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BACKGROUND: The mandate to provide inclusive education in Canadian schools means that Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) need to be well-versed in frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that support learning among students with diverse backgrounds and abilities. To be responsive, professional graduate programs need resources that support teaching SLP students about UDL. PURPOSE: 1) To use an instructional design model and Knowledge Translation (KT) theory to develop educational resources about UDL for SLP graduate students; and 2) to assess feasibility of the resources and SLP students’ perceived and actual UDL knowledge change after resource implementation. METHODS: First, educational resources about UDL were created for SLP students using a process in which the first three phases of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation (ADDIE) instructional design model were combined with the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) KT theory and supported by engagement of key SLP stakeholders. Stakeholder feedback about their involvement in the resource development process was assessed through a focus group and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Next, the last two phases of the ADDIE model were conducted in which the developed resources were implemented and evaluated with 19 SLP students over a three-hour session; resource feasibility and UDL knowledge were measured before and after the session using anonymous, web-based questionnaires. RESULTS: The novel process for developing resources was deemed suitable for creating high-quality theory-informed resources tailored to SLP students. SLP students perceived the resources to be practical and acceptable. There was a statistically significant improvement in students’ perceived UDL knowledge as well as improvements in actual UDL knowledge. CONCLUSION: Health educators could consider the described methodology when developing content-specific resources for health professional students. This thesis introduces a new set of resources that could be used to address an important gap in SLP training. / Thesis / Master of Science Rehabilitation Science (MSc) / Inclusive education in which students with diverse abilities learn together is an expectation within Canadian schools. People who work in schools, like Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), need to know about frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that identify specific strategies for supporting inclusive education. However, many SLPs do not know about UDL or how to apply this framework when they work with teachers. In this thesis, I used a new resource development process involving a rigorous resource design method with a theory that helps people use new ideas, to make educational resources about UDL for SLP graduate students. Next, I implemented and evaluated the resources with 19 SLP students at McMaster University. Students felt the resources were suitable and taught them new information about UDL. This thesis provides new teaching resources for SLP students to increase their knowledge about UDL and better prepare them for working in schools.

Students with special needs are often placed in agriculture and other CTE classes. Literature has shown that teachers often feel unprepared to deal with this population of students. The Theory of Planned Behavior framed this case study of an exemplar agriculture teacher. Evidence of the teacher's planned behavior was supported by triangulation of interviews with the teacher, special education coordinator, special education aide, and lesson plans. This triangulation also showed that the teacher is an exemplar agriculture teacher in his work with students with special needs. Multiple themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews. An important theme was the need for agriculture teachers to participate in IEP meeting either by attending in person or by providing feedback prior to the meeting. Another important theme was the need for materials to be adapted for students with special needs both within lesson plans and as needed while the teacher is teaching the lesson. Recommendations for practice include providing information about special education laws, disabling conditions, and information on utilizing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to pre-service and in-service teachers. It is also recommended that teacher preparation programs include having pre-service teachers work with students with special needs. Professional development workshops that discuss best practices for teachers when working with students with special needs can be beneficial. It is important for teachers to realize that not all students are the same but that everyone is better served if all teachers do their best at helping students achieve their highest potential. Because in the end, we all just want to be accepted for who we are. / Doctor of Philosophy / Students with special needs are often placed in agriculture and other CTE classes. This dissertation was a case study of a model agriculture teacher. It looked at the teacher's behavior to determine if his work with students with special needs was planned. The importance of a teacher planning their behavior towards students with special needs is important from both a lesson planning viewpoint and also while the teacher is teaching. Multiple recommendations came out of the study. One recommendation included the need for programs that prepare agriculture teachers to have these individuals work with students with special needs while they are still in their teacher preparation program. Professional development workshops for current agriculture teachers should include information on best practices for working with students with special needs. It is important for teachers to realize that not all students are the same but that everyone is better served if all teachers do their best at helping students achieve their highest potential. Because in the end, we all just want to be accepted for who we are.

