Presenters
Janet Peters and Joy Zabala, CITES

Guest Panelists
Janice Carson, Director, Idaho Assistive Technology Project (IATP)
Susan Hardin, Assistive Technology Consultant and UDL Coordinator, Macomb ISD 
Angela Lindig, Executive Director, Idaho Parents Unlimited

Audience
All educators and families, technology leaders (InfoTech, EdTech and Assistive Tech)

Level of Expertise
All levels

Description

In this webinar, CITES leaders host a conversation with CITES advisors and colleagues in-the-trenches to take a closer look at Coordination. We will discuss services that may be available through school and community organizations. The session will provide examples of services that enable students and families to participate and achieve while learning at a distance. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

Webinar Recording

Webinar Slides (PowerPoint)

Digital Handout (PDF)

Presenters
Janet Peters & Joy Zabala, CITES, with Chris Bugaj (Loudoun County, Virginia), Dr. Drew Hinds (Silver Falls, Oregon), and Jessica McKay (Ysleta ISD, Texas)

In this webinar, CITES leaders host a conversation with CITES advisors in-the-trenches to take a closer look at Communication and Collaboration–two of the essential elements for working together to support students and their families during the COVID-19 crisis. The discussion will include examples of how communication and collaboration are helping to ensure that students with disabilities and their families have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from learning opportunities using technology and other strategies. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

Youtube Video View

Tomball (TX) Independent School District (TISD) recognized the need for an inclusive technology ecosystem when district data indicated that struggling students could benefit from supportive and accessible technology resources even though they did not have an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan. As a result, district leadership worked together to lay the foundation for building an inclusive technology ecosytem. This involved bringing together leadership and staff from education technology (EdTech), information technology (InfoTech), and assistive technology (AT) to collaboratively plan for technology to meet the needs of all students. Although the team acknowledged the challenges of responding to school building closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and identified areas for improvement, they credited the leadership practices implemented as instrumental in supporting the district’s transition to remote learning.

Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC), in Columbus, Indiana, was interested in developing and implementing a technology plan that supports their community-wide vision of providing deeper learning for all students. Grounded in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, the district aims to use technology as a tool to remove barriers to learning and address individual learning needs of each student. In order to create an inclusive ecosystem that brings together education technology (EdTech), information technology (InfoTech) and assistive technology (AT), the leadership team in BCSC has focused on enhancing the leadership practices of 1) engaging all stakeholders, including families, in collaborative activities and 2) developing clear outcomes for professional learning. The remainder of this document shares the story of how BCSC leadership is building capacity among diverse stakeholders to meet their goals.

As an Equity Lead within California’s State System of Support, we promote UDL as the foundational plate to equitably support every student to be successful. We share how we are developing a continuum of supports that align with the UDL Framework—from universal online to supplemental face-to-face and blended to intensified reflective tools—to implement UDL practices in California schools from birth to 12th grade. We also discuss how we align and coordinate within state and regional initiatives to further leverage and scale UDL implementation. Finally, evaluate your own UDL implementation plans’ alignment to the UDL framework and share your UDL solutions for UDL implementation.

Session Video Recording
Handout
Interactive Notes Document

Weeks of virtual, remote teaching have been an unexpected journey for us all, filled with unique roadblocks and surprises. However, using UDL as the guiding compass in training, preparing, removing barriers, lesson design, and more can help make the journey much more enjoyable. Learn how UDL can be utilized to prepare for extended emergency eLearning, remove barriers as eLearning (virtual learning is underway), help support staff, and help guide the design of more inclusive, accessible online learning environments. Get examples of UDL in action during eLearning to help guide future planning and reflect upon the past weeks of virtual learning, identify lessons learned, and develop plans for future success.

Session Video Recording
Slide Deck
Handout
Interactive Notes Document

Significant challenges exist in implementing transformative technologies with a limited or non-existent evidence base for their use, and designing inclusive educational experiences with a limited evidence base is even more challenging. In order to address this need, the talk presents some ways in which educators can make informed implementation decisions around these new tools. 

First, we examine the rule of the least dangerous assumption, which supports trying new technologies even if the evidence base is lacking. Next, we present a strategy that educators can use to apply the research-based framework of UDL in order to make informed implementation choices with new technologies. Finally, based on information gained from experience in providing professional development, school level implementation, individual student interventions and teacher focus groups, the talk presents 5 fun propositions for practice.

Session Video Recording
Interactive Notes Document

General education pre-service teachers are expected to teach diverse learners, including those with disabilities, in general education settings. Yet many are not adequately prepared to teach all students. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to increase inclusive practices, however, it is unknown how to best teach this to pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of using a practice-based approach to teach UDL as compared to a lecture-based approach to teach UDL to better prepare general education pre-service teachers. Constructs of interest include pre-service teachers’ fundamental knowledge including UDL, self-efficacy and UDL application. A mixed methods triangulation design was employed. While pre-service teachers from both groups had significant gains in their foundational knowledge, reported self-efficacy, reported UDL knowledge and ability to apply UDL ideas, participants in the practice-based group did have some advantages, specifically in the area of UDL application.

Session Video Recording
Slide Deck
Interactive Notes Document

Watch the UDL-IRN’s PL team and Dr. Loui Lord Nelson for the Summit on Demand’s Network & Learn Live event. This annual event invites you into a behind-the-scenes look at the UDL in 15 Minutes podcast. In this session, Loui interviews Cherie Smith. Cherie is a State Support Regional Consultant in Ohio, a member of the OCALI UDL Collaborative, and the chair of the UDL-IRN Implementation SIG. They discuss Cherie’s use of a UDL implementation practice profile with a district in Ohio.

Session Video Recording
UDL in 15 Minutes Podcast

When school leaders and educators work collaboratively to intentionally design and support UDL implementation, from the top of an organization down through the grass roots, real systems change can occur. We’ll share our strategic, systemic approach to integrating the UDL framework into our schools’ culture and environments, instructional practices, professional learning practices, leadership development and district policy and procedures. You’ll have the opportunity to see how the implementation science framework can help you assess your school or district’s UDL Implementation progress and help you identify the next steps needed to move your UDL implementation work forward. Topics include UDL implementation science, systems planning, infrastructure development, environmental and cultural design considerations, professional learning structures and a systemic approach to managing change. 

Session Video Recording
Slide Deck
Interactive Notes Document