Inclusive Education – Assignment 2: Case Study

Application of UDL Framework to Improve a Lesson Plan

Jack is an excellent year 9 student who is diagnosed with ADHD and is eager to learn

but is easily distracted by those around him and would often stop listening to talk to those

close to him or draw in his book. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is

characterized by constant inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity occurring at a greater

frequency than that of other children at the same stage of development (Anderson, Watt,

Noble & Shanley, 2012; DuPaul, Weyandt & Janusis, 2011; Geng, 2011). While ADHD is not

technically a learning disability it does make learning more difficult (Sinfield, 2017). The

three traits characterized by those with ADHD make it difficult to focus on what the teacher

might be explaining, stay seated in one spot for too long, and staying silent throughout a

class. This can lead to the mind drifting to do other things or talking to and distracting other

students and using their energy elsewhere, as is characterized by Jack. Beginning teachers

need to be aware of students with ADHD and be prepared to facilitate them as studies have

shown that in a class of 30 students you would expect to have at least one with ADHD

(Polanczyk, de Lima, Horta, Biederman & Rohde, 2007).

Like most young boys these days, Jack is very fond of playing video games and thus is

quite adept at using technology and visualizing problems. When it comes to certain topics in

mathematics, visualising problems can give you a better understanding of certain concepts

and can aid in answering worded problems. He is also a very creative person and enjoyed

drawing. Both strengths together helped Jack as we worked through applying Pythagoras’

Theorem, which he seemed to enjoy and even came up with questions of his own. He was

quite eager to answer questions put forward in class and would always follow instruction
(even if only for a brief period). He was able to work with minimal assistance and showed

eagerness to complete the set work. However, this was only achieved once I asked him to

move from his regular desk. While he is eager to learn and seems interested in

mathematics, he is easily distracted by those around him. This lead to major disruptions in

the classroom putting us behind on the topic. Once he was moved away from distraction he

started to get work done quite quickly, which often contained many errors (Understood,

2018). Whenever questioned, he would immediately realise where he went wrong and

correct it. This was a common occurrence and I needed to keep encouraging him to slow

down and carefully read the questions. Jack also displayed minor cases of disorganization by

not being prepared for class – quite often forgetting to bring a calculator.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is framework based on the idea of creating an

all-inclusive classroom, curriculum, and learning experience for all students, including those

with disabilities, special needs, behaviour challenges, and gifted and talented students

(Barteaux, 2014; Ralabate, 2011). UDL not only provides flexibility in the way students

demonstrate their understanding and the ways in which they receive this information, but it

also gives teachers the ability to provide support and challenges for all students while still

maintaining high expectations (CAST, 2011). This is not unique to UDL as these are all topics

mentioned in the Quality Teaching (QT) framework (DET, 2008). So, implementing UDL will

also be improving your teaching practice according to the QT framework. Some of these are

not simply good ideas but are actually required practices as per the Australian Profession

Standards for Teachers. In Australia we are required to know our students and how they

learn, plan for and implement effective teaching and learning, and create and maintain

supportive and safe learning environments (AITSL, 2016). While UDL was originally

proposed to include students with disabilities in the classroom, it now better known as a
framework to improve the outcomes for all students (Ralabate, 2011). The UDL guidelines

are written in a way that this will not only create an inclusive classroom environment, but it

will engage even the most capable of students and provide many ways of learning for the

variety of students. The UDL guidelines are separated into 3 main principles: multiple means

of representation, multiple means of engagement, and multiple means of expression. The

guidelines are not made to be followed word-for-word but are a flexible set of strategies

that can be implemented to maximise the learning opportunities of all students in any given

lesson (CAST, 2011).

