Solutions for Universal Design for Learning

Supporting the UDL framework with technology for every student.

What is UDL?

Universal design for learning is defined by CAST as, “a framework to improve and optimise teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.” The UDL approach to teaching minimises barriers and maximises outcomes for all learners. It begins with the foundational understanding that every learner is highly variable. In any classroom or learning environment, you can expect that there will be a wide range of interests, background experiences, and skills.

Texthelp tools are designed with UDL at their core. The tools allow learners choice in the way they access and engage with educational content as well as variations in how they demonstrate mastery and understanding.

Multiple means of engagement

When we talk about engagement in education, we are focused on providing learners with multiple ways to access and interact with content. This could include using pictures, audio, video, or text; providing multiple levels of difficulty; or offering different tasks that appeal to different learning needs.

Texthelp tools provide learners with an array of methods to find relevance in their learning and allow them to persist when learning is challenging.

Read&Write

With over 20 tools to choose from, Read&Write allows you to create a richer and more engaging learner experience for everyone in the classroom. It provides many opportunities to remove barriers and make learning more accessible. Tools such as picture dictionaries, audio maker, and text-to-speech, Read&Write helps to make learning more equitable for every learner.

Orbitnote

OrbitNote helps to make inaccessible content more accessible for all learners. OrbitNote transforms inaccessible PDF documents into dynamic and collaborative workspaces that work for every workstyle.

Equatio

Equatio helps to make math and science more accessible and engaging for every learner. It has many tools to help every learner in your class get to grips with new and challenging STEM concepts. Learners can hear math read aloud, they can visualise graphs with our Desmos integration, and they can use Mathspace to experiment with shapes and spaces.

Multiple means of representation

The Representation principle in the UDL framework makes sure that learners can learn and use information in lots of different ways. This might mean using different ways to show information, like listening, looking, or doing things. It could also mean using pictures or short sentences to help remember important ideas after each lesson.

Texthelp tools provide many ways to present educational content, from imagery, through to hearing content read aloud.

Read&Write

Read&Write is built with UDL in mind. This means that there are many options for learners to use and access information. Tools like text-to-speech and audio maker allow learners to hear written text read aloud. Picture Dictionaries and vocabulary lists mean students can see visual representations of words and topics.

OrbitNote

Using OrbitNote allows for seamless collaboration, for example, teachers could leave a quick voice note for students offering feedback. Students can then access the voice note and make changes to their work. Students could use a range of tools to ask teachers for help, identifying areas that need more support. Pen and paper projects can become digital spaces for working together, allowing collaboration between teachers and students, as well as for group projects and tasks.

Equatio

Equatio’s accessibility features help learners to be independent in every STEM subject. It improves their learning experiences by giving them choice in how they learn. This includes having math read aloud, using “math to speech” and taking math beyond pen and paper to visualise concepts digitally. Equatio lets students visualise, digitise and understand math with independence in ways that best suit their needs.

Multiple means of action and expression

The Action and Expression principle lets learners show what they know and can do in lots of different ways. They can use different tools to make meaning and show they're really good at something. This could be talking in front of the class, writing stories, making cool projects on the computer, or working together with others.

With Texthelp tools, learners can choose how they demonstrate their mastery of a topic.

Read&Write

Read&Write allows educators to facilitate learners in their choice of action and expression. Among the 20 tools, learners can choose to demonstrate their mastery in audio and written formats, whichever way they feel most comfortable and confident.

OrbitNote

OrbitNote allows students to express their understanding in many flexible ways. They can type or draw their thoughts on the page, which can aid planning. Students can highlight the key points in a comprehension piece or to help with studying. Both teachers and students can use their voices to send thoughts and feedback, and finally students can add shapes and images to their work.

Equatio

Explaining your thinking in maths takes more than one line, and a combination of maths expressions and text. Multiple lines and shapes and freehand drawing in Equatio mathspace helps students demonstrate their understanding. Equatio mathspace integrates with Google Classroom, meaning each student has easy access to their own mathspace to solve. From here they can show their thought processes and knowledge and return to you through the mathspace dashboard.

You can see more on how Read&Write and Equatio can help you incorporate the UDL framework on the pages below.

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What our customers say

“It is far easier to create interesting and engaging maths resources using Equatio. This helps students to be more involved and helps them respond to maths using various tools.”