Renton Technical College

 

DSDP GRANT

Universal Design for Learning Pilot  2004/2005

 

 

 

 


The following instructors are participating in a pilot program to implement and evaluate teaching strategies to determine best practices for teaching in post-secondary education.  These strategies have been shown to improve learning for students with learning disabilities.  Under the Universal Design for Learning paradigm, these strategies will be used in the pilot classrooms to benefit all students.

 

 

 

Mike Biell

Drafting

 

1.  Use of Interactive Whiteboard in both lecture and lab classrooms.

Downloading lecture notes and drawings for drafting so that students can review and manipulate.

 

2.  Digitized materials.

Scanning and digitizing text or hand-out materials for students to be able to access on an Assistive Technology work station as well as in the lab.

 

 

Barb Culler

Early Childhood Careers

 

1.  Expanded syllabus.

Creating a visual “road map” for the course with enlarged print, highlighting and bolding to accent important dates, assignments, tests and test weights.

 

2.  CITE Learning Styles Inventory

Adjusts delivery to meet learning style needs of class based on an assessment of the number of visual, auditory, tactile, social and individual learners.

 

3.  Added PowerPoint, Video and DVD to increase multi-modal delivery.

 

 

Tim Culler

Computer Science

 

1.  Using volunteer classroom note-takers.

Notes are available for downloading to Shared Space on computer lab or Assistive Technology computer workstation to increase accessibility of information for students who have difficulty with auditory processing or English skills.

 

2.  Interactive Whiteboard

Downloading board notes and PowerPoint lectures to Shared Space for student to review and manipulate.

 

3.   Developing a tool to help determine students’ strengths and weaknesses as it relates to programming.

Assessment for critical thinking abilities related to programming gives instructor and student cues to areas of strengths and weaknesses in learning.

 

4.  Students receive a CD with all of the handouts for the quarter.

Digitizing handouts allows students to prepare or review or manipulate handouts using Assistive Technologies.

 

 

Michele Lesmeister

Basic Studies

 

1.  Daily practice of higher level thinking skills.

Students use paper based and computerized critical thinking activities to increase cognitive skills.

 

2.   Using task flow diagrams to track the sequencing of event and passage details.

Students create daily task flow diagrams to assess the relationships and details within reading passages.  The technique will be transferred from reading passages to daily tasks and decision making as well as become a strategy for test-taking.

 

3.      Capture Word features to provide improved writing instruction.

Students receive written feedback in text boxes directly on their emailed assignments and use s use email to send and receive writing assignments and feedback, increasing their familiarity with this medium.

 

 

DeEtta Ryan

Basic Studies

 

1.  Interactive Whiteboard

Downloading board notes and PowerPoint lectures to Shared Space for student to review and manipulate.

 

2.  Three-column note-taking strategy in conjunction with interactive whiteboard.

Students learn writing organization skills through modified visual organizer system.

3.  Two-column Math strategy in conjunction with interactive whiteboard.

Students learn how to decipher math formulas through modified visual organizer system.

 

Paul Baeder

Major Appliance and Refrigeration Technology

 

1.  Use of Screencorder for demonstration during lecture.

Screencorder program records instructor’s voice and demonstrates actions on computer screen for student to review and use for demonstration.

 

2.  Interactive Whiteboard

Downloading board notes and PowerPoint lectures to Shared Space for student to access and manipulate.

 

 

Cheryl Dedmon

Pharmacy Technician

 

1.  Multi-modal approach to learning top 200 drugs.

Students learn a variety of techniques for memorizing a drug matrix including mnemonics, research on the internet, drawing or creating pictures, chanting, and using flashcards. 

 

2.  Interactive Whiteboard

Downloading board notes and PowerPoint lectures for student to access and manipulate.

 

 

            Sandra Goldsbary, Donna Maher, Shannon Sharpe

Medical Office Programs

 

1.   Integrating information across classes taught by all three teachers.

Students learn body systems and terminology at the same time as coding, thereby increasing their ability to see larger systems, recognize patterns, and think critically.  Skills learned such as formatting will be used consistently in all three classes to help students understand how skills can transfer across subject matters. 

 

3.  Interactive Whiteboard

Downloading board notes and PowerPoint lectures for student to access and manipulate.

 

4.  Safe Spelling Environment-Shannon Sharpe

Students are able to turn in assignments in certain classes and circle the words they think might be misspelled, receiving no consequence for misspellings.  This promotes creativity and opportunity to improve spelling in a “safe” way. 

 

5.  Teaching with TextHelp Read and Write-Shannon Sharpe

Students use assistive technology to improve reading and writing skills with a word prediction, text-to-speech program.

 

6.  Posting lecture notes and test reviews on the shared drive—Sandra Goldsbary

Allows students open access to materials for preparation and/or review and to manipulate information with screen reading tools.

 

7.  Multi-modal teaching activities—Sandra Goldsbary

Students use a variety of learning methods for each topic such as interactive games, hands on activities, and accessing written materials to increase comprehension.

 

 

John Mundy

Ford ASSET

 

1.  Use of Screencorder for demonstration during lecture.

Screencorder program records instructor’s voice and demonstrates actions on computer screen for student to review and use for demonstration.

 

2  Creating an extensive library of training DVDs.

Students will be able to take out training DVDs to watch at their own convenience and pace thereby increasing overall access to information, both visual and auditory.

 

 

Wendy O’Reilly

ParaEducation

 

1.  Interactive Whiteboard

Downloading board notes and PowerPoint lectures for student to access and manipulate.

 

2.  Students develop skills to train others on Assistive Technologies.

Students learn a variety of assistive technologies and are prepared to train other students, thereby increasing both content knowledge and teaching skills.

 

 

Richard Nicholls

Basic Studies-WSAS

 

1.  Teaching with Assistive Technologies

Students use assistive technology to improve reading and writing skills with a word prediction, text-to-speech program and a graphic organizing program.

 

2.  Teaching Organizing Skills for Improved Learning

Students are showed how to use a system for organizing notes, handouts and other materials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


If you are interested in learning more about these strategies, please contact Cathy Jenner in Instructional Improvement at (425) 235-2352 ext. 5639,  cjenner@rtc.ctc.edu.