Discussion Question:

Reflect on the readings about Universal design. What areas did you find most interesting? What items/areas (examples please) did you find that were new and that you had never really thought about before? How could these "Universal Design" features impact students and the general public--not just for students of disabilities? How will this impact (or will it) you in the future?

Reflections:
T he most interesting thing for me to learn about Universal Design (UD) was the fact that the universal design concept was first utilized to make buildings and other physical structures accessible to all people. Then it was found to be applicable to educational
environments.

As I indicated in the paper I submitted, UD is not only for students with disabilities, but for “all” students (including ESL students, and other diverse populations of students). I think UD principles can be used to help students from diverse backgrounds and different learning skills function with greater independence. For example,
teachers can help ESL students have access to the same information and experiences as their native speaking peers by providing multiple representations of content.
As a teacher, I was already aware of the need to provide multiple representations of content, provide equal access to the course materials and provide multiple options for expression/evaluation to increase student success. However, I think more teachers need to become familiar with Universal Design techniques so that they can create a more inclusionary educational environment for their students.