In recent years, federal law (IDEA, NCLB) has required states to provide
students with diverse needs, including those with disabilities, opportunities
to access and make progress in the general education curriculum. Increasingly,
educators are being held accountable for meeting this sometimes daunting
challenge.
Providing equal access to the curriculum involves much more than supplying
every student with a textbook or a computer. Teachers need to ensure
that students are actively engaged in learning. In addition, the subject
matter needs to be cognitively challenging to students, and they need
to be appropriately supported—regardless of their developmental
level, cultural background, or learning style.
The UDL Solution
The institute addresses crucial questions about how to
provide full access to the general education curriculum for all learners—especially
those with disabilities—through Universal Design for Learning. The approach prepares educators to meet the challenge of teaching
diverse learners in inclusive, standards-based classrooms.
UDL mirrors the universal design movement in architecture
and product development. From the outset, UDL considers the needs of
the greatest number of possible users; eliminating the need for costly,
cumbersome, and after-the-fact adaptations.
UDL principles help educators customize their curriculum to serve learners
with a wide variety of individual differences. A universally-designed
curriculum (Rose and Meyer) offers:
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Multiple means of representation to give learners a variety of ways
to acquire information and knowledge
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Multiple means of expression to provide learners with alternatives
for demonstrating what they know
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Multiple means of engagement to tap into learners' interests, challenge
them appropriately, and motivate them to learn
Realizing the promise of UDL for Learning requires the
collaboration of experts in teaching, educational administration, policymaking,
technology, and publishing. The institute will help teachers, administrators,
and policy makers better understand their responsibilities to diverse
learners. It will also provide practical, hands-on solutions for reaching
and teaching all learners.
What You Will Learn
In this institute participants will:
- Analyze the latest brain research on diverse learners. Consider how
scientific discoveries about the brain are reshaping
our understanding of how individuals learn. Identify what motivates students
in the classroom.
- Acquire practical, classroom-based
and school-based applications
of UDL. Address the diversity of
students in the classroom. Design curriculum to take
advantage of the new technologies.
- Understand how to create fair and accurate assessments that measure what students
really know. Identify the most useful tests for
improving student learning. Recognize effective eval- uations—formative and summative—and understand how they should be used.
Customize teaching and learning using
new technologies. Review which multimedia tools offer more than “bells
and whistles.” Understand how flexible technology compares with
traditional print media as a learning tool.
- Consider new federal and state policies that support the
Universal Design approach. Understand how IDEA ‘04 and
NCLB address the educational needs and abilities of children with
disabilities and how UDL can meet those needs?
- Explore new frontiers in the delivery of curricular content. Review the new National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
(NIMAS) and how will it change the way classroom materials
are developed.
Who Should Attend
This institute will benefit:Directors of curriculum and instruction; special education directors, teachers, and aides; general education teachers and aides; school principals and assistant principals; superintendents and assistant superintendents;
parents; disability advocates; and local, state, and federal education leaders are encouraged to attend. District-based teams of educators will also find the institute helpful.
Benefits of Attending
• Learn practical classroom and school-based applications of UDL
• Customize teaching and learning using new technologies
• Study the latest brain research on diverse learners
• Understand how to create fair and accurate assessments that measure what students really know
• Consider new federal and state policies that support the UDL approach
• Explore new frontiers in the delivery of curricular content
Format and Schedule
The program begins with registration on Monday, July 7 and ends on Friday, July 11. Sessions will be conducted in air-conditioned facilities at the Harvard
Graduate School of Education.
Full-group meetings include plenary sessions,panel discussions, and question-and-answer opportunities. In small discussion groups, participants consider the implications of issues raised in large group sessions. Session leaders will include Harvard University faculty and senior staff from CAST, the Center for Applied Special Technology.
Additional optional morning and evening sessions enable participants to share insights from their own experience. These sessions provide important
opportunities for participants to interact and learn from each other.
Faculty
Tracy Hall, Senior Research Scientist, Instructional Designer, CAST. Hall directs CAST’s initiatives to create and evaluate digital supported writing
environments across content areas
Thomas Hehir, Institute
Co-chair, Professor of Practice in Education and Director of the School
Leadership Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is
the former Director of the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S.
Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
William Henderson, Principal, Patrick O'Hearn Elementary School, Boston, MA. Henderson has created a model of inclusion and success for children with disabilities in school and as adults
engaged in their community.
Robert Hughes, Associate Professor of Adult Education, Seattle University. Hughes’ research focuses on professional development for teachers, family literacy, technology, and equity issues.
David Rose, Institute Co-chair, Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Co-founding Director and Chief Scientist, Cognition & Learning, CAST. Rose specializes in developmental neuropsychology and the universal design of learning technologies.
Grace Meo, Director, Professional Development and Outreach Services, CAST. Meo has led state-level initiatives to train educators in the use of
universally-designed curricula.
Joy Zabala, Project Manager, Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Consortium, CAST. Zabala focuses on the development of scalable
systems and practices that support the improvement of the quality, availability, and timely delivery of accessible instructional materials to K–12 students with print disabilities.
General Information
Program Fee
The fee of $1,795 includes tuition, a resource binder of articles and handouts, daily refreshment breaks, and an opening reception. Participants receive a certificate of completion and a letter confirming clock hours of instruction.
Registration Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants can register online at
www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe. For further information, call 800-545-1849. Full payment must be received within 30 days of registration. Registration without payment cannot be confirmed. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation
expenses. Please wait for payment confirmation before making travel arrangements.
Cancellation Policy
The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion. In the unlikely event of
program changes, the school is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other planning expenses incurred. Registration cancellations must be made in writing. Full refunds will be granted until June 11. Cancellations
received between June 12 and June 25 will be subject to a $200 administrative fee. Cancellations after June 25 and no-shows are subject to full
payment.
Accommodation Options
Harvard Undergraduate Dormitory
Participants are housed in a Harvard undergraduate dorm and are assigned a single room with a shared bath. While housing facilities are comfortable, they are also quite spartan. Linens and daily housekeeping are provided. The cost for room and breakfast is $115 per night.
Sheraton Commander Hotel
$169/night plus tax. Single or double
Reservations: 888-627-7121
Reference: Universal Design
Reserve before June 13, 2008
Environment During the institute, participants have access to academic, cultural, and social resources at the University. Harvard Square offers a range of bookstores, shops, and restaurants.
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