Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

Ashley Holbrooks, Brittney Leigh-Scott, Amaris Davis

Content Area: Algebra

Check Selected Select one below:

Interpret the structure of expressions

Use polynomial identities to solve problems

Create equations that describe numbers or relationships

✅ Solve systems of equations

Select another that works for you!

Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

How you can address the UDL principles for the selected information above?
Determine what tools can be used to support and enhance student learning BY ALL
students.

Mild Intellectual Disability

Low Tech ideas:

● Reading helper- Students will be able to use the reading helper when reading word
problems.
● Sentence strips and objects/symbols- The sentence strips and objects/symbols will
help the student break down each problem so that he/she is able to better understand
what is being asked of them.

High Tech ideas:

● BoardMaker- Students will be able to use symbols and pictures to help communicate
their responses in the lesson/assignments.
● Inspiration/Kidspiration- Students will be able to use the graphic organizers on the
technology to participate in the activities and assist with communicating their
answers

Supportive APPS:

● Panther Math Paper- This app allows students to do math without a pencil. It also
includes many different settings, math tools, shapes, and the ability to lock equations
to prevent unwanted edits. This app will allow students to use as many, or as few,
supports and tools they think they need to solve the problem.
● Inspiration Maps VPP- This app allows students to create diagrams, graphic
organizers, and outlines. This will allow students to make a visual picture of what
they know and also make a study tool that works best for them.

UDL Strategy (Wheel):

● Options for Perception- Provide visual diagrams, charts, written transcripts of

videos, and information in a flexible format (ex: different text sizes, background
colors, graphs, etc.) Every student perceives and comprehends information
differently. So, this will allow the student with a mild intellectual disability to get the
information in different ways that are easier for them to understand.
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

● Options for Executive Functions- Encourage students to “stop and think” before
acting or process information by “thinking aloud,” use checklists, and set short term
goals that are reachable. Students with mild intellectual disabilities may get easily
discouraged when they don’t understand something. However, by giving them
checklists and setting reachable short-term goals will show them that they are
understanding the information and are learning the content.
● Options for Sustaining Efforts & Persistence- Use prompts to formulate or restate
goals, use technology to set reminders, allow opportunities for peer tutoring,
collaboration, and peer support. Also, highlight the process, effort, and improvement
of students in meeting standards. By doing this, students with a mild intellectual
disability will be self motivated, engaged in what they are doing, and not be solely
judged on external performances.

Attention Difficulties
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

Low Tech ideas:

● Removable highlighter tape- Students who struggle with paying attention will be
asked to highlight key terms and definitions during note-taking. Hopefully, this will
allow them to follow along with the lesson.
● Koosh Ball- Students will be supplied a koosh ball to help them focus. Hopefully,
keeping the students hands hard at work on the koosh ball will allow them to focus
more on the lesson.

High Tech ideas:

● Online Virtual Manipulatives- Students will be able to use the virtual manipulatives
to keep them engaged in the lesson or assignment while their attention difficulties
needs are being met.
● Touch Window - Students will be able to complete assignments on the Touch
Window to continue being active in the class but also supporting their attention
difficulties.

Supportive APPS:

● Reminders App- The reminders app on Apple products allows you to make
checklists, alarms for when something needs to be done, and also set how important
that task is. This app will allow students with attention difficulties to make a list of
items that need to be done, check them off when they are completed, and also set
reminders if they do not complete the assignment by a certain time.
● PicCollage Grid & Photo Editor- This app is a photo editing app that allows people
to make collages, wallpapers, cards, etc. For students with attention difficulties, they
could use this app to create a visual collage of what they know, instead of sitting
through a lecture or assessment. By doing this, they can be creative in how they
present the information and show what they know in a new and different way.
● Inspiration Maps VPP- This app allows students to create diagrams, graphic
organizers, and outlines. This will allow students to make a visual picture of what
they know and also make a study tool that works best for them.

