Saturday, December 3, 2016

Universal Design for Learning or Microcosm for Destruction?

Universal Design for Learning or Microcosm for Destruction?:

Universal Design for Learning or Microcosm for Destruction?

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a part of the new Every Student Succeeds Act. It promotes what is heralded as a new way to reach students with diverse needs. It sounds new agey.
But what does this miracle program have that those of us who worked in special education for years don’t? You may, like me, scratch your head at first.
Some Background
Much harm has been done to public schools, special education, and the teaching profession with high-stakes testing.
Most of us understand that such testing was meant to shut down public schools.
Insisting that every child, even those with the most challenging medical disabilities, reach the same standards, has meant that teachers, good teachers, would fail. Schools would close. Special education would cease.
Claiming that everyone could reach the same standards was a lie. Almost everyoneUniversal Design for Learning or Microcosm for Destruction?: