I really enjoyed the readings this week from Teaching Every Student…, in particular the specific examples of ways that technology can help to make learning experiences and accurate assessments accessible for learners with different needs. UDL is an ideal that all schools and teachers should be working toward, but I worry that we have a long way to go.
In particular, I worry about the economic barriers that exist with regard to implementing UDL principles and methods in schools. I’m in the TIE program, and definitely believe that technology can serve as a catalyst for transformation in schools. However it’s the schools with the greatest needs that often have the fewest financial (and consequently, technological) resources, and I worry that the emphasis on technology supports in discussions of UDL might skew the discussion in these schools. When I think about applying many of the strategies from this book in the economically disadvantaged schools in which I taught, I’m a little stumped by the “digital divide” issue. How do I manage this with my three dyslexic students, my four students with other learning disabilities, my twenty-five other students, and one unreliable desktop computer (with no internet connection)?
While schools may not be able to provide every student with his or her own computer, I know that teachers can still implement many of the UDL principles (providing multiple forms of representation, expression, etc.). In our discussions of UDL, can we explore the benefits and affordances of digital technologies while also exploring cheap, low-tech ways of bringing these principles to life in all classrooms?
