Issue Number 4: May 18, 2001

CAST National Consortium on Universal Design for Learning NEWS

GREETINGS, READERS

The Electronic Newsletter offers news about Universal Design for Learning(UDL)and will provide opportunities for sharing ideas with other professionals through the "MyCAST" Forum and on-line surveys. Since you are important to the success of this newsletter, we appreciate receiving feedback and comments.

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Focus for this Issue: Improving Learning Opportunities for All Students
2. Software and Computers Scaffold Learning
3. Meet Mason, a Student Success Story
4. Scaffolding Young Readers
5. Apprenticeship: an Approach to Scaffolding
6. Internet Resources that Support Reading and Comprehension
7. New Survey: Digital Text Survey
8. The CAST Summer Institute, 2001 August 6-9, 2001 - Sponsored by the Consortium
9. Congratulations Eileen A. Daneri, award recipient will attend the International Symposium on Instruction Technology and Education of the Deaf
10. Consortium Sponsored Workshop Aims to Improve Math Instruction
11. Survey Results In: Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
12. Tool Tip: Search
13. New Site Content
14. Newsletter Archive
15. "On the Road" with CAST

1. FOCUS FOR THIS ISSUE: IMPROVING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS

Looking into a crystal ball to 2006, we learn about the possibilities for individuals with disabilities. The tools and the classroom environments foster varied and numerous learning opportunities. Click on http://www.cast.org/ncac/index.cfm?i=1561 to see what the future holds.

Take a moment to think about how the future can change what you do today:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1340&v=c&conf_id=362&topic_id=966

2. SOFTWARE AND COMPUTERS SCAFFOLDING LEARNING

Scaffolding is defined as providing necessary support to enable a learner to reach his or her potential. Read how technology scaffolds reading, organization, and writing:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=117

Tell us what other "scaffolds" have helped your students:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1340&v=c&conf_id=361&topic_id=967

3. MEET MASON, A STUDENT SUCCESS STORY

Mason was classified as a "gifted" student, so why was he failing math? When his parents met with his third-grade teacher to review his tests, they discovered something unusual. Learn how Mason faced the challenges of having a severe learning disability, ultimately attending and gradating from college. Meet Mason:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=960

Have you met a "Mason" in your profession? Let us know about your student's story:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1340&v=c&conf_id=361&topic_id=968

4. SCAFFOLDING YOUNG READERS

Young readers benefit from varied scaffolds and supports while developing the skill of reading. Technology provides an alternative for motivating and engaging the young reader. Link to http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=58 to learn more about software that is beneficial to the young reader.

What software programs and/or Internet resources have you used with your young students to help them read?

Share your "hit" list and your techniques for using these programs:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1340&v=c&conf_id=361&topic_id=969

5. APPRENTICESHIP: AN APPROACH TO SCAFFOLDING

Apprenticeship is ubiquitous across cultures. Learners need to benefit from what we know about apprenticeship models of learning. Find out how the five basic steps of apprenticeship can be applied to learning:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=153

Think about classroom goals that can be influenced by the apprenticeship model; share your thoughts with us:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1340&v=c&conf_id=361&topic_id=970

6. INTERNET RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT READING AND COMPREHENSION

Helping students read for understanding, develop as strategic learners, and become engaged in their reading are at the heart of reading language arts instruction. Find useful Internet resources to support reading for your students:
Reading Online, May 2001

7. NEW SURVEY: DIGITAL TEXT SURVEY

CAST is developing a new initiative, the Universal Learning Center (http://ulc.cast.org), a Web-based resource that will provide access to digital curricular materials to support a diverse range of K-12 students, including those with disabilities. As part of an effort to better understand educators familiarity with and use of digital curricular materials, or digital text, as well as to help measure potential interest in this service, please take a few minutes to complete the on-line survey:
Digital Text Survey is no longer available.

8. THE CAST SUMMER INSTITUTE, 2001 AUGUST 6 - 9, 2001 - Sponsored by the Consortium

The CAST National Consortium on Universal Design for Learning is pleased to offer a summer institute, "Teaching ALL Students: Universal Design for Learning", at CAST in Peabody Massachusetts.

For more information, go to: http://www.cast.org/PDInstitutes.

