Implementation of universal design for learning (UDL) in undergraduate special education programs offers a valuable foundation for training preservice teachers to educate K-12 students in rural schools. In this article, we provide an overview of UDL and the integration of multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression in assessment, classroom management, and instructional planning courses. We share examples of faculty modeling, guided instruction, and preservice teacher application of UDL components with case studies and K-12 students in practicum experiences. We discuss challenges, implications, and next steps for integrating UDL in rural university and K-12 classrooms to meet the needs of diverse learners.

We tested the ability of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model to predict intention to graduate among Canadian and Israeli students with and without a learning disability / attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (LD/ADHD). Results based on 1486 postsecondary students show that the model's predictors (i.e., attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control related to graduation) predicted between 32% and 59% of the variability in intention to graduate. Gender made a minor contribution to the prediction equation and age was unrelated. This suggests that our TPB measure, included in Table 1, is valid for diverse samples and countries. It can be used as a quick, inexpensive way to predict intention to graduate and, as shown by previous investigations, actual graduation rates. Thus, strengthening the three predictors may result in higher graduation rates.

Knowledge and understanding of assistive technology is important for all education majors as they prepare to serve increasingly diverse classrooms. This article provides a program description of how one rural university embedded assistive technology content and skills in both a special education plan of study, as well as in professional core courses for all education majors. The process and model are described for both on-campus and distance education populations. In addition, strengths and challenges of the model are discussed.

We interviewed 58 experts (30 in French, 28 in English) about potentially useful information and communication technologies (ICTs) for Québec college students with a learning disability (LD) and evaluated whether college students with an LD (n = 74), in fact, used these. We also compared ICT use, learning opportunities, and attitudes among three groups of students from Montreal area French and English language colleges: (1) students with an LD, and (2) students who, based on a reading comprehension test, were categorized as adequate readers (approximately top 50%) or (3) very poor readers (approximately bottom 20%). Results indicate important discrepancies between the views of the experts and the realities of students with LDs. Moreover, students with an LD use significantly fewer different types of ICTs than those without an LD.

Our goal was to explore the technology related pedagogical practices of college professors deemed by their students to be excellent in using technology in their teaching. We explored the views of 114 community / junior college professors who were nominated by their students as excellent in using technology in their teaching using both questionnaires and interview methods. Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results show no gender or years teaching in college differences in professors' self rated proficiency or comfort with technologies. Results also show that most professors taught themselves how to use technologies with the help of online resources, through trial and error, and with help from colleagues and support staff. Challenges using technology were related primarily to technical problems, such as technologies not working and the institution's computers and networks being slow. However, professors in our sample usually had a back-up plan and found ways to carry on even if the technology failed. Our findings report on the most and least frequently used technologies in face-to-face teaching, on how professors typically used the course management system, on how professors communicate with students, including the very small number who used social media to do this, and the likelihood of allowing students to use their personal mobile technology in class. Our findings also show that the professors showed their students how to use technologies required for the course. We discuss the practical significance of our findings and their implications for faculty, students, and the institution itself. In particular, we make recommendations about the need for ongoing collaboration between the institution, the professors, and the students and about technology related professional development professors would like to see their college provide.

How can education change to meet the demands of effectively educating an increasingly diverse student population with the skills, knowledge, and abilities they need to be productive and successful citizens in the 21st century? One possible solution is to create classrooms, teachers, and schools that embrace the progressive and inclusive practices espoused by Universal Design for Learning (UDL). In addition to being rooted in UDL pedagogy, classrooms designed to meet the challenge of 21st century education need to substantially integrate and utilize advances in technology. The vanguard of literature to date in UDL could be characterized as rhetorical advocacy. That is, UDL literature is in the early stages of introducing and promoting UDL pedagogy, but to date there is not a research base strong enough to establish UDL as a scientifically validated intervention (Edyburn, 2010). UDL might sound like a good idea, but until the research base turns the corner from advocating to assessing and measuring UDL outcomes, the promise of this approach will not be realized. This article describes a study exploring effects and outcomes of a professional development program on the perceptions and practice of UDL principles in K–12 public school inclusive classrooms, and could be one step toward bridging the gap from a good idea to a solidified best practice. Specifically, this study investigated a professional development program’s effect on teachers’ perceptions, conceptualizations, and implementation of UDL principles and practice in their classrooms.

