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Teachers at all levels, from K-12 through college and university settings to adult and continuing education, now deal with a remarkably diverse student body. Universal design, an approach previously adopted in architecture and engineering, offers cost-effective ways to respond to the special needs of these diverse students. In universal design, teachers provide appropriate media (e.g., disks, materials posted on Web pages) that are readable by people with learning disabilities or blindness and are also accessible to distance-learning students.
By offering participatory exercises and collaborative learning opportunities, teachers respond to the preferences of many students of Hispanic origin as well as many who have different learning styles. Teachers can also adjust the layout of a classroom, the ways in which students communicate with each other and with the instructor, and the language(s) in which information is presented. Bowe explains these techniques and supplies resources with additional information. This book is an invaluable resource for teachers, student teachers, and support personnel who help teachers meet special needs at all levels.
List of contents
Introduction and Executive Summary
Diverse Students
Seven Principles of Universal Design
Universally Designed Education
Principles One: Equitable Use and Two: Flexibility in Use
Principle Three: Simple and Intuitive Use and Four: Perceptible Information
Principle Five: Tolerance for Error and Six: Low Physical Effort
Principle Seven: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Web Site Accessibility
Summary
Resources
Index
About the author
FRANK G. BOWE is Professor and Special Education Coordinator at Hofstra University. Professor Bowe is widely regarded as the father of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which required accessibility in K-12 and college education. Among his earlier books are Physical, Sensory, and Health Disabilities and Birth to Five: Early Childhood Special Education.
