Universal Design and Blackboard

Universal Design’s first principal is equitable use. Equitable use is means that that designs are useful and marketable for people with diverse abilities. Universal design in education means providing information in a variety of formats because multi-sensory methods of receiving and expressing information can make curricula more accessible for students with and without disabilities. Further, universal design means delivering instruction using a variety of teaching methods. Technology provides the capacity to easily change information from one format to another. Materials, tools, and teaching practices developed with universal design concepts in mind can support student’s learning in many modifiable ways. (Access Center, 2008)

Examples include:
A course developer can modify the increase type size for visually impaired students.

Within the assessment functions, a course developer has the ability to easily eliminate test question options for students with special learning needs.

A course developer can also change colors and fonts to make text more readable.

Blackboard and many other course management systems are great vehicles to deliver content in a variety of formats to meet students with a various needs. Because Blackboard can really be a shell that holds content, the course developer has the freedom to create courses with universal design in mind. The new versions of Blackboard with the advanced communication abilities helps further.

References Cited
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/UniversalDesign.asp