Students with hearing loss: Post-Secondary voices & universal design for learning.

Students with hearing loss:Students with hearing loss:

Post-Secondary voices & Post-Secondary voices & universal design for learning universal design for learning

ObjectivesObjectives

Understand hearing loss as it relates to diversity & universal design for learning

Explore classroom applications

Consider implications & recommendations

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

What is universal design?What is universal design?

Curricula design that makes learning accessible to the widest possible range of learners through multiple means of:

acquiring informationacquiring information engaging interestengaging interest demonstrating knowledgedemonstrating knowledge

&Satisfies essential learning requirements

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Learning & hearing lossLearning & hearing loss

… independent of population figures, disability is not at all a distinguishing feature of a group of individuals … it is rather an essential feature of the human condition (Bickenbach 2001,580).

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Medical model of disabilityMedical model of disability

Disability:Disability: Is a deficit from the norm

Derives from the individual student

Requires solutions from professional intervention

Language Language

Defines Categorizes Labels

& therefore shapes perceptions, & therefore shapes perceptions, teaching/learning models & policy teaching/learning models & policy

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Individual accommodationsIndividual accommodations

The law in British Columbia now The law in British Columbia now requires:requires: Assessment on an individual basis

Provision of medical documentation

Determination of essential requirements

Reasonable Accommodation to the point of Undue Hardship

Impact of the legal model in Impact of the legal model in British ColumbiaBritish Columbia

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Social model of disabilitySocial model of disability

Disability:Disability: Is a neutral difference

Derives from social interaction & the environment

Requires solutions that change the environment & social

interactions

UDL & the learning brainUDL & the learning brain

Recognition, strategic & affective brain networks

http://www.cast.org

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Principles of universal design Principles of universal design for learningfor learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Accessible & fairAccessible & fair

Is it likely that students Is it likely that students will have difficulties will have difficulties accessing course accessing course materials ormaterials or

participating in any participating in any essential activities essential activities related to this class?related to this class?

Online summary of key points to be covered in the upcoming class

Online materials formatted so that they can be accessed by students with hearing loss

Invite students to disclose needs

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

A teacher’s perspectiveA teacher’s perspective

I expect students to electronically distribute information that they are going to present beforehand. That works well for everyone, but can be especially beneficial for someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. This is not doing anything different for students with disabilities. In fact, everyone benefits from a common strategy.

Simple & consistentSimple & consistent

Are there areas of Are there areas of confusion or confusion or inconsistency among inconsistency among course objectives, course objectives, your own your own expectations and/or expectations and/or how the course is how the course is presented?presented?

Confirm questions on the final relate directly to information covered in class

Announce changes to the course syllabus in class & online

Check written materials & PP slides for consistency

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Flexible presentation & Flexible presentation & participationparticipation

Does the course offer Does the course offer students multi-modal students multi-modal access to materials access to materials & ways of & ways of demonstrating demonstrating knowledge in a way knowledge in a way that suits their that suits their abilities?abilities?

Multiple instructional approaches: lecture, discussion, small groups, interactive materials, text, videos, graphics

Alternative assignments & test formats

Option to submit a written or oral report

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Explicit & readily perceivedExplicit & readily perceived

Are there barriers to Are there barriers to students receiving or students receiving or understanding understanding information & information & resources they resources they need?need?

Clearly define topics & concepts

Demonstrate course website

Provide reading material in digital & online format

Explicit assignments Interpreters for exam

instructions

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Supportive environmentSupportive environment

Will students feel Will students feel respected, welcome respected, welcome to express their to express their thoughts & able to thoughts & able to explore new ideas in explore new ideas in this course?this course?

Encourage students to share their knowledge with other students to create collaborative atmosphere

Encourage questions Study groups,

listservs Discussion affirms

respect for diversity

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

A student’s perspectiveA student’s perspective

At the beginning I wanted to tell every teacher and then I found that teachers do kind of look at you different and then I thought well maybe it is not the best thing to tell teachers right out front. I just kind of wanted to try it on my own.

Eliminate non-essential Eliminate non-essential physical requirementsphysical requirements

If there are physical If there are physical challenges or challenges or obstacles to obstacles to participating in this participating in this course, can they be course, can they be reduced or avoided?reduced or avoided?

Ensure guest speakers are aware of students’ needs

Provide short breaks Reduce ambient noise Encourage turn-

taking & facing the student

Add navigation tools to websites

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Space & environmental Space & environmental supportssupports

Will students will find Will students will find any of the materials any of the materials or activities in this or activities in this course to be course to be inappropriate or inappropriate or unsuitable?unsuitable?

Adapt design when lecturing in a lecture hall v. a seminar room

Schedule small group activities in a room compatible with discussion & physical movement

Consider lighting, ambient noise, access

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Implementing universal Implementing universal designdesign

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Models of disabilityPrinciples of UDLCurricula designCurricula design

Teaching practicesTeaching practicesEvaluation Evaluation

Implications & recommendationsPlanning, goal setting, policy

Question & reflect

Re-imaging disabilityRe-imaging disability

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Implementing universal Implementing universal designdesign

Professional PracticeProfessional Practice Facilitate dialogue Build relationships Reflect on change

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

Continue to learn Mentoring & coaching Release time

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

A student’s perspectiveA student’s perspective

It seems that some people are natural teachers and some people aren’t. Other teachers say this is how I have always done it, and this is how I always will do it, and you don’t get it.

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Implementing universal Implementing universal designdesign

Educational Leadership Educational Leadership Balance interests & responsibility Share leadership Implement legislation through UDL Co-create access

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Re-imaging disabilityRe-imaging disability

Current educational practices Values, beliefs & biases Social relationships, political &

cultural landscape Ongoing reflection New understandings

Students with hearing loss: Post-secondary voices & universal design for learning

Re-imaging disabilityRe-imaging disability Build relationships between students,

teachers & administrators Identify what is unique to the

situation Promote practices to meet students’

needs Support for teachers