Universal Design in Curriculum Development – On-Demand Training

Create Syllabi & Teaching Methods that Improve Accessibility for All Students

Improve the equity of your institutional academic practices to provide better accessibility for all students.

As the multiplicity of todays’ learner population continues to become more diverse, the utilization of Universal Design in curriculum development, syllabi and teaching methods will reach the most learners and increase learner success, including for students with disabilities. 

How well does your faculty communicate that they intend to create a flexible learning environment with learner variability in mind?

Do they have supportive course policies designed to help students understand the rationale behind course expectations?

Do they provide comprehensive information about resources and support initiatives that will help students be successful learners?

Our expert presenters discuss how to improve your implementation of Universal Design for course design, syllabi construction and teaching methods. You’ll engage in an in-depth look and gain a unique approach to course instruction, materials, and content to provide better accessibility for all students. You’ll explore your legal obligations, ideas for incorporating Universal Design into learning structures, and how to increase buy-in from faculty. 

By utilizing Universal Design in course instruction, materials, and content, you will be able to meet the needs of the greatest majority of students, not just a projected average – including learners outside of the normal curve. 

Topics Covered

Get crucial, actionable takeaways that will help you: 

• Implement Universal Design in the classroom – provide options, choices, and flexibility for accessing and processing course content, participating, and assessing skills and knowledge. 
• Recognize that there is no average or normal learner – change the mind-set amongst faculty, and those across campus, to include more learning options and choices to increase students’ success. 
• Better communicate available paths for learning and success – help students overcome course aspects that prevent them from learning or make them feel excluded so they can meet the requirements of courses. 
• Be more consistent and equitable – create syllabi and improve teaching methods to better meet diverse student learners’ needs.
• Appreciate features and tools designed for individuals with disabilities that you frequently use – tap into current resources, so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel or allocate additional fiscal resources. 

Presenters

Dr. Deb Castiglione is currently an Accessibility Designer working with Microsoft. She was previously the Director, Universal Design & Accessible Technologies for Cengage and the Universal Design & Instructional Technology Specialist at the University of Kentucky.
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Matt Davis is currently the Assistant Director of the Student Accessibility Resource Center at Western Kentucky University in Bolling Green, KY.
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