Integrated STEM education and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have been often theorized as compatible. However, there has been little research done to understand how UDL is used in real-world integrated STEM classrooms. Our study aimed to understand how current practicing educators in integrated STEM classrooms combine these teaching methodologies. This was done through a combination of interviews and document analysis of lesson plans, and supplementary information. To evaluate what elements of UDL were used in the documents, researchers developed a UDL codebook based off of the 31 checkpoints in the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) UDL guidelines. The goal of the study was to understand how the adoption of UDL could spread across all integrated STEM educators. Therefore, our study viewed the use of UDL in an integrated STEM classroom as an 'innovation' and analyzed our results through Diffusion of Innovation theory. Specifically looking to providing understanding to the 'innovation' through Rogers 5 Attributes of innovations. The study found that all except two UDL checkpoints were proved to be compatible within integrated STEM classrooms, and were categories developed to explain how the participant achieved these checkpoints. The findings also show that not all UDL checkpoints occur at the same frequency. Through Diffusion of Innovation theory, our study showed that Integrated STEM educators believe that UDL is automatically adopted by educators using Integrated STEM teaching methodologies. They expressed problems associated with implementing some UDL checkpoints, and providing overall themes of complexity when implement UDL in an Integrated STEM classroom. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Integrated STEM education and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are two teaching methodologies that have been often theorized to be compatible. However, there has been little research done to understand how UDL is used in real-world integrated STEM classrooms. The study aimed to understand how current practicing educators in integrated STEM classrooms combine these teaching methodologies. This was done through a combination of interviews and document analysis of lesson plans, and supplementary information. To evaluate what elements of UDL were used in the documents, researchers developed a UDL codebook based off of the 31 checkpoints in the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) UDL guidelines. The goal of the study was to understand how the adoption of UDL could spread across all integrated STEM educators. Therefore, our study viewed the use of UDL in an integrated STEM classroom as an ‘innovation' and analyzed our results through Diffusion of Innovation theory, which conceptualizes an innovation spread through a population. The study found that all except two UDL checkpoints were proved to be compatible within integrated STEM classrooms, and were categories developed to explain how the participant achieved these checkpoints. The findings also show that not all UDL checkpoints occur at the same frequency. Through Diffusion of Innovation theory, our study showed that Integrated STEM educators believe that UDL is automatically adopted by educators using Integrated STEM teaching methodologies, but when discussing the implementation of specific UDL checkpoints themes about the complexity of the innovation emerged.

Yes / This research investigates the perceived clarity and usefulness of infographic versus traditional text-based assessment guidelines among undergraduate nursing students with and without specific learning difficulties (SpLDs). Through quantitative analysis, the study reveals that undergraduate nursing students with SpLDs significantly prefer infographics over text-based guidelines, both in terms of clarity and usefulness (p < .001). Interestingly, there were no statistically significant differences in the perceptions of students without SpLDs. These findings suggest that the use of infographics as a tool for presenting assessment guidelines could contribute to more inclusive educational practices. The research further highlights the potential of infographics to not only make complex information more accessible but also to cater to diverse learning needs. As higher education institutions strive to be more inclusive, adapting assessment guidelines to suit the varied learning styles and cognitive needs of all students, particularly those with SpLDs, becomes increasingly important. This paper provides initial evidence to support the adoption of infographic-based assessment guidelines as a step towards achieving this goal.