UDL Strategy (Wheel):

● Options for Comprehension- Activate prior knowledge, highlight patterns, big ideas,
and relationships. Present information in smaller “chunks”, and also use checklists,
organizers, sticky notes, electronic reminders, and mnemonic strategies. By doing
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

this, students with attention difficulties will be able to stay on track by using their
checklist and/or organizer, and they will be able to comprehend the information
better if it is in smaller chunks and not get overwhelmed.
● Options for Executive Functions- Encourage students to “stop and think” before
acting or process information by “thinking aloud,” use checklists, and set short term
goals that are reachable. It is easier for students with attention difficulties to reach
short term goals, rather than have long term goals that take longer to accomplish and
allow more time to get off track.
● Options for Recruiting Interest- Provide students with choices in the level of
challenge, types of tools used, design, what activity they want to do, and how they
receive the information. Also, let them make their own personal academic and
behavioral goals. By allowing students to have an active role in their learning, they
will be able to have a major role in how they learn the information, which will help
them be more self-motivated.

Physical Disabilities
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

Low Tech ideas:

● Rubber stamps- For a student who has a lack of strong fine motor skills when
writing, rubber stamps can be supplied. These stamps can include letters and
numbers and can help with tasks such as writing one’s name.
● Page Holders- Page holders will hold math tables, worksheets, etc. These come in
handy for a student who has difficulty holding materials.
● Finger Grip Ruler- A grip ruler allows students to grip the ruler from the center. This
can also help a student who has trouble fine tuning their motor skills.

High Tech ideas:

● Text readers- Students will be able to use the text reader to listen to lessons or
assignments if they have a physical disability that involves their hands.

Supportive APPS:

● Talking Calculator HD- Students will be able to use the Talking Calculator app to
speak out the calculations they need to assist with their physical disabilities.
● Voice Recorder- Students will be able to use the Voice Recorder app to record
lessons and assignments to assist with their physical disabilities (i.e. writing
disability)

UDL Strategy (Wheel):

● Options for Perception- Provide visual diagrams, charts, written transcripts of

videos, and information in a flexible format (ex: different text sizes, background
colors, graphs, etc.) For students with physical disabilities, this will allow them to
receive the same information as the other students, but in a way that is more
accessible to them.
● Options for Physical Action- Provide alternatives for physically interacting with
materials, responding to questions, and the use of technology. Options for this are
alternative keyboards, voice command technologies, touch screens, etc. By doing
this, every student will be able to participate and not feel left out for having a
disability.
● Options for Sustaining Efforts & Persistence- Use prompts to formulate or restate
goals, use technology to set reminders, allow opportunities for peer tutoring,
collaboration, and peer support. Also, highlight the process, effort, and improvement
of students in meeting standards. By doing this, students can show that they are
understanding and improving without the use of tests or other assessments. Also, by
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

capitalizing on their improvements in those areas, they will gain more self-
confidence and self-motivation.

English as a Second Language

Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

Low Tech ideas:

● Magnetic sheets/business cards- Students can form their thoughts through sentences.
These sentences can be created from cutting magnetic sheets/business cards to create
numbers, letters, words, or sentence stems.
● Velcro enhanced books- Teachers will cut out graphics from these books to help
narrate what is being asked for throughout the math lesson.

High Tech ideas:

● Text-to-Speech- students will use to translate their written language into spoken
words that their fellow classmates will be able to comprehend.
● Word prediction that works with any word processor- students will be able to use the
word prediction technology to assist with their developing language.

Supportive APPS:

● Voxy- Voxy provides games on a variety of topics for language practice, plus short
quizzes to test comprehension.
● Busuu- This is a language learning app loaded with over 3,000 words and phrases to
help students become acclimated to learning English.

