ERIC Number: EJ1254302
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2325-7466
Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities: Characteristics of Universal Design of Instruction in Odds-Beating Middle Schools
Heather Kurto; Kristen C. Wilcox; Kristie Asaro-Saddler
Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, p90-114 Win 2019
In this multiple case study we examined six middle schools with above predicted student achievement outcomes on Common Core State Standards (CCSS) assessments in mathematics and English language arts. We drew upon the Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) framework to characterize the nature of teachers' practices with particular attention to how they approach instruction for students with disabilities (SWD). Through analysis of focus group interviews and observational field notes we 1) identified shared characteristics of UDI practices across all schools and 2) noted two schools with exemplary attention to three UDI principles: community of learners; flexibility in use; and tolerance for error. The exemplars provide evidence of how educators have shifted from a dichotomous understanding of abled/disabled to all-enabled through the use of UDI practices. This research offers implications for policy and practice by providing empirically-grounded findings regarding the nature of teachers' instruction for SWD in odds-beating schools.
Descriptors: Student Needs, Students with Disabilities, Access to Education, Instructional Design, Middle School Students, Common Core State Standards, Educational Practices, Middle School Teachers, Inclusion, Academic Achievement, Educational Environment, Teacher Expectations of Students, Equal Education, Curriculum Design
American Academy of Special Education Professionals. 3642 East Sunnydale Drive, Chandler Heights, AZ 85142. Tel: 800-754-4421; Fax: 800-424-0371; e-mail: editor@aasep.org; Web site: http://www.aasep.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York (Albany)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A