UDL Guidelines Educator Worksheet - v.

2
I.

Provide Multiple Means of Representation:

1.

Provide options for perception

2.

Your notes

1.1 Offer ways of customizing the display of information

This lesson plan presents the students with

several ways of getting the information: one of
these is the use of the Internet to see the United
States during the 2008 presidential election.
The student then predicts the flow of the
election with corresponding Republican /
Democrat colors (red and blue, respectively).
This allows students that are stimulated by
colors to be able use their knowledge of them to
help them along. Additionally, with this being a
computer lesson, each individual student can
adjust the zoom on the web page, with
assistance from another student or the
instructor. Additionally, there are provisions for
presenting the lesson in an audio format for
students that have difficulty reading.

1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information

Text-to-audio formats such as Kurzweil or Read

Please, as well as the readings being presented
in audio format. For students that have a first
language other than English, an option of
Babelfish is to be given.

1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information

As mentioned previously, several of these

activities are to be done on the computer and
Internet, so there is the option to zoom in on
the information. Additionally, students who are
especially sensitive to colored information,
there is an activity that utilizes a colored map,
so that will help them engage more. PowerPoint
presentations are also vital in these lesson
plans, so that is a way to present and / or edit
text to fit the way a student will read the
information. For example, you can write
information in English and then follow it up
with several translations.

Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and

symbols

2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols

Through the use of computers, there are no

limits to the understanding that can be gained
of pretty much anything that you may find
during the educational process. Google and
various other forms of clarification are at the
students fingertips for exploration. Specifically
for vocabulary comprehension, the lesson plans

mention the use of Reading Pens, graphic

representations of vocabulary, and a program
called Picture It.

3.

2.2 Clarify syntax and structure

Through the use of computers, there are no

limits to the understanding that can be gained
of pretty much anything that you may find
during the educational process. Google and
various other forms of clarification are at the
students fingertips for exploration. It also
mentions to adjust text using Microsoft autosummarize to provide multiple levels of
complexity. This could help for progressing
their level of understanding from minimal to
maximum.

2.3 Support decoding of text, mathematical notation, and symbols

The only thing that the accommodations chart

mentions about mathematical assistance is the
providing of calculators, websites, and math
manipulatives.

2.4 Promote understanding across language

This lesson plan provides information on using

a program called Babelfish to help with the
understanding of the English words.

2.5 Illustrate through multiple media

Most of the material was conveyed through the

use of computers, but propaganda pieces were
presented to students in paper format and they
watched Election results and speeches on the
television. So, this incorporates at least three
different modes of media communication. Given
the subject matter, Im sure there are many
more forms that it could be presented in.

Provide options for comprehension

3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge

Unfortunately, this is not mentioned within the

lesson plan on how this is to be brought out and
supported.

3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships

The use of the online election map will help

students understand the overall significance of
the presidential election and show them via an
image how far-reaching it is. The students will
be able to find their own state and be told that
the president will be looking over their state, as
well as every other state on the map, no matter
the color that is represented on the state.

3.3 Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation

Text-to-audio formats such as Kurzweil or Read

Please, as well as the readings being presented
in audio format. It also mentions to adjust text
using Microsoft auto-summarize to provide
multiple levels of complexity.

3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization

By giving them the learning destinations that

they are expected to reach, this will enable

them to keep track of that they have learned
and how it impacts what they are: learning, or
are yet to learn.
II. Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:

4.

5.

Your notes

Provide options for physical action

4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation

Students are asked to actively participate in the

lesson and are given the opportunity to get on
the Internet and explore. This gives them the
opportunity to use joysticks, a mouse, or touch
screens to explore. Any form of assistive or
exploratory technology can be added to the
computer to help.

4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

The assistive technologies that are explicitly

listed in this lesson plan are more to the tune of
non-physical ones. The technologies here are
focused more on the aiding of the student if
they have more of a comprehension disability
instead of a physical one. But, as mentioned
before, since most of the lessons are presented
on the computer, it gives them the opportunity
to use joysticks, a mouse, or touch screens to
explore. This just is not highlights in the plan
itself.

Provide options for expression and communication

5.1 Use multiple media for communication

These lesson plans promote the use of

technology greatly, specifically the use of the
computer and Internet. On the Internet, it
specifically mentions the use of an interactive
election map. In addition, the plans talk about
having the students watch election coverage on
the television, as well as the presentation of
tangible campaign propaganda for them to look
over. This gives them a wide variety to all of the
ways that elections are covered and processed
in the modern world.

5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition

As mentioned several times before, the fact that

much of the information for this lesson plan
takes place on a computer, students are given
the chance to construct their understanding
much more easily than if it was completely
written. They now have ways to assist with
putting their mental processes together, as well
as many ways of looking up information to
assist with learning.

5.3 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice

and performance

By using things such as televised debates and

interactive maps, students are given a

performance of the concepts in action. By

providing them the ability to reach the goals in
their own individual ways, this opens it up to
individualized feedback.
6.

Provide options for executive functions

6.1 Guide appropriate goal setting

By incorporating the Planning Pyramid into the

lesson plan, this can be somewhat distributed
to the students to act as an aid. This will not tell
them exactly how they should learn the
information or by when, but it gives them an
idea of the concepts that they need to be able to
understand by the end. It allows the students to
set their own goals and somewhat set their own
pace for accomplishing these goals.