UDL Strategy (Wheel):

● Options for Perception- Provide visual diagrams, charts, written transcripts of

videos, and information in a flexible format (ex: different text sizes, background
colors, graphs, etc.) This will allow ELs to have access to the content and still learn
the information, even if they are still building their proficiency in English.
● Options for Expressive Skills & Fluency- Present information in multiple media,
such as text, voice, illustration, film, music, etc. Allow students access to spell
checkers, grammer checkers, speech-to-text software, manipulatives, outlines,
concept maps, etc. By doing this, ELs have the same access to information as non-
ELs, and also tools to help them build their proficiency in English and also their
native language.
● Options for Recruiting Interest- Provide students with choices in the level of
challenge, types of tools used, design, what activity they want to do, and how they
receive the information. Also, let them make their own personal academic and
behavioral goals. By allowing students to have an active role in their learning, they
will be able to have a major role in how they learn the information in a way that is
best for them, which will help them be more self-motivated.
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles
Sensory Impairment
Auditory
Low Tech ideas:
● Captioning- Students with auditory
impairments can be given
PowerPoint print outs of the lesson
with notes included (teacher’s
commentary).
High Tech Ideas:
● Electronic text (etext)- Students will
be able to use the electronic text to
visually keep up with the
assignments/lesson to assist with
their auditory impairment.
Supportive APPS:
● Sign for Me- This app will help
students who are trying to
communicate with students with
auditory impairments. The app will
show a full-body avatar that
provides sign-language instruction.
● Hearing Helper- Students can press
the red button on this app and it will
“listen” and then turn the speech
into text.
UDL Strategy (Wheel):
● Options for Perception- Provide
visual diagrams, charts, written
transcripts of videos, and
information in a flexible format (ex:
different text sizes, background
colors, graphs, etc.) For students
Visual
Low Tech ideas:
● Bar magnifiers- Students who struggle
with recognizing small fonts can use
bar magnifiers to read word problems
and recognize math functions.
● Jumbo rulers- Students can use jumbo
rulers with enlarged numbers and lines
when graphing.
High Tech ideas:
● Text readers- Students will be able to
use the text readers to hear the
assignments or lesson to assist with
their auditory
● Loc Dots- Students will be able to use
the Loc Dots to assist with completing
assignments in the lesson.
● Alternative Keyboard, e.g., IntelliKeys
Keyboard- Students will be able to use
the alternative keyboard for math
symbols for students using Braille
Supportive APPS:
● Talking Calculator HD- Students will
be able to use the Talking Calculator
app to speak out the calculations they
need to assist with their visual
impairment.
● Voice Recorder- Students will be able
to use the Voice Recorder app to
record lessons and assignments to
assist with their visual impairment.
Designing a high-quality lesson idea supporting Universal Design for Learning principles

with auditory impairments, having

the information in written or visual UDL Strategy (Wheel):
form will still allow them to have
● Options for Perception- Provide audio
access to the content.
recordings and the use of
● Options for Expressive Skills &
manipulatives. By doing this, students
Fluency- Present information in
with a visual impairment can still
multiple media, such as text,
learn the content in a way that is non-
illustration, film, etc. Allow students
visual, such as auditorily and/or
access to spell checkers, grammer
kinesthetically.
checkers, manipulatives, outlines,
● Options for Physical Action- Provide
concept maps, etc. These things will
alternatives for physically interacting
allow students with auditory
with materials, responding to
impairment a way to express what
questions, and the use of technology.
they know and show they are
Options for this are alternative
gaining fluency.
keyboards, voice command
● Options for Sustaining Efforts &
technologies, braille, etc. By doing
Persistence- Use prompts to
this, students with a visual
formulate or restate goals, use
impairment, will still be able to
technology to set reminders, allow
participate and not feel left out
opportunities for peer tutoring,
because of their disability.
collaboration, and peer support.
● Options for Recruiting Interest-
Also, highlight the process, effort,
Provide students with choices in the
and improvement of students in
level of challenge, types of tools used,
meeting standards. This allows
design, what activity they want to do,
students with auditory impairments
how they receive the information, and
to interact with others, and also see
let them make their own personal
their own improvement by using a
academic and behavioral goals. By
checklist and having a goal.
allowing students to have an active
role in their learning, they will be able
to have a major role in how they learn
the information, which will help them
be more self-motivated.