No contexto da Educação a Distância Superior no Brasil, o material didático tem figurado como um dos principais recursos, no qual, realiza-se a aplicação dos pressupostos do design universal para a aprendizagem, que se trata de um modelo de universalização que propõem o oferecimento de andaimes que visem a eliminar as barreiras desnecessárias, sem eliminar os desafios necessários para beneficiar/proporcionar a aprendizagem do maior número possível de alunos. Ressalta-se que a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem tem sido utilizadas em trabalhos brasileiros que as apresentam como importantes dimensões de aprendizagem. Contudo, há escassez de pesquisas que avaliem e mensurem os efetivos impactos destas dimensões no processo de aprendizagem permeado por implementações de propostas didáticas baseadas em princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem. O presente trabalho tem, portanto, o objetivo de avaliar o impacto dos princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem nas dimensões de motivação e autoeficácia do processo de aprendizagem em cursos superiores de Educação a Distância. Portanto, propõem a incorporação de princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem por meio da implementação de quatro propostas didáticas (leitura ou audição voz feminina ou masculina de texto; videoaula convencional ou com legenda parcialmente ambientada; controle de velocidade da expectação da videoaula; fórum com participação escrita, falada ou gravada com imagem e som) na editoração do material didático e testa sua aplicabilidade e efetividade para aumentar os índices de a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem. A pesquisa é multimodal e foi arquitetada como um experimento verdadeiro, no modelo de pré-teste/pós-teste, utilizando-se os instrumentos Escala de Motivação Acadêmica e a Escala de Autoeficácia Acadêmica Percebida para aplicação em uma amostra de 238 alunos de cursos EAD de uma IES brasileira. Os resultados qualitativos e quantitativos apresentados evidenciam o potencial do design universal para melhoria dos índices de autoeficácia para a aprendizagem e da motivação, em uma proposta que visa mais que permitir a participação, mas possibilitar o sucesso de todos! / In the context of distance higher education in Brazil, the courseware has figured as one of the main resources in which executes the application of the assumption of universal design for learning, which it is about a template of universalization that propose the offering of \"scaffoldings\" that aim to eliminate the unnecessary barriers, without eliminating the necessary challenges to benefit/provide the learning of the greatest number of students as possible. It is noteworthy that the Motivation and Self Efficacy for Learning has been used in Brazilian works that present as important dimensions of learning. However, there is a shortage of searches that evaluate and measure the actual impact of these dimensions in the learning process permeated by implementations of didactic proposals based on the principles of universal design for learning. The present project has therefore the objective to evaluate the impact of the principles of universal design for learning in the dimensions of motivation and self-efficacy of the learning process in distance higher education courses. Propose the incorporation of principles of the universal design for learning through the implementation of four didactic proposals (reading or listening - female or male voice - text; conventional video lesson or partially acclimated with subtitles; video lesson expectation speed control; board with participation written, spoken or recorded with image and sound) on courseware publication and test its applicability and effectiveness to increase the rates of motivation and self-efficacy for learning. The research is multimodal and is architected as a true experiment, in the template of pre-test/pos-test, using the instruments of Academic Motivation Scale and the Scale of Perceived Academic Self-efficacy for using in a sample of 238 students of EAD courses of a Brazilian Institute of Higher Education. The qualitative and quantitative results presented highlight the potential of universal design to improve rates of self efficacy for learning and motivation, in a proposal that aims more than to allow participation, but enable the success of all!

Abstract The aim of this study is to contribute knowledge of guardian´s experience of having a child in compulsory- and upper secondary school for learning disabilities. Research questions: How do guardians describe their lived experience of the phenomenon of having a child placed in the compulsory- and upper secondary school for learning disabilities? How do guardians describe the relationship between home and school? Research indicates a multifaceted complexity characterized by high level of stress among guardians of children diagnosed with intellectual disabilities (ID). Attitudes from the society in whole towards people with ID have a major impact. My study has a phenomenologically inspired approach, that aims to access and understand the phenomenon by addressing the source, the guardians. I have interviewed three guardians and learned stories from their existential worlds. They show faith in school, but also anxiety from complex situations that they are faced with. It is important that teachers in schools for pupils with ID are aware of these feelings when meeting the guardians, since they are important to build good cooperative relationships between school and home. Successfulness is based on good relationships and for this to occur, an understanding of the situations of the guardians is required. Keywords cumpulsory school for learning disabilities, upper secondary school for learning disabilities, guardians, phenomenology, lived experience, relationship between home and school, intellectual disability, ID. / Sammanfattning Syftet med detta examensarbete är att bidra med kunskap om vårdnadshavares levda erfarenhet av att ha ett barn i grundsärskolan och gymnasiesärskolan. Forskningsfrågor: Hur beskriver vårdnadshavare sin levda erfarenhet av fenomenet att ha sitt barn placerat i grundsärskolan och gymnasiesärskolan? Hur beskriver vårdnadshavare relationen mellan hem och skola? Forskning visar på en mångfasetterad komplexitet som kännetecknas av en hög stressnivå hos vårdnadshavare till barn med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning (IF). Omgivningens inställning till personer med IF har stor påverkan. Min studie har en fenomenologiskt inspirerad ansats vilket syftar till att förstå fenomenet genom att gå till källan, vårdnadshavarna. Jag har intervjuat tre vårdnadshavare och tagit del av berättelser från deras livsvärldar. I deras berättelser visar sig en tillit till skolan men också starka känslor i form av oro, frustration och komplexa situationer att förhålla sig till. Detta tolkar jag som en form av stress. Dessa känslor och erfarenheter behöver speciallärare i grundsärskolan och gymnasiesärskolan vara medvetna om i mötet med vårdnadshavare. Dessa möten är en viktig komponent som bygger samarbetet mellan hem och skola. Ett bra samarbete grundar sig i goda relationer och för att dessa ska uppstå krävs en förståelse för vårdnadshavarens situation. Nyckelord Grundsärskola, gymnasiesärskola, vårdnadshavare, fenomenologi, levda erfarenheter, relation mellan hem och skola, intellektuell funktionsnedsättning, IF.

