Events
Congressional Briefing :: May
19, 2010
Meeting the Needs of All Students in
ESEA: How Universal Design for Learning Improves Outcomes
for Students & Schools
Congressional Briefing Stresses the Importance of UDL for
All Students
On May 19, 2010 at the Capitol Visitor's Center in Washington,
DC, the National UDL Task Force sponsored a Congressional
briefing called Meeting the Needs of All Students in ESEA:
How Universal Design for Learning Improves Outcomes for Students & Schools
National UDL Task Force Policy Committee Co-chair Reggie
Felton of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) welcomed
the 55 attendees who represented 12 Congressional offices
and both the Senate HELP committee and the House Committee
on Education and the Workforce, key national education and
disability organizations and members of the press.
After Communication Committee Co-chair Dr. Patti Ralabate
of the National Education Association (NEA) offered a brief
presentation debunking the myths around UDL, Center for Applied
Special Technology (CAST) co-founders Dr. David Rose and
Dr. Anne Meyer presented an excellent overview of UDL which
included a brief video of UDL principles in action. On behalf
of the National Association of State Directors of Special
Education, Amanda Fitzgerald introduced the following Maryland
educators who shared real examples of UDL in practice. Dr.
Denise DeCoste, the High Incidence Accessible Technology
Team Leader in Montgomery County, MD, discussed how UDL is
being implemented in her school district and how UDL provisions
in ESEA would help with that work. Leigh String, a Montgomery
County 4th grade teacher in a UDL pilot school, demonstrated
implementation strategies she uses and UDL's impact on learning
for her students. Task Force chair Ricki Sabia of the National
Down Syndrome Society summarized the UDL recommendations
for ESEA and moderated a lively question-answer session.
In addition, CAST's Jenna Gavel and Anne Meyer showed how
to access resources available on the National UDL Center's
website, www.udlcenter.org.
From the response and questions of the Congressional staff
attending, it was evident that the briefing accomplished
its purposes which included: 1) increasing awareness and
understanding of UDL among key Congressional staff who will
be involved in ESEA's reauthorization, 2) clarifying how
UDL can help schools meet the learning needs of all students,
and 3) sharing the Task Force's recommendations for ESEA's
reauthorization. The briefing was possible through the assistance
of Kim Hymes of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
and the generous support of the Association of Assistive
Technology Act Programs, the Council for Exceptional Children,
the National Association of State Directors of Special Education,
the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the National
Down Syndrome Society, the National Education Association
and the National School Boards Association.
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