TITLE:
Using the ADAPT Strategy to Facilitate the Thinking Process of Creating Universal Design Based Instructional Adaptions and Differentiation in Lesson Plans for Diverse Learners
AUTHORS:
Michelle Chamblin
KEYWORDS:
Special Education, Students with Disabilities, Adaptions, Modifications, Instructional Strategies, Inclusion, Learning Strategies, General Education, Teacher Learning, Universal Design for Learning, Lesson Plans
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
16,
2017
ABSTRACT:
The effects of a learning
strategy to prompt deeper thinking and the incorporation of more UDL
instructional differentiations and adaptions in the lesson plans by pre service
and early career teachers were examined. Class 1 (control) received a 2.5 hour lecture with guided practice about Universal
Design for Learning. Class 2 (experimental) received a 2.5 lecture with guided
practice about Universal Design for Learning with the ADAPT Strategy
incorporated. A
modeled thinking process of the ADAPT strategy was provided. The participants’
(n = 43) application of Universal Design
strategies to adapt lesson
plans for
diverse learners was compared using a rubric. Three lesson plans for each participant was collected for both Class 1
and Class 2. The first lesson plan was collected in the beginning of the course
prior to instruction; the second, after the 2.5 lecture with guided practice
for Class 1 (control) and the UDL training with the ADAPT strategy for Class 2 (experimental). The third
lesson plan was collected four weeks after for both Class 1 and 2 as a second
posttest. Class 2
(experimental) employed more UDL strategies and scored significantly higher
than Class 1 (control)
on the second and final lesson plan. Moreover, Class 2 participants had
adaptions which were well connected to the lesson, evidenced by explicit explanations of
where, when and why the adaption would be used. Additionally, more evidences of tying the lesson to the
learners in the case study were
noted. The results suggest that experience in thinking about “how” to create adaptions may be a
necessary opportunity required by pre-service and early career teachers to
practice differentiating instruction and making adaptation.