Universal Design of Inquiry-Based Middle and High School Science Curriculum

EDC, the University of Michigan, and the Center for Applied Special Technology are applying the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to enable science curricula to be customized to serve a wide range of student learning needs.

This project is (1) developing UDL guidelines for Universal Design for Science; (2) designing a Web-based UDL Inquiry Science System (ISS), a software system that curriculum developers can use to digitally customize inquiry-based science curricula to incorporate UDL features; and (3) developing and evaluating a model UDL unit based on EDC’s Foundation Science Biology curriculum. This unit illustrates the application of UDL to science curricula and the resulting benefits to high school students with and without learning disabilities. The project will enable underserved and often marginalized students to expand and improve their science learning and will show what factors contribute to their success. Design guidelines, model curricula, and the ISS will enable curriculum developers to apply what they learn from this project to other materials efficiently and cost-effectively. As a result, this foundational work will create many research opportunities.