No contexto da Educação a Distância Superior no Brasil, o material didático tem figurado como um dos principais recursos, no qual, realiza-se a aplicação dos pressupostos do design universal para a aprendizagem, que se trata de um modelo de universalização que propõem o oferecimento de andaimes que visem a eliminar as barreiras desnecessárias, sem eliminar os desafios necessários para beneficiar/proporcionar a aprendizagem do maior número possível de alunos. Ressalta-se que a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem tem sido utilizadas em trabalhos brasileiros que as apresentam como importantes dimensões de aprendizagem. Contudo, há escassez de pesquisas que avaliem e mensurem os efetivos impactos destas dimensões no processo de aprendizagem permeado por implementações de propostas didáticas baseadas em princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem. O presente trabalho tem, portanto, o objetivo de avaliar o impacto dos princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem nas dimensões de motivação e autoeficácia do processo de aprendizagem em cursos superiores de Educação a Distância. Portanto, propõem a incorporação de princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem por meio da implementação de quatro propostas didáticas (leitura ou audição voz feminina ou masculina de texto; videoaula convencional ou com legenda parcialmente ambientada; controle de velocidade da expectação da videoaula; fórum com participação escrita, falada ou gravada com imagem e som) na editoração do material didático e testa sua aplicabilidade e efetividade para aumentar os índices de a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem. A pesquisa é multimodal e foi arquitetada como um experimento verdadeiro, no modelo de pré-teste/pós-teste, utilizando-se os instrumentos Escala de Motivação Acadêmica e a Escala de Autoeficácia Acadêmica Percebida para aplicação em uma amostra de 238 alunos de cursos EAD de uma IES brasileira. Os resultados qualitativos e quantitativos apresentados evidenciam o potencial do design universal para melhoria dos índices de autoeficácia para a aprendizagem e da motivação, em uma proposta que visa mais que permitir a participação, mas possibilitar o sucesso de todos! / In the context of distance higher education in Brazil, the courseware has figured as one of the main resources in which executes the application of the assumption of universal design for learning, which it is about a template of universalization that propose the offering of \"scaffoldings\" that aim to eliminate the unnecessary barriers, without eliminating the necessary challenges to benefit/provide the learning of the greatest number of students as possible. It is noteworthy that the Motivation and Self Efficacy for Learning has been used in Brazilian works that present as important dimensions of learning. However, there is a shortage of searches that evaluate and measure the actual impact of these dimensions in the learning process permeated by implementations of didactic proposals based on the principles of universal design for learning. The present project has therefore the objective to evaluate the impact of the principles of universal design for learning in the dimensions of motivation and self-efficacy of the learning process in distance higher education courses. Propose the incorporation of principles of the universal design for learning through the implementation of four didactic proposals (reading or listening - female or male voice - text; conventional video lesson or partially acclimated with subtitles; video lesson expectation speed control; board with participation written, spoken or recorded with image and sound) on courseware publication and test its applicability and effectiveness to increase the rates of motivation and self-efficacy for learning. The research is multimodal and is architected as a true experiment, in the template of pre-test/pos-test, using the instruments of Academic Motivation Scale and the Scale of Perceived Academic Self-efficacy for using in a sample of 238 students of EAD courses of a Brazilian Institute of Higher Education. The qualitative and quantitative results presented highlight the potential of universal design to improve rates of self efficacy for learning and motivation, in a proposal that aims more than to allow participation, but enable the success of all!

