In the EXPAND portion of Module 1 and Module 2, the participant is asked to build on their reflection by selecting one of several ways of encountering concepts that may or may not be new to them. Rather than reading (alone), the participant could watch videos that cover similar content: sometimes by the same authors. In future versions of this workshop, I hope to also offer this content via additional forms, like podcasts with transcripts.

The Universal Design for Learning framework (which is covered in more depth in Part 2 of Module 1) asks us to offer students multiple ways to access new information, or “multiple means of representation.” This exercise does this in a variety of ways.

Activate or supply background knowledge

• • Instead of just giving the texts or videos to participants, the first part of this module asks you to do some reflecting first. The purpose of this is to activate the background knowledge and experiences that you already have with equity and accessibility, which can making reading or watching more memorable and engaging.

Guide information processing

• • Both the “Read” and “Watch” sections come with specific discussion questions that are intended to guide the participant toward deeper engagement with the texts. The questions give the participant some guidance for how to read the texts or watch the video, which can make the task a little less overwhelming.

Customizing the display of information

• • This (and all) parts of this workshop use the WP Accessibility plugin. If you look at the left side of the screen, you’ll notice that you can adjust the color contrast and the font size of the page. Giving students the option to make these adjustments can make it easier for students with low vision to see the instructions for the task.
  • The PDFs in the Read section are also provided in Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This means that they are not pictures of a text, but are recognizable to screen reader devices. 
  • All videos and podcasts include captions or transcripts. This can help students who are hard of hearing or deaf, but also students who have difficulty processing verbal language and some multilingual students.

Alternatives for auditory and for visual information

• • Because there are multiple ways to encounter content in this part of the module, participants have a choice. Watching a video (with captions) might make the content more engaging or digestible for some students. Other students might prefer to read. In future versions of this workshop, it might be useful to add additional ways to encounter content: like podcasts, infographics, mini-lectures with visuals, or more.

For more information and specific ideas about how to design a class that includes multiple means of representation, check out the multiple means of representation section of the website UDL for Teachers.