UDI Project Activities

It has been a busy season for the Universal Design for Instruction Project. Following are highlights of some of the key activities that have been underway this spring.

• Construction and expansion of the Project's website have continued with the addition of new resources. Sample instructional products are now posted at the Facultyware site under "Instructional Freeware," reflecting various media including text, audio, and video instructional products.
• A new on-line Disability Resource Manual for faculty and administrators who are newcomers to the topic of disability is now available under the Facultyware heading of "Related Resources."
• A UDI Fact Sheet addressing frequently asked questions will be available on the Facultyware site in June. Professionals attending the annual Postsecondary LD Training Institute (PTI) in Burlington, VT (see information under UDI Updates, this issue) will get early copies of the UDI Fact Sheet.

• Feedback was obtained from the UDI Advisory Board and a student focus group (representing students with disabilities) about ways to enhance the accessibility and general design of the Facultyware web site. Modifications and enhancements are on-going.
• Faculty from diverse colleges and universities have begun to submit instructional products for review and possible publication on the project's website. The products received to date represent many interesting types of instructional tools and academic disciplines. Check the "Instructional Freeware" section of Facultyware soon to see published instructional products and their reviews. ( And, as a reminder, if you or faculty colleagues have an instructional strategy, method, or approach that you think reflects inclusive teaching, the UDI Project offers you an opportunity to submit your product for juried review and possible publication on the website. For more information on how to submit an instructional product or strategy, see the "Instructional Freeware" section of Facultyware.)
• The UDI Project shared information about Universal Design for Instruction through presentations at two professional institutes. Dr. Stan Shaw described how the Principles of Universal Design for Instruction © anticipate the needs of diverse learners to make learning more accessible to a wide variety of students in a presentation on Postsecondary Supports for Students with Disabilities at the National Capacity Building Institute, held at Honolulu, Hawaii. Drs. Scott and McGuire co-presented a full-day workshop on Universal Design for Instruction at a training conference sponsored by the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). In collaboration with UNH colleagues, Cheryl Jorgensen and Cate Weir, the workshop was designed to present information on UDI in the morning session and tap UNH expertise on Reflective Practice in the afternoon. These complimentary approaches to faculty development resulted in an energizing day of dialogue and information exchange about inclusive college teaching for the faculty, administrators, and disability services professionals in attendance. To learn more about the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, go to http://www.iod.unh.edu/projects/community_living.html
• Another innovative activity underway this semester has involved UDI Faculty Incentive Grants. The Universal Design for Instruction Project has awarded seven incentive grants to faculty at two of the project's partner institutions, for the development of a variety of products that apply the Principles of Universal Design for Instruction © to college teaching. (See the full story, this issue.)
• " We are pleased to announce that the UDI Project has received a funding extension so current project activities will be continuing through July 2003.