6.2 Support planning and strategy development

By giving them these destinations and then

providing them with certain activities that are
listed for the lesson, this will give them a few
options to learn the material in their own way.
For example, for the destination of
recognizing bias in elections, you could have
them break down the language on the
propaganda pieces and how it is indicative of
the emotions that you are supposed to feel
about another candidate vs. how you are
supposed to feel about the one portrayed
positively on the propaganda. This will even
help them with some of the vocabulary and the
understanding.

6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources

Many of the destinations for this lesson

provide their own method of scaffolding. For
example, one of the resources for this lesson is a
website that discusses the Electoral College. All
three levels of destinations have information
about the Electoral College, so this gives them a
chance to hear the words and recollect the
information that they have already learned
within the lesson regarding the Electoral
College. I think that with having these
destinations along with charts, they can take
their own personal notes to keep their thoughts
organized how they would work best for them.

6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress

Under the Assessment portion of the lesson

plans, there is a rubric that may be distributed
to the students so they have a firm
understanding of what is expected of them.
Additionally, it talks about questions that are
posted to a website called Moodle that asks the
students questions about the election results

and the election in general. This gives the

students a chance to have that bit of selfreflection to ask themselves how they feel as a
result of the election and how they understand
the information that has been given to them in
the classroom.
III. Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:

7.

8.

Your notes

Provide options for recruiting interest

7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy

By incorporating the Planning Pyramid into the

lesson plan, this can be somewhat distributed
to the students to act as an aid. This will not tell
them exactly how they should learn the
information or by when, but it gives them an
idea of the concepts that they need to be able to
understand by the end. It allows the students to
set their own goals and somewhat set their own
pace for accomplishing these goals. As long as
the goals get accomplished, the means are up to
the individual student.

7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity

The lesson itself should provide value to the

students. By re-enforcing the meaning of
elections, students will understand the value of
their opinion and the power that each of them
has individually. You can start by showing them
the historical results in their home state to
show the trends and how public opinion has
changed over time. Also, by allowing them to go
into a virtual ballot box and cast votes on issues
that they take sides on, this will connect directly
to them and show who they may tend to
support.

7.3 Minimize threats and distractions

Given the fact that people are typically pretty

opinionated on the subject of politics, I can see
where there may be an issue here. It is of the
utmost importance to stress to the students
that, even though people may disagree, there is
nothing wrong with opposing opinions. In fact,
re-enforcing vary opinions and allowing for
open debate may be a good way to kind of ease
disagreements between students.

Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence

8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives

By dividing the destinations up into three

separate sections, it will help the students
understand that there are things they need to
understand first before they understand the
rest. This will protect them from feeling
completely overwhelmed by the material if it is
a lot to have to take in.

9.

8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge

Once again referring to Moodle, the lesson plans

mention how in a school setting with their
peers, some students were unwilling to answer
questions. But, on Moodle, they were much
more open to offering their views and opinions.
This may help them in clearing up their own
thoughts about the subject and make it easier to
open up in the public setting. While not
necessarily a challenge, this is a good example
of varying demands and resources to get the
most out of your students while not interfering
with their comfort zone overtly.

8.3 Foster collaboration and community

Because of the wide-reach of the subject matter,

students will have many opportunities to come
together and be involved in discussions with
the rest of the class. In watching things like
debates and speeches on television, it will give
them a chance to better understand the process
and be able to discuss various matters with
their classmates.

8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback

Using the rubric, it is evident that they must

prove their understanding to truly accomplish
what is expected of them in the class. By using
the line, Best work is evident. this implies that
they are required to prove that they understand
what they are supposed to be understanding.

Provide options for self-regulation

9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation

Reminding students of the importance of the

information will give them extra motivation and
re-enforcing the idea that THEY are responsible
for the future and success of the United States
will give them personal accountability and extra
incentive to understand the material. Of course,
this shouldnt be applied in an aggressive or
negative way, but rather used to get them
excited about the information.

9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies

I think that by giving them many options on

how they want to go about achieving mastery,
this will help them be self-regulatory in their
coping skills and reduce frustration
exponentially.

9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection

As mentioned before, asking them questions

that require them to think and look inward to
produce an answer, it will help them get an idea
of how well they personally know the material
and what they could stand to try a bit harder on
to understand fully.

CAST 2011

How can I improve these lesson plans?

While these lesson plans are relatively thorough, there is one glaring omission: physical disabilities.
Like with several other aspects of addressing a UDL, some assumptions can be made, but without having
directly designed the lesson and not knowing what resources we have available to us, it is difficult to say those
aspects for certain. It would be nice to have added a section to the accommodations chart for physical
disabilities.
Additionally, it would be nice to have some ways listed for how to connect previous knowledge to what
they are currently learning, such as what kind of knowledge base they have on the government and democracy,
if any. This second one could help with a general education classroom because of the importance of connecting
previously-learned information to every student. If a student has a previously-established knowledge base and
can make the connection, then they will have a much easier time understanding the concepts and by using
scaffolding, adding to their previously acquired knowledge instead of feeling like they have to learn something
brand new. This will not only help them understand the concepts, but take away the stress of having to learn
completely brand new things.