Diverse learning

Diverse learning

Educators are expected to respond to individual differences in a way that treats them not as a problem, but acknowledges them as each person’s contribution to the rich diversity of the society we live in.

This view informs how educators work with students with disability, including students on the autism spectrum, who perceive and interact with the world differently from people who are not on the spectrum. 

In Australia, teachers have a responsibility to design differentiated curricula to enable students with disability to be successful in their learning, and to meet the needs of diverse students in their classrooms.

The complex professional work of teachers comprises three fundamental dimensions: knowing, doing, and being – or, the head (knowledge), hand (skill), and heart (attitudes and beliefs). These components of teaching inform the ways that teachers support students’ needs, and influence the ways in which teachers think, perform, and act with integrity. To engage in effective practice as professionals, educators must develop these three components.

How inclusionED supports teachers

inclusionED supports teachers to develop their practice by enhancing their:

• ability to support diverse student needs in school contexts
• knowledge and understanding of evidence-informed teaching strategies.

inclusionED takes research about students on the spectrum and turns it into resources that guide effective everyday teaching practices. 

Universal Design for Learning

The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL; Center for Applied Special Technology, 2018) underpin inclusionED’s work. The UDL framework is a proactive approach to supporting students with disability and diverse learning needs to access the approved curriculum. UDL focusses on eliminating barriers through initial designs that consider the needs of diverse people, rather than overcoming barriers later through individual adaptation (Rose et al., 2006; Doabler et al., 2015; Novak & Thibodeau, 2016).

The principles of UDL

Rather than a list of pedagogical strategies, UDL is a framework for thinking about the planning, teaching and assessments cycle.

The UDL framework:

• considers and plans to meet the needs of diverse people
• eliminates barriers through the initial design and planning
• guides educators to design and implement instruction in a flexible manner
• improves the learning process for all students.

The philosophy of UDL is based on 3 broad principles, underpinned by 9 guidelines and 31 checkpoints*, which are divided into three layers: access, build, and internalise.

*Guidelines and checkpoints are more targeted and specific ways of implementing a broad principle of the UDL framework.

UDL and assessment 

A UDL approach to assessment incorporates recurring and flexible formative assessment throughout instruction to provide ongoing, actionable feedback to educators and students before failure takes place, when acting can make a real difference for all (Rose et al., 2018).

How does Universal Design for Learning differ from Differentiated Instruction?

Although UDL and Differentiated Instruction (DI) are both approaches to personalised learning, they have significant differences. 

In UDL , the content remains constant but the delivery and students engagement around the content vary by classroom and students learning need.

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is based on the idea that teachers engage in the planning, teaching, and assessment process, if a student or group of students does not make progress then changes are made to either the content, environment, or instructions.

In a perfect world, UDL would support all learners to overcome their barriers to the learning process. However, some students will need more than just good teaching.

For further information about diverse learning and the UDL framework download the diverse learning resource below.