The Panorama Equity and Inclusion Survey helps school leadership teams understand what students, teachers, and staff are thinking and feeling about diversity, equity, and inclusion in school. The survey can be used to help schools and districts track the progress of equity initiatives, like UDL implementation, identify areas for celebration and improvement, and inform professional development.

How does it relate to the UDL-SICC?

This tool supports the School Culture and Environment Domain, Element 1 (D1, E1), focused on ensuring that all members of the school community are included in and benefit from learning opportunities. The intent of this element is that the school community commits to designing equitable and inclusive learning opportunities and environments.

How might you use it?

Options for using this tool include:

• Access the survey after providing demographic information. Read the foundational information and decide how this tool will fit into your current Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan.
• Read the User Guide and review topics included in the survey to decide on an area of focus. Develop a plan to identify and enhance that chosen area of focus.
• After a thorough review of the survey, distribute the survey to students (grades 6-8) and staff. Disaggregate data to determine areas of need. Design a plan to address identified areas of need.

In order to overcome or reduce barriers for students, we must be able to accurately recognize and identify the barriers to equitable systems of education. This session is designed for educators who hope to gain a deeper understanding of the systems of power that perpetuate racism, what implicit bias is and how it can negatively impact educational outcomes, aspects of identity that contribute to learner variability, and actionable steps they can take toward change.

Session Video Recording
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Interactive Notes Document

Participants will learn about UDL Rising to Equity, a community-driven project by CAST. They will have an opportunity to engage in an ongoing conversation to update the UDL Guidelines to address systemic barriers that create inequitable learning opportunities and result in inequitable outcomes for learners. Through facilitated breakout room discussions, participants will be able to share their experiences, suggestions, and expertise regarding how UDL may be applied as a lever for equity and what gaps may exist in the current Guidelines. Participants will also hear from a school applying UDL to address equity concerns and reduce barriers due to individual, structural, and systemic bias. 

Session Video Recording
Handout
Interactive Notes Document

With an understanding of how race and racism operate in classrooms and schools, we can harness the power of the UDL framework to tear down broken systems and design new ways of being. This can only occur if we are willing to be expert learners and look internally at our own practices and beliefs. In this session, join Lisa Williams and Liz Berquist as they share how UDL can be a lever for moving equity theory to practice. Guided by their work in the Baltimore County Public School System (BCPS), the 25th largest district in the US, Lisa and Liz will offer actionable practices for developing high functioning teams capable of disrupting oppressive practices and designing equitable, universally designed learning environments.

Session Video Recording
Handout

At its core, UDL is about designing new environments so that all learners can engage and excel to the greatest extent possible. But what if we need to dismantle harmful practices in conjunction with designing new opportunities? This session focuses on seeing one guideline, Options for Perception, through an equity lens. Pulling in recent research and real-life stories, we’ll explore a 3D process – Define, Dismantle, and Design – to envision “learning free from limits.”

Session Video Recording
Handout
Interactive Notes Document

The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials provides resources and technical assistance for educators, parents, students, publishers, conversion houses, accessible media producers, and others interested in learning more about AEM or implementing AEM and the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS).