Universal DesignA Threshold Concept

Tronheim 2012

UD

INCLUSION in EDUCATION

AHEAD ResearchHigher Education 1994: 461

1998/9: 1367

2003/4: 2768 2005/6: 3000 2006/7 3,670 2009/10 6,300

Commitment to Inclusive Education What is it?

Inclusion ..is the persons right to belong to his/her mainstream school, to be valued and to be provided with all the supports he/she needs to thrive…it is a continuing process involving a major change of school ethos and it is about building a school community that accepts and values difference…”

Richard Reiser

Types of Disability in HEI

1. Specific Learning Disability

2. Mobility impaired

3. Blind and Visually Impaired

Deaf and Hearing Impaired Mental Health Other

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Legal Requirements

Equality Legislation an educational establishment will discriminate against a

student with disability if they do not do all that is reasonable to accommodate that student

Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 Disabilities Act 2005

accessible information accessible buildings access to all elements of college services

Universal Design

Universal design refers to the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size or disability

http://www.edrobertscampus.org/images/ERC_front.jpg

Threshold concept

A transformative state in the process of learning in which there is a reformulation of the learners meaning frame, … a crucial concept the learner finds hard to grasp

Schwartzman 2009

The Challenge: Inclusive Education A paradigm shift

Moving beyond the ‘deficit’ model – from remediation to inclusion

Disability is socially constructed

From students with ‘special needs’ to identifying barriers to learning that deny some students access

Inclusion sees the learner as a community member with rights and expectations

It assumes that the community should respond to the learner’s needs

Curriculum designers need to consider the learning needs of a diversity of learners in subjects and extra-curricular activities

Shift in thinking: medical to social Medical Model Patient Fix/cure Passive Different experience Segregation/

institutionalisation Non political

Consumer Alter environments Active citizen Disabled peoples expertise Self determination Community participation Consumer run Rights Advocacy and peer support

UD Principles

Equitable Use Flexibility in Use Simple and intuitive Perceptible information Tolerance for Error Low physical effort Size and Space for approach and Use

UD Principles continued

Community of Learners Instructional design

Understanding UD

LINK-conference, GENT 2012 17

Level 4: Personal assistance where adjustments, assistive

techonology and including solutions are not suficcient. Ex: Mentors and daycare

Level 1: Universal design: Including most students in the

ordinary solutions

Level 2: Adaptions to groups with similar needs, i.e.

Accessible Literature for student with reading

diffuculties

Level 3: Reasonable adjustments to the individual.

Ex: Assistive technology

Student View

Kornhaber, 1997, Intelligence: Multiple Perspectives

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

“Notions about intelligence vary over time, across cultures and even within cultures. Definitions of intelligence depend on whom you ask, their methods and levels of study, and their values and beliefs.

Note, for example, the different words in the Irish language for intelligence (éirimiúil; cliste; glic; críonna; stuama; tuisceanach; intleachtúil).

Intelligence in different cultures (from Kornhaber, 1997)

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Industrialised North Americans tend to associate intelligence with speedy answers

Rural members of the Baganda tribe in Uganda think of intelligence as slow, careful, active, straight forward, sane

In the Mashona tribe in Zimbabwe, the intelligent person exercises prudence and caution especially in social interaction

For the Kipsigis of Kenya their word for intelligence includes social responsibility

Multiple Intelligences

BREAK

Linguistic

Capacity to use words effectively, both orally and in written form.

Ability to manipulate the structure, phonology semantics and pragmatic dimensions of language.

Journalists, poets, playwrights, public speakers…..

.

Logical Mathematical

Capacity with numbers, logical patterns and relationships.

Use of categorisation, classification, calculation and hypothesis testing.

Mathematicians, accountants, statisticians, scientists...

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Spatial

Ability to perceive the visual spatial world accurately.

Sensitivity to colour, line, shape, form and space.

Ability to orient oneself in a spatial matrix.

Architects, artists, inventors, designers...

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Bodily Kinaesthetic Show expertise in using

one’s body to express ideas and feelings.

Ability to use one’s hands to produce or transform things

Co-ordination, dexterity, flexibility.

Dancers, athletes, surgeons, mechanics, artists

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Musical Perceive musical forms as

a music aficionado. Discriminate as a music

critic. Transform as a composer. Express as a performer. Have one’s life enriched by

music. Musicians, disc

jockeys, singers, song writers...

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Ability to perceive and

make distinctions in the moods, intentions motivations and feelings of other people.

Teachers, psychologists, politicians, salespeople...

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Naturalist

Ability to function well in the natural environment.

The recognition and categorisation of natural objects.

(farmers, scientists...)

Marian McCarthy, Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC.

Learning and UD Principles

UD1. Equitable Use in teaching environment Instruction is

accessible to all

Student cannot listen and take notes

Use multiple ways to access notes,

notes on line Podcasts Class notes

UD 2 Flexibility in teaching environment Provide a choice of

method of learning

Student struggles to process all the reading in her course

Can the student learn through the use of videos

are there utube presentations

Are the texts available on tape

UD 3 Simple and intuitive

Instruction is straightforward, avoid unnecessary complexity

The student is struggling to deal with writing an academic essay, referencing is hard enough

Provide her with templates for essays, formative supports help the learning process

UD 4 Perceptible information

The instruction communication is clear

The student does not know what is expected of her in her assignment

Provide clear marking schemes, ensure the student understands what is expected

UD 5 Tolerance for error

BUILDINGAN ARGUMENTA GUIDE TO WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

UD 6 & 7

6.Low physical effort

Use of technology

7.Size and Space for use

Size and shape of classroomes

Shape of learning Use of mindmaps,

skeletal notes etc

8 Community of Learners: Welcome

9. Instructional design

Teaching is welcoming and high expectations for all students

Set up in 1988 AHEAD: Provides expertise and information Promote inclusive education Produce a range of publications Lobbies for change Operate a learning network

AHEAD Contacts

www.ahead.ie

www.questforlearning.ie

Joan McGuire, Journal of Accessibility and design for all, 2011, pgs 38 – 54

Marion McCarthy , Ionad Bairre, TLC, UCC