As previously stated, UDL’s guidelines are broken up into 3 separate principles. The

first of these is multiple means of representation. The principle acknowledges the fact that

not only do all students learn in different ways, but many will have certain disabilities

(learning or physical) which may prevent them from learning the same as the rest of the

class. Because of this fact we, as teachers, are encouraged to provide several different

modes of presenting the information, provide options for language, mathematical

expressions, and symbols, and comprehension. These are the underlying guideline within

the 1st principle and are accompanied by several descriptive checkpoints to aid in

implementation.

The lesson plan I’ve adjusted achieved this by first having the whole lesson prepared

in PowerPoint on slides. Using PowerPoint provides teachers with the opportunity to place

all their resources in one place. You will be able to not only have a written definition, but

also an accompanying diagram, picture, or video on the slide. This can provide students with

various representations of the same piece of information. In this lesson specifically, I was

able to include a definition of Pythagoras’ Theorem, along with the mathematical formula
and a short animation I created to represent it visually. While games are a fantastic way to

engage students, they can also be another form of representing a topic (Black, Weinberg, &

Brodwin, 2015). Working from a PowerPoint presentation also provides the students with a

visual along with the audible explanation provided by the teacher, which can help students

who are unable to gain information from one or the other (CAST, 2011). With the addition

of adding a wire frame for the students to physically hold provides students with a third

form of representation that they not only see, but can hold, providing multiple

opportunities for participation (Metcalf, Evans, Flynn, & Williams, 2009).

The second principle of UDL, multiple means of expression, is an encouragement to

make sure there is more than one way for students to express themselves. Not all students

are the same as there are many with physical disabilities, learning disabilities (i.e.

dysgraphia, dyslexia, etc.), and other disorders (i.e. ADD, ADHD, etc.) that will affect the way

they are able to communicate or express what they know or have learned (Rose, Harbour,

Johnston, Daley, & Abarbanell, 2006). By this principle it is the responsibility of the teacher

to make sure all students have access to tools and assistive technologies, use various forms

of media (i.e. text, speech, drawing, music, video, social media, etc.), provide scaffolds, and

regularly asking questions to promote self-reflection.

In the adjusted lesson plan, I’ve provided students with numerous opportunities to

represent what they have learnt. While working through examples, instead of having

students simply sit and copy work, I have students one at a time come up and show how

they’ve worked out the question to get the answer. This especially helped with Jack as it

gave him an outlet to be able to speak in a way that was not disruptive to the class. It

benefited the class and gave him a chance to stretch his legs as he was not fond of sitting
still for an extended period of time. While working on Pythagoras’ theorem it can be quite

helpful to draw diagrams to get a better understanding of what the question is asking. I was

constantly encouraging the students to underline important pieces of information and piece

this together in a way that made sense to them. As Jack enjoyed drawing, this gave him a

great outlet to do what he loved.

The final principle in UDL is multiple means of engagement. Children are vastly

different from each other and become engaged through different means, so it is important

that teachers are using various strategies to make sure all students are engaged. Teachers

need to plan for ways to engage their students and the only way they are going to be able to

do that is if they know their students. This comes back to following the Australian

Professional Standards for Teachers. By using ICT with PowerPoint, I was able to incorporate

various pictures, and animations to engage students. I used examples of my snakes to get

others interested that liked animals or were interested with the real-world link. Finally, I

finished off the lesson with a puzzle activity as an assessment to see what they had learned,

rather than a quiz or pen and paper test.

 Multiple means of engagement - Multiple mean of representation - Multiple means of expression

Time Teaching and learning actions Organisation

Use PowerPoint to display lesson content as well as questions, PowerPoint presentation

examples, pictures, and animations.

PowerPoint presentation will be projected directly onto

10-
whiteboard, so students will be able to come to the front and
15
provide working out directly onto the slides when asked.

Begin with 5 question lesson-starter to revise content from

previous lesson and lead into content in this lesson

~May need to spend some time revising transposing.

PowerPoint presentation

with included animation.

Quickly explain right-angled triangles, the hypotenuse and where

it is located (using animations in the slide), the Pythagorean

formula, and substituting values into the formula to find the

Whiteboard
15
hypotenuse.

