Come learn more about a new U.S. Department of Education federally funded National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Preparation and Leadership Personnel Preparation Programs. 

CIDDL is serving as the National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Preparation and Leadership Personnel Preparation Programs. We are primarily focused on the following activities: 

• Increasing knowledge, adoption, and use of a range of educational technologies that can be used for educator or leadership preparation programs; 
• Increasing capacity of faculty at institutions of higher education (IHE) to use a range of educational technologies in educator or leadership preparation programs; 
• Sustaining professional learning networks related to educational technology in educators and leadership preparation.

Our Mission is to influence change that supports the appropriate use of educational technology in all Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) and K-12 learning environments to improve outcomes for all students, especially those with disabilities.

Our Approach is to empower all (special) education faculty members to understand and utilize Universal Design for Learning (UDL), educational technology, and innovations through multiple forms and pathways of professional learning and micro-credentialing. We are committed to exploring effective ways of translating IHE faculty’s capacity of using educational technologies in educator or leadership preparation programs into improved practices to support all students.We are housed at the University of Kansas, School of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Special Education. Our lead partners include the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute (TJEEI), CAST, and the Metiri Group.

Session Video Recording

Come learn more about a new U.S. Department of Education federally funded National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Preparation and Leadership Personnel Preparation Programs. 

CIDDL is serving as the National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Preparation and Leadership Personnel Preparation Programs. We are primarily focused on the following activities: 

• Increasing knowledge, adoption, and use of a range of educational technologies that can be used for educator or leadership preparation programs; 
• Increasing capacity of faculty at institutions of higher education (IHE) to use a range of educational technologies in educator or leadership preparation programs; 
• Sustaining professional learning networks related to educational technology in educators and leadership preparation.

Our Mission is to influence change that supports the appropriate use of educational technology in all Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) and K-12 learning environments to improve outcomes for all students, especially those with disabilities.

Our Approach is to empower all (special) education faculty members to understand and utilize Universal Design for Learning (UDL), educational technology, and innovations through multiple forms and pathways of professional learning and micro-credentialing. We are committed to exploring effective ways of translating IHE faculty’s capacity of using educational technologies in educator or leadership preparation programs into improved practices to support all students.We are housed at the University of Kansas, School of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Special Education. Our lead partners include the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute (TJEEI), CAST, and the Metiri Group.

Session Video Recording

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

Over the past number of years, UDL supports and scaffolding for literacy have become increasingly available, however math instruction has remained primarily and stubbornly a paper-based practice.  

On average, over 60% of 4th and 8th graders are not proficient in Math, and estimated remedial math enrollment continues to rise each year. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that math teachers all over the world have been thrust into remote instruction using digital tools.

So how can the UDL framework help us to guide our students?

During this session Martin discusses new approaches to allow students to express their math knowledge and consume math and science subjects in several new innovative ways. The expression of accessible math & science by predictive typing, speaking, writing and even OCR of and handwritten math is now a reality.

Session Video Recording
Slide Deck
Interactive Notes Document

Over the past number of years, UDL supports and scaffolding for literacy have become increasingly available, however math instruction has remained primarily and stubbornly a paper-based practice.  

On average, over 60% of 4th and 8th graders are not proficient in Math, and estimated remedial math enrollment continues to rise each year. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that math teachers all over the world have been thrust into remote instruction using digital tools.

So how can the UDL framework help us to guide our students?

During this session Martin discusses new approaches to allow students to express their math knowledge and consume math and science subjects in several new innovative ways. The expression of accessible math & science by predictive typing, speaking, writing and even OCR of and handwritten math is now a reality.

Session Video Recording
Slide Deck
Interactive Notes Document

This document, based on a presentation from the 2018 UDL-IRN Summit, outlines the role of comprehensive research in the development of inclusive educational technologies. Increased availability of technology at home and in school has led to the proliferation of software and hardware designed to improve learning outcomes, but evidence of real impact is inconsistent. Part of the reason that educational technologies fail to effect substantial improvements in cognition and learning is a disconnect between intended product outcomes and real user experience. This is even more true for individuals whose needs differ from the average user. By documenting and analyzing the mechanisms through which users learn from educational technology, formative research efforts can inform more inclusive product development. Partnerships between researchers and developers form a foundation for thoughtful, evidence-based design that can channel educational technology efforts toward real learning improvements for all.