make sure students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom as often as possible (Morin, n.d.). LRE is not a place but rather a principle that guides education programs. IDEA states that children who receive special education should learn in the LRE and this means they should spend as much time as possible with children who do not receive special education (Morin, n.d.).

Professional Development. Editorial Projects in Education Research Center (2011) states professional development is a general term that refers to the ongoing learning opportunities available to teachers and other professionals in schools. Professional development activities typically include formal teacher training, participation in subject-matter associations or informal networks, and workshops with consultants and or curriculum experts. It is often seen as vital to school success and teacher satisfaction, but also criticized for cost and lack of data to support improvement.  

Response to Instruction (RTI). RTI is a screening process that identifies students with learning disabilities by providing early, immediate support for students’ needs. It is an approach that uses students’ responses to high-quality instruction to guide educational decisions, including decisions about the effectiveness of instruction and intervention, eligibility for special programs, design of individual education programs, and effectiveness of special education services (Strangeman, Hitchcock, Hall, Meo, et al., 2006).

Special Education. Special education refers to a range of services that can be provided in different ways and different settings. The law requires public schools to provide special education to all children ages 3-21 who meet the criteria for disability as documented by IDEA and need special education to access the general education curriculum (The Understood Team, 2017).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Summarizing Dell, Newton, and Petroff (2012), UDL is a set of philosophies for curriculum development that gives all individuals the opportunity to learn. It takes a flexible approach rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to learning in the classroom by addressing the way information is presented, the way students demonstrate their knowledge and the methods in which students are engaged. UDL acknowledges the fact that everyone learns differently, and encourages teachers to design their lessons regarding three main principles: multiple means of representation, multiple means of actions and experiences, and multiple means of engagement.

           Chapter Summary

            Since 1975 there have been many legislative changes that have positively impacted the education of children. The traditional one-size-fits-all teaching approach does not meet the needs of today’s inclusive classrooms that have such diverse learners. It is proven that teacher quality contributes to student achievement more than any other factor, and most recently Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has gained attention as a method that embraces individuality and allows all learners to opportunity to be successful. The concern is whether teachers have now been able to implement UDL in their classrooms.

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