The present study set out to explore effective teaching techniques using PowerPoint for post-secondary students with disabilities by comparing their views to those of students without disabilities. 284 Canadian post-secondary social science students, 75 of whom self-reported a disability, were surveyed about what aspects of PowerPoint use helps them learn. The good news is that the results indicate many similarities between the views of students with and without disabilities. Although all students felt that having PowerPoint available online was highly desirable, for students with disabilities this was perceived as an important disability accommodation. All students preferred that PowerPoint slides be made available before class in both PowerPoint and PDF formats; however, this was particularly important to students with disabilities. All students preferred that professors walk around some of the time rather than simply stand beside the lectern, that they select slides with good contrast rather than an interesting but busy background template, that they write concepts in full sentences as opposed to key words only, and that PowerPoint images be accompanied by text rather than presenting images only. Overall, our findings show that well-designed PowerPoint slides which incorporate accessibility features (easily included by using the Accessibility Checker feature of PowerPoint) can benefit everyone. Notably, fewer than half (41%) of the students with disabilities had registered with the college to receive disability-related accommodations; therefore, it is important that PowerPoint, as used by professors, be accessible to this large segment of the population of students with disabilities. Informative slides with a clear template and good contrast, along with an engaging presentation style, are likely to benefit everyone. Our findings also show that, contrary to the fears of many educators, students are unlikely to miss class if slides are posted online. Moreover, this is equally true for academically stronger as well as weaker students.

We explored s and compared students comp that worked w completed a c for them that n there were so books, blogs a did help with Both student Future researc between profe Keywords: i perspectives, p IntroductioInformation a ubiquitous an their use. Her their use of in do these work excellent in th Post-secondar in order to he (Hue & Ab J quality of te post-secondar resulted in nu information, a Professors TechnoloThere is an ex tion and C by Buchanan, Sainter and Saunders (2013), with a sample of 114 professors, found that the ten most frequently used technologies were: links to online library resources; online audio / video podcasts from other sources; formative online testing; online audio / video podcasts created by the professors themselves; discussion boards for class discussions; discussion boards for frequently asked questions; blogs with the goal of encouraging reflection on learning; Wikis; blogs for micropublishing; and online tests. An increase in the popularity of recorded lectures has also been noted (O'Callaghan, Neumann, Jones, & Creed, 2017).The popularity of social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, in academe has increased. Yet, there is minimal empirical literature on faculty experiences with the educational use of social networks (Veletsianos & Kimmons, 2012). Among existing studies, Caldwell (2015) found that only 18% of professors used social network sites in their teaching, although almost 50% were willing to use these more extensively. Zakharov, Horton, Reid, Willis, and Attardo (2017) provided an explanation for the low frequency of social media use by exploring the experiences of 126 professors. They found that a variety of barriers exist to the use of social media in teaching: reliability, complexity, lack of support, inadequate professional development, time requirements, and legal issues. ProficiencyThe limited research on professor proficiency in teaching with technology shows that professors were more likely to use technology in their courses if they had a greater degree of confidence in their ability to use this (Howard & Mozejko, 2015). These researchers also found no significant differences between male and female professors in their level of confidence in their ability to use technology. Use of Personal Technology in ClassThere are no universally accepted guidelines that dictate the appropriate use of mobile technologies in class (Lindroth & Bergquist, 2010). This has resulted in a culture of uncertainty, in which neither professors nor students understand what constitutes the appropriate use of laptops and other mobile devices in class (Kay & Lauricella, 2011;Santos, Bocheco, & Habak, 2018).Some professors do not allow students to use their laptops and mobile technologies in class at all (Young, 2006). This has the potential to create conflict between professors and their students, since students indicated that being allowed to use their personal technologies in class was important (Alkahtani, Ahmad, Darmoul, Samman, Al-zabidi, & Matraf, 2016).Other professors choo...