Session 1: UDL for Parents & Guardians
Parents & guardians play an essential role in a student’s support team. In this session, we will provide an overview of UDL for caregivers and offer information to empower them to be the best advocates for their children in support of inclusion, access, and equity. For educators and administrators, we will invite you to consider: How might you universally redesign your IEP process in support of families?
Link to Slides for UDL for Parent & Guardians
Session 2: Universally Designing the SST Processes
A core concept of Universal Design for Learning is that the barrier is in the design, not the learner. In this session, participants will explore how to apply the lens of UDL to redesign a Student Study Team (SST) process. Using specific tools, we will explore the challenges of the traditional SST process that focuses exclusively on the student by flipping the script to examine challenges from a different perspective. We will follow up using a different approach that examines the materials, methods, assessments, and environment, in addition to looking at the assets and needs of the learner. An optional SST template will be provided to support universally designing your SST process.
Link to Slides for Universally Designing the SST Process
Session 3: Universally Designing IEP Goals
Setting clear, rigorous, and relevant goals is critical for all learners, especially for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). In this session, we will use the UDL design process to develop goals for IEPs. We will look at setting goals that are clear, meaningful to the learner, and without the means embedded. Secondly, we will anticipate potential barriers in the curriculum and environment that might inhibit the learner from making progress toward those goals. Lastly, we will practice providing options to the learner that help minimize those barriers and support the learner to make progress toward their goals. Central to the entire process is incorporating student voice and agency in the design of their IEP goals so that they can become true experts in their own learning.
Link to slides for Universally Designing IEP Goals