I.

Provide Multiple Means of Representation:

1.

Provide options for perception

2.

3.

Your notes

1.1 Offer ways of customizing the display of information

Yes; Format of Word documents can be changed

1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information

No

1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information

No

Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and

symbols
2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols

Yes; Can be done with students own laptops

2.2 Clarify syntax and structure

Yes

2.3 Support decoding of text, mathematical notation, and symbols

Yes, The word processor can do this

2.4 Promote understanding across language

Yes

2.5 Illustrate through multiple media

No

Provide options for comprehension

3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge

Yes

3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships Yes
3.3 Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation

Yes

3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization

Yes

II. Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:

4.

5.

6.

Your notes

Provide options for physical action

4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation

Yes; Typing with the keyboard and using a mouse

4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

No

Provide options for expression and communication

5.1 Use multiple media for communication

Yes; Instant Messaging to distribute documents

5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition

Yes; The students will be using laptops that can do this

5.3 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice

and performance

Yes; Each student has the ability to IM the teacher

Provide options for executive functions

6.1 Guide appropriate goal setting

Yes; This is possible through sending a document to students

6.2 Support planning and strategy development

No

6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources

Yes

6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress

Yes

III. Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:

7.

8.

9.

Your notes

Provide options for recruiting interest

7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy

Yes; Students will have a laptop to gather information

7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity

Yes; Laptops are appropriate for the students

7.3 Minimize threats and distractions

N/A

Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence

8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives

No

8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge

No

8.3 Foster collaboration and community

Yes

8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback

No

Provide options for self-regulation

9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation

No

9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies

No

9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection

No

CAST 2011

Summary
The lesson I chose from the matrix fell between the adoption level of technology integration
and the collaborative characteristic of the learning environment. The lesson I chose deals specifically
with the language arts. The technology used in the lesson includes the use of laptops, word
processing software, instant messaging, and internet connection. The idea is that because each of
the students are using a laptop, by having everyone connect to the internet and signing into an instant
messaging program, the teacher would be able to see all the students currently online in the class
and from there, drag and drop word documents and potentially other files into the IM program to
distribute handouts to the class without physically printing them out. The task at hand for this
particular lesson is a pre-reading activity and some vocabulary exercises, but can also be used with
stories or other assignments where information may be shared. Though the technology integration is
at the adoption level and not very deep, the idea behind it falls in line with most of the UDL guidelines.
For instance, in terms of providing multiple means of representation, this lesson shows that through
the use of laptops and internet, the lesson can be viewed through a computer screen instead of being
seen on paper; the benefits of which include being able to type out ideas faster than one would with
pencil and paper, and the teachers and students ability to collaborate and share their files with one
another. Having handouts on-screen can also benefit students trying to learn how to spell and correct
their grammar through the word processing program that theyre using. In terms of providing multiple
means of action and expression, most of its aspects are met in the lesson. Students are experiencing
a new way of navigating their workspace with the use of a keyboard and mouse, and are
communicating with each other through the use of instant messaging that also has the ability to share
files to help students develop ideas. The teacher is also better able to communicate and direct
students by sending the most recent documents to his or her students, which may include the goals
of the assignment. Finally, in terms of means of engagement, this lesson only fulfills some of the UDL
guidelines. While this lesson is age appropriate and is able to help students collaborate with each
other, fostering an online sense of community and enhancing their ability to gather information from
the internet, this lesson and its technology integration does not necessarily help students by giving
effective feedback or challenge them in any other way that might motivate them to self-asses
themselves.