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

CSE, the University of Michigan, and the Center for Applied Special Technology is applying the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) so that science curricula can be customized to serve a wide range of student learning needs. This project is developing UDL design heuristics for Universal Design for Science; 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 developing and evaluating UDL exemplar units in physical and life sciences that illustrate the application of the UDL ISS inquiry-based curricula and the benefits of the resulting curricula to middle and high school students with and without learning disabilities. The project will expand and improve the achievement of underserved and often marginalized students, and will provide information about what contributes to their success in learning science. Design heuristics, curriculum exemplars, and the ISS will enable curriculum developers to apply what is learned in this project to other materials in an efficient and cost-effective manner, and will open many research opportunities from this foundational work.