9. **CONGRATULATIONS** EILEEN A. DANERI, award recipient will attend the International Symposium on Instruction Technology and Education of the Deaf

We are pleased to announce that Eileen A. Daneri will be attending the International Symposium on Instruction Technology and Education of the Deaf as a representative of the CAST National Consortium. We are anxious to have Eileen share her experiences from the Symposium with Consortium members.

Learn more about Eileen: http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1370.

Thank you to all who applied for the Symposium award.

10. CONSORTIUM SPONSORED WORKSHOP AIMS TO IMPROVE MATH INSTRUCTION

On March 14, the National Consortium on Universal Design for Learning sponsored a workshop for teachers on reshaping mathematics instruction to make it accessible to all children in the classroom. If you were not able to join us, click http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1240 to learn about innovations in math instruction.

11. SURVEY RESULTS IN: ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Read about what was learned from one of CAST¿s most recent investigations of classroom practice: an online survey querying Consortium partners¿ use of curricular adaptations and enhancements:
http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1120.

Thank you to all who took the time to complete this survey.

If you want to learn more about curricular adaptations and enhancements survey results that were completed by the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum, click: http://www.cast.org/ncac/index.cfm?i=1661

12. TOOL TIP: "Search"

The CAST Web site has a number of tools that help visitors locate, understand, and make use of CAST Web site content. This newsletter will highlight the Search tool.

All site tools can be selected from the "Site Tools" drop-down menu on every page of the CAST Web site (except the Home Page). The Search tool, however, is also available from the Home Page.

The user enters a word or phrase to search within the content of the CAST Web site. The user can confine a search to one or more areas within the CAST Web site. The scope options vary based on your current location within the site hierarchy

A Search Results page is dynamically constructed with links to the pages within the CAST Web site. As long as the Search tool is active, the search result links are displayed in the search module as the user browses the CAST Web site. Also, while the Search tool is active, and the user is on a page in the CAST Web site with the exact search term, the term is highlighted with red text and links to the term are available at the top of that page.

The Search tool module offers a link to "Advanced Search Options". Here the user can construct more complicated searches using Boolean operators AND, OR or NOT, and select other advanced search options. The search scope using advanced options is for the entire site.

Details about the Search tools are available at:
http://www.cast.org/aboutsite/Search301.cfm.

13. NEW SITE CONTENT

• Joyce Hakansson Joins CAST as Creative Director:  http://www.cast.org/about/index.cfm?i=1640

• The National Center for Accessing the Curriculum (NCAC) has published findings from a literature review and survey to understand effective adaptations and enhancements teachers make in their classrooms to accommodate different learners:

  • An Overview - Enhancements Literature Review: http://www.cast.org/ncac/index.cfm?i=1660
  • Informal Survey of Textbooks: http://www.cast.org/ncac/index.cfm?i=1662

14. NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

• Online archive of the Consortium newsletter: http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1100
• Online edition of the MyCAST news: http://www.cast.org/mycast/index.cfm?i=1080

15. "ON THE ROAD" WITH CAST

Members of the CAST staff present at many conferences throughout the year. If CAST is in your area you might like to stop in at one of the presentations.

• Conference: SERC: Special Education Resource Center
  Location: Middletown, Connecticut
  Date: June 1, 2001
  Presenter: Bart Pisha

• Conference: 7th Conference on Human Factors and the Web
  Location: Madison, Wisconsin
  URL: http://www.optavia.com/hfweb/
  Date: June 4, 2001
  Presenter: Michael Cooper

• Conference: NECC (National Educational Computing Conference)
  Location: Chicago, Illinois
  URL: http://www.neccsite.org/index.html
  Date: June 25-27, 2001

  Come by and visit our booth at NECC. Meet Judy White, Marketing Director, Universal Learning Center

• Conference: AHEAD(Association for Higher Education Access and Disability)
  Location: Portland, Oregon
  URL: http://www.ahead.org
  Date: July 24-28, 2001
  Presenter: Roxanne Ruzic

• Conference: HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) International 2001
  Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
  URL: http://hcii2001.engr.wisc.edu/
  Date: August 5, 2001
  Presenter: Michael Cooper

Thank you for your interest in CAST and our work.

Grace J. Meo
Director of the National Consortium on Universal Design for Learning
gmeo@CAST.org
http://www.cast.org

CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2001 CAST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.