Ask students which side the hypotenuse is from a slide of

examples and have students come to the front and circle the

correct side.

Explain how we would write down the formula for these cases.

Ask students to raise their hands and explain the process for a

particular example.
 Explain Pythagoras’ theorem by showing each side as part of a Animation for proof.

square. Ask students what c squared might represent now.

GIFs in PowerPoint.

10

Show a couple animations proving Pythagoras.

So, Pythagoras’ theorem is really describing the areas of the

squares with the same lengths of the sides of a right angles

triangle.

Whiteboard

Go through several examples of finding the hypotenuse then give

students several examples to work through.

15

Offer students the opportunity to explain their worked examples

on the board to the classroom.

Explain the difference between approximate and exact answers.

Whiteboard

Provide students with worded questions on Pythagoras’ theorem. Snake Example

15 Encourage them to underline important information and draw Wire prism

diagrams to help visualise the question.

Provide students with an example using my own snake tank to

find the hypotenuse so I can find a branch that will fit from one

side to the other. Show a picture of the snake and his tank and ask

how we might draw the diagram to find the hypotenuse in this

 context. Offer students to come to the board and draw their

ideas.

As an extension question, ask students about the longest possible

branch and see if some pick up on the fact that we are working in

3 dimensions now. Show the class a wire frame of a rectangular

prism that represents the hypotenuse in this context.

PowerPoint

Go through several examples of finding the shorter sides then give

students several examples to work through.

20

Include more worded questions on Pythagoras’ theorem.

Pythagoras Puzzle game

Handout Pythagoras puzzle worksheet to determine success

criteria.
15
References

AITSL. (2016). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Retrieved from

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-

teachers/standards/list

Anderson, D., Watt, S., Noble, W., & Shanley, D. (2012). Knowledge of attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attitudes toward teaching children with ADHD:

THE role of teaching experience. Psychology In The Schools, 49(6), 511-525. doi:

10.1002/pits.21617

Barteaux, S. (2014). Universal Design for Learning. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in

Education, 6(2), 50-53.

Black, R. D., Weinberg, L. A., & Brodwin, M. G. (2015). Universal design for learning and

instruction: Perspectives of students with disabilities in higher education.

Exceptionality Education International, 25(2), 1-16.

CAST. (2011). Principle I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation. Retrieved from

http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle1

CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.

DuPaul, G., Weyandt, L., & Janusis, G. (2011). ADHD in the Classroom: Effective Intervention

Strategies. Theory Into Practice, 50(1), 35-42. doi: 10.1080/00405841.2011.534935

Geng, G. (2011). Investigation of Teachers’ Verbal and Non-verbal Strategies for Managing

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Students’ Behaviours within a

 Classroom Environment. Australian Journal Of Teacher Education, 36(7), 16-27. doi:

10.14221/ajte.2011v36n7.5

Metcalf, D., Evans, C., Flynn, H.K., & Williams, J.B. (2009). Direct instruction + UDL = Access

for diverse learners: How to plan and implement an effective multisensory spelling

lesson. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(6),

Polanczyk, G., de Lima, M., Horta, B., Biederman, J., & Rohde, L. (2007). The Worldwide

Prevalence of ADHD: A Systematic Review and Metaregression Analysis. American

Journal Of Psychiatry, 164(6), 942-948. doi: 10.1176/ajp.2007.164.6.942

Rose, D. H., Harbour, W. S., Johnston, C. S., Daley, S. G., & Abarbanell, L. (2006). Universal

design for learning in postsecondary education: Reflections on principles and their

application. Journal of postsecondary education and disability, 19(2), 135-151.

Sinfield, J. (2017). The Relationship Between ADHD and Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from

https://www.verywellmind.com/is-adhd-a-learning-disability-4116126

Understood. (2018). Understanding ADHD. Retrieved from

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-

disabilities/add-adhd/understanding-adhd