Blog #3: Assistive Technology and UDL

         Rose and Meyer discuss Universal Designs for Learning (UDL) and the role it will play in the future of education.  One notion I found enlightening that Rose and Meyer mentioned is the belief that every student has some learning deficiency and strengths and it is the teacher’s role to identify them and teach to the strengths.  We classify the students with ADHD or who have audio or visual impairments as disabled, but really instructors just need to find their strengths and use these to help students learn.  This belief limits the need for labeling students “normal” or “disabled” because every student has a unique learning style that needs to be recognized. 

        Another reason that identifying these learning strengths and weaknesses is important is because we need to foster students who know how to learn and are not only concerned with mastering the content.  In order to be successful, students need to understand their own limitations and strengths so they can use them throughout their life.  Education should move beyond the TEKS and develop young adults who will be productive citizens no matter their differences or struggles in the classroom.

         The principal behind UDL is to use representation, expression, and engagement to meet the learning needs of every student and encourage success outside the classroom as a learner, instead of simply a student.  I agree with the philosophy of UDL and the sentiments that Rose and Meyer discussed, but I also think it is a nice thought, but perhaps not a reality.  It will be difficult for districts and states to move away from standardized testing in favor of just learning to learn.  Too many states put a heavy weight on district performance through these tests and they will not be easily eliminated. 

           Reviewing the UDL website I came across a few standards that were very applicable to the math classroom.  The majority of the websites and information I found helpful were under the category of “Providing Multiple Means of Representation.”  Under section 2.3, there were two sites that provided definitions and examples of mathematical vocabulary and notation.  Section 3.2 listed programs for manipulatives and investigative software.  Overall the website provides great resources because it suggests multiple sites to use at each part of the UDL process.  Not only it is suggesting various websites to try, it states an explanation of it features, why it fits into the UDL program, and most of them are free.