Denna masteruppsats syftar till att bidra med kunskap om lärares lärande och undersöka deras användning av kulturella redskap i en aktionsstudie. I studien undersöks processen i ett arbetslag där universell design för lärande (UDL) presenteras och diskuteras som en möjlig stödstruktur för undervisningen i form av en aktionsstudie. Målet med den är att bidra med kunskapsbildning om hur undervisning kan planeras och utformas med hjälp av den systematik UDL bidrar till.  För att kunna besvara studiens frågeställningar genomfördes en aktionsstudie med tre lärare på en F–6 skola. Studien är genomförd med en kvalitativ metod där loggboksanteckningar från aktionsstudiens sessioner utgör en del av empirin, åtföljd av enskilda, reflekterande intervjuer. Deltagarna undervisade två klasser i ett tre–lärarskap på ett mellanstadium och diskuterade och reflekterade över texter och filmer om universell design för lärande (UDL) under sex sessioner.   Resultaten från aktionsstudien visar hur språket och kommunikationen förändrades under sessionerna, vilka möjligheter och hinder för implementeringen av UDL som identifierades och inställningen till forskningsbaserade arbetssätt utkristalliserades. Hur deltagarna använde sig av kulturella redskap i sitt eget lärande likväl som i sin undervisning framkommer också som ett resultat av denna studie. / This master thesis aims to contribute with knowledge about teachers´ learning and investigate their use of linguistic tools in an action research study. In this, where UDL is presented and discussed as a possible scaffolding structure, the process in a team of teachers at a middle school is investigated. The aim of the action research study is to create knowledge about how the systematic work with UDL can contribute to the planning and forming process of teaching.   In order to answer the research questions in the study, an action research study was conducted with three teachers at a middle school. The study is conducted with a qualitative method, in which field notes from the sessions in the action research study is one part followed by separate, reflective interviews with the participating teachers. The participating teachers were teaching in two classes in a grade at a middle school and have during six sessions discussed and reflected on texts and films about Universal Design for Learning (UDL).   The results from this action research study showed how the use of language and communication changed during the sessions, which possibilities and obstacles could be identified in implementing UDL and how the attitude towards research based approaches could be seen. How the participants used sociocultural tools in their own learning as well as in their teaching can also be seen as a result of this study.

In 2006 the Gauteng Department of Basic Education (GDoBE) launched a pilot project to introduce Assessment for Learning (AfL). This initiative was prompted by learners’ poor performance; especially in subjects such as Mathematics and English. The AfL project was introduced in selected primary and secondary schools. Grade 5 teachers for all subjects and Grade 10 teachers for all subjects within selected primary and secondary schools formed part of the pilot project. These teachers were oriented and introduced to AfL, after which workshops to strengthen teachers’ understanding and skills of AfL were conducted. Lead educators (District Learning Area facilitators or Subject Advisors), were required to monitor and support participating schools and teachers in implementing AfL. Based on a literature and empirical study, the researcher explored the comprehension and implementation of AfL by selected primary school Mathematics teachers that participated in the AfL pilot project of the GDoBE. The empirical study was approached by means of a qualitative research design in the form of a multiple case study. Individual interviews, observations and focus group interviews were used to collect data from purposive selected teachers from three Gauteng Districts (Johannesburg West, Johannesburg North and Ekurhuleni South). Both Township and ex-Model C primary schools were included in the study and eventually a total of 11 Mathematics teachers from these schools participated in the study. The research results revealed that the sampled teachers’ comprehension of AfL can be rated as satisfactory since they realise its potential in terms of learning and learner development. Moreover, these teachers show an awareness of the relation between formative (AfL) and summative assessment (assessment of learning (AoL)). With regard to its implementation, it is clear that a lack of support from colleagues, School Management Teams (SMTs) and District officials impede on the successful implementation of AfL. Other factors hampering the implementation of AfL include time constraints, uncertainty about appropriate resources and the simultaneous implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) and the Gauteng Primary Literacy Mathematics Strategy (GPLMS). It is further noted that the elements of AfL, which includes the sharing of learning intentions, questioning, feedback and peer and self-assessment, are all mediocrely implemented. / MEd (Learning and Teaching), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014