Analyzing how to meet the needs of all students, regardless of ability, is\u00a0critical in the field of education. Research shows that inclusion of students with disabilities in general education\u00a0has lasting effects on their educational outcomes\u00a0(Causton-Theoharis, J., Theoharis, G., Cosier, M. and Orsati, F., 2013, Danforth, 2014).\u00a0Florian (2012) defined inclusion as the moment teachers begin to shift from teaching \u201cmost\u201d or \u201csome\u201d students, to \u201call\u201d students.\u00a0Providing educators with the skill to\u00a0design lessons and arrange the environment to be accessible to all students, helps support the development of inclusive thinking. With a foundational understanding of accessibility, educators can learn to do this from the beginning, therefore eliminating the need to learn new lesson planning techniques later on. One way to do this is through Universal\u00a0Design for Learning (UDL).<\/p>\n
UDL\u00a0is well situated within\u00a0Disability Studies in Education (DSE). One way\u00a0a DSE framework does this, is by shifting the focus from the ability of the student, to the teaching practices used in the classroom, and the classroom environment. Traditionally, teachers\u2019 notions about learners are based on judgments of ability. UDL helps the educator focus on teaching through multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. UDL principles promote better learning environments for all students, especially since all students (those with and without disabilities) have varying abilities.<\/p>\n
As we examine how UDL supports learning in the early childhood classroom, we can ask ourselves the following questions:<\/p>\n
What is the importance behind accessibility of environmental areas and materials in the early childhood classroom?<\/p>\n
How do we promote accessibility in these areas?<\/p>\n
How do early educators purposely lesson plan using UDL principles?<\/p>\n
What effect will using UDL principles have on young learners?<\/p>\n
References<\/p>\n
Causton-Theoharis, J., Theoharis, G., Cosier, M., & Orsati, F. (2011, September). Does self-contained special education deliver on its promises? A critical inquiry into research and practice. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 24(2), 61-78.<\/p>\n
Danforth, S. (2014). Becoming a great inclusive educator. New York, N.Y. Peter Lang.<\/p>\n
Florian, L. (2012). Preparing teachers to work in inclusive classrooms: Key lessons for the professional development of teacher educators from Scotland\u2019s inclusive practice project. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(4), 275-285.<\/p>\n
Stay tuned for part two of this three part series on DSE\/ECE\/UDL.<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Part One of Three: Focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Early Childhood Education (ECE)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1839,"featured_media":216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"custom_author_name":"","chapman_pin_hero_slider":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n