Universal Design for Learning in Science, Math & Reading http://udl.concord.org/share/blc08/
UDL activities run on Windows, Macintosh and Linux computers with Java 5 (1.5) or later installed.
If you are using Java 1.5 on MacOS 10.4 or later, you will almost certainly need to fix a Java Web Start bug: http://confluence.concord.org/display/CCTR/How+to+fix+th e+WebStart+bug

Universal Design for Learning
“Applying universal design to learning materials and activities can increase access for learners with wide disparities in their abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand English, attend, organize, focus, engage, and remember.”
-- Rose & Meyer, 2000, 2002

UDL Science: Why?
There are no classroom-ready STEM curriculum materials that use Universal Design for Learning.
There is a particular urgency to develop UDL materials now because the 2004 Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) included provisions for a process that will result in a voluntary National
Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
(NIMAS).
Exemplars are needed that demonstrate what is possible when UDL materials are designed from the start for electronic delivery.

UDL Science: Goals
The goal of this project is to create practical science
materials designed with UDL principles for students and teachers in inclusive classrooms.
The project will create sufficient materials to test the effectiveness of the approach and provide an
exemplar that can inspire additional content and further development.

UDL Science: Modules
The project will develop four modules that each require two to three weeks of class time.
Each will include a driving question that leads to investigations with focusing on different learning styles.
Energy conservation and conversion will be highlighted in each module, providing a unifying theme.

UDL Science: Modules
Why are there clouds?
What do plants eat?
What is electricity?
What if there was no friction?
This earth systems module focuses on weather, air pressure and temperature, latent heat, and evaporation.
This is a life science module that introduces light and photosynthesis.
This physical science module introduces electrical energy. Discover why it takes two wires to light a bulb.
This is a physical science module focused on force, motion, and energy at astronomical and atomic scales.

UDL Science
The science modules will provide a range of alternatives for the way tools are used in the classroom.
• Alternative Representations
• Alternative Communications
• Alternative Instructional Strategies
• Alternative Assessments
• Additional Alternatives

Alternative Representations
The materials will be constructed from three kinds of objects: text boxes, graphs, and models with a range of display options:
• Type of display
• Font size and line width
• Colors
• Multiple languages: English and Spanish
• Vocalization: spoken text

Alternative Communications
The text can be selected and read in meaningful parts (e.g., words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs) and it can explain text using a glossary.
Smart Graph, Smart Model and Drawing Tool will be able to describe important features, e.g., a graph’s maximum, minimum, and slope.

UDL Science: Models and Sensors
Each module will include activities that use:
• Models
Computer models can simulate situations that are hard to see (molecular motion) or hard to understand
(complex systems). They allow students to study and manipulate phenomena that are otherwise inaccessible.
• Sensors
Using sensors attached to real-time Smart graphs, students can do real experiments and take vivid and compelling measurements. This encourages active engagement in science and exploration of the natural world. (Force, light, temperature, relative humidity, and voltage)

Alternative Instructional Strategies
The materials will be constructed various instructional strategies:
• Multiple discovery questions to answer the driving question
•
•
Hands-on, probes, Flash or models
(age-appropriate)
“Glossary” for highlighted tools contextual vocabulary
• Leveled “scaffolding” of questions

Scaffolding
Alternative Instructional Strategies
Level 1: One or more examples of good responses are provided.Students are asked to add to response in their own words.
Level 2: The student selects the best of several suggested multiple-choice responses.
Level 3: Parts of a response are provided, but the student is asked to fill in missing content.
Level 4: Clues are given for data or information that students should use.
Level 5: Only context-independent scaffolding is provided.

Alternative Assessments
Explicit and embedded assessments:
• Tracking (time/action)
• Snapshots
• Performance assessment
~ multiple choice items
~ open-ended responses
~ drawing responses
• Electronic portfolios
• Automatically graded pre-post tests

Alternative Assessments

Additional Alternatives
Additional alternatives include:
• Speed control
• Wrap-up - Big ideas portfolio (screen shots)
• Coaches
• Visual communications
• Screen control
• Content options
~ language arts story
~ four science activities
~ mathematics activity

Additional Alternatives

UDL Science: Sites
Four sites were chosen across the United States:
Acton, MA, Anchorage, AK, Maryville, MO, and Fresno, CA

UDL Science: Anchorage, AK
Anchorage School District enrolls over 50,000 students with 46% ethnic non-Whites. Over 33% of ASD students now live in poverty, and this proportion is increasing.

UDL Science: Anchorage, AK
Texas Gail Raymond, K-12 Science Coordinator,
Anchorage School District

UDL Science: Fresno, CA
Fresno Unified School District has a very diverse student population of 78,000 students. More than 80% qualify for free or reduced meals.

UDL Science: Fresno, CA
“UDL is exciting because it represents a convergence of thinking about the best uses of technology. It is inspired by the needs of special students, but it can improve the learning of all students. By helping students who are marginalized in traditional classrooms, we will develop educational methods and materials that are flexible and powerful enough to help all students, regardless of their ability.” – Jerry D. Valadez, Ed.D., K-12
Science Coordinator, Fresno Unified School District

The Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium is a nonprofit educational research and development organization based in
Concord, Massachusetts. We create interactive materials that exploit the power of information technologies. Our primary goal in all our work is digital equity — improving learning opportunities for all students.
http://udl.concord.org/share/blc08/ http://udl.portal.concord.org/
25 Love Lane
Concord, MA 01742
978-405-3208
Carolyn Staudt - carolyn@concord.org
Sam Fentress - sfentress@concord.org
Ben Greslick - bgreslick@concord.org
Ed Hazzard - ehazzard@concord.org