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Universal Design -- A New Paradigm for Teaching Students With Disabilities

Imagine a learning environment where everyone has equal access to educational opportunities. A concept so novel that it was developed far outside the educational box. This approach, which is changing the face of educating students with disabilities was developed by architects, and is called Universal Design (UD).

Though relatively new, UD is already being implemented at University campusesbon the mainland. And plans are currently underway to follow suit at UH Hilo, where the Disability Services Office says faculty training sessions will be conducted in the near future.

The objective of UD is to apply a specific set of principles to systematically incorporate accessible features into a design rather than retrofitting changes or accommodations (Shaw, 2002). The application of UD on instruction creates an environment that anticipates the needs of diverse students to make learning more accessible.

Drs. Scott, McGuire and Foley of the Center on Post-secondary Education and Disability, University of Connecticut, have studied this concept, and produced a list of principles by which UD can be applied towards instruction. The nine principles are:

  1. EQUITABLE USE - providing equal use for all students
  2. FLEXIBILITY IN USE - choice in methods
  3. SIMPLE AND INTUITIVE - eliminate complexity
  4. PERCEPTIBLE INFORMATION - effective communication of information, regardless of ambient conditions or the student's sensory abilities
  5. TOLERANCE FOR ERROR - anticipating variation of individual learning pace and prerequisite skills
  6. LOW PHYSICAL EFFORT - minimizing nonessential physical effort to allow for maximum attention (unless physical effort is an integral part of the course);
  7. SIZE AND SPACE FOR APPROACH AND USE - designing space to accommodate students, regardless of body size, posture, mobility, and communication needs
  8. A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS - promotion of interaction and communication between/among students, colleagues and faculty
  9. INSTRUCTIONAL CLIMATE - instruction designed to be welcoming and inclusive where high expectations are espoused for all students (Scott, McGuire, & Foley, in press)

In another publication, Universal Design for Instruction: An exploration of principles for anticipating and responding to student diversity in the classroom , the authors cite application examples for each of the nine principles that include using

web-based courseware products with links to on-line resources, providing instructional support in digital format, and fostering collegial communication in and out of class by structuring study and discussion groups, chat rooms, etc. (Scott, McGuire, & Foley, 2001).

Strategies that have produced results among students with/without disabilities in higher education settings, indicate that most successful students use a variety of learning strategies (Garner, 1987) and apply specific techniques as needed. Specifically, students with learning disabilities tend to use metacognitive monitoring and evaluation to determine effectiveness of their learning and to modify their behaviors to maximize on their learning experience (Allgood, Risko, Alvarez, & Fairbanks, 2000). This stratagem is one that perhaps could be applied by students without disabilities.

A recent paper presented to the American Educational Research Association by Dr. Ruzie from Harvard University stated specific strategies that integrate learning in various school environments are also applicable to future work environments. These included taking personal responsibility, making assessments and matching work to these assessments, modifying strategies, seeking mentors, and developing supporting peer groups) (Ruzie, 2001).

Ruzie's study (2001) went on to provide the following recommendations to institutions for enhanced student success:

  1. provide integrated residential housing environment where freshmen students could benefit from academically experienced students
  2. break large classes into smaller sections for enhanced access to professors
  3. clarify assessment criteria so that students clearly understand what is expected of them
  4. provide feedback on students' work/performance so they can modify their strategies for learning
  5. provide opportunities for practice before actual grading occurs
  6. spread out assignments to allow students to solicit feedback and modify practices before finals

The day has dawned on a new instructional paradigm with Universal Design leading this modernized approach. For more information on Universal Design go to the CAST, Inc. website ( http://www.cast.org/udl/ ). To learn more about the University Disability Services Office, visit us on-line at http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/uds .

by Susan Shirachi
Ka Lono Hanakahi, December 2002

The University Disability Services (UDS) office has been growing and expanding its services in the past year. The number of students serviced has increased 28%, with a possible additional 13% increase for students who are in the process of securing eligibility documents. To support the retention of students with disabilities, the UDS offers an annual tuition waiver, which is awarded to a student with a disability and a minimum GPA of 3.5.

One function of the Disability Services Office is to serve as a support system to campus constituents with disabilities. By empowering people, the UDS office is able to implement reasonable changes on campus. For students with disabilities, empowerment is achieved through a bi-weekly newsletter, and an invitation to participate in training offered campuswide. A n - other goal of UDS is to provide consistent, responsive, and quality service, especially to Internet users. UDS has developed a comprehensive, consumer-friendly Web site, and is currently in the process of designing an online process for registration.

The UDS Office is also responsible for ensuring that campus facilities and programs are accessible to everyone. With joint support from the Student Support Services Program, assistive technology software was purchased and installed in computer labs, the Library, and Distraction Free testing rooms.

Education has been a major focus of this office since its inception in 1998. In Fall 2002, new training/seminar options were added to services offered by UDS, including Assistive Technology (AT) training for Nursing 371 (Computers and Health Care), televised training on “Distance Education and ADA Implementation,” Housing Resident Assistant training on “Mental Health Issues and Students with Disabilities,” and seminars for disabled American veterans on accessing on-campus disability services.

UDS also participated in the nationwide movement to recognize October as National Disability Awareness Month by sponsoring the first UH Hilo National Disability Mentoring Day for Big Island high school “504” students.

Collaboration is a theme that UDS believes in. The UDS Office submitted a joint proposal for the 26th annual AHEAD Conference, to be held in Dallas, Texas in 2003.This conference is the most widely respected forum on disability issues in higher education institutions.

The UDS office is also working in partnership with the UH Hilo Women’s Center on a $400,000 grant proposal from the US Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Office. If approved, the grant will be used to develop on-campus resources to help prevent violence against women, including women with disabilities.

This past summer, the UDS office was selected as a site-sponsor for the John Burns School of Medicine, Pacific Basin Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, to address four major disability areas. From this summer project, a partnership was developed with the Center for Independent Living, and a joint proposal will be submitted to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that will address strengthening support systems for persons with disabilities.

Susan Shirachi, Director, University Disabilities Services, and Dr. Rick Castberg, Professor of Political Science, co-authored a grant for native American Tribal Law Conference that was held at UH Hilo this past June. Beginning January 2003, the conference will be televised statewide on local cable stations. The two-day conference provided information on the history of federal Indian law and policy, government-to-government relationships with tribal governments, tribal criminal jurisdiction, and community outreach in Indian Country, to name a few. Funding was provided by the UH Hilo Research Relations Fund, President's Diversity and Equity Initiative and the UH Humantities Fund.

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