BC UDL

Daily listing of free apps

Apps list for young users. Also available as a free app.

Powerful inquiry-type activity that lends itself naturally to differentiation as students can participate in a variety of levels.

Great information about popular instructional strategies.

Experience what it's like to have a learning disability. PBS website contains great information and simulations of various kinds of learning disabilities.

One of my favourite TED talks...how marketers learned not to create the perfect Pepsi but the perfect Pepsis.

Very concise summary of 6 elements of design for a great presentation summarized from Daniel Pink's book. In presenting about UDL we need to be sure we are presenting in a UDL friendly manner.

Website dedicate to real-world applications of math. Just brilliant!

Post by Kelly Tenkley includes the story of a doctor who is prescribing ADHD medications to any children who are struggling academically. He feels he has no choice as society has decided it's too expensive to modify the learning environment so we have to modify the kids. The comedic take on this is hilarious but also sadly true.

Great article by Ian Jukes. See page 21 for research showing clearly why we need to be using visual methods with the current generation.

Nice description and photos of how one teacher is using the Picture Word Induction Method in her primary classroom. PWIM posters have long been used in my district and a few teachers are beginning to use them on a SMARTBoard but I haven't seen anything written up.

Explains how to get free Android and OS apps from a number of sources.

Birchland School has been keeping data on the effectiveness of implementing UDL ever since their involvement in the UDL project. They have written up their results for both reading and writing and the results are astounding!

Paul Hamilton's brilliant new website has a great introduction to UDL and many resources organized by the UDL guidelines of multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement.

Online site lets you create storybooks collaboratively using artwork provided by the site. You can also share your creations and read books created by others.

Great videos provide 60-second recap of literature classics.

Well-known stories read by professional actors. Shows the author reading with subtitles, then pans to pictures from the book. Outstanding quality.

Great list put together by Paul Hamilton for apps that support reading and writing. Also click to the main website to see apps that support multiple means of representation, expression, engagement.

Sky's disabilities don't stop him from doing what he loves. Sky Mundell is a young jazz pianist who is totally blind, severely deaf, has cerebral palsy and brain damage that results in some autism like behaviors. He entered the Vancouver Island's Got Talent contest (VIGT) and was declared the winner from 84 contestants. He learns a song just by listening to it once or twice and can then play it. Despite being severely deaf he has perfect pitch. I first met Sky at CNIB summer camp and still play a CD he made of himself singing songs from the 40's. Such an honour to know this young man.

Great book by David Livingstone staff with many examples of how they are using SBs in their classrooms. (2nd year of the UDL project!).