Corinne Renguette, Julie Stella, School of Engineering and Technology
Principal Investigator: Corinne Renguette, associate professor, Department of Technology Leadership and Communication, School of Engineering and Technology
Co-Principal Investigator: Julie Stella, visiting lecturer, Department of Technology Leadership and Communication, School of Engineering and Technology
Project Title: UDL & Accessibility in TCM: A Model for Expansion
Funding Level: $10,000
Abstract: Accessible education materials benefit students with varying abilities by using intentionally inclusive design and assistive technologies to develop course materials geared toward reducing barriers. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) goes beyond accessibility needs and considers an even broader range of users to optimize learning for all. Recognizing the natural variability of the student body can help us redesign courses with UDL and create a strong model for other areas. The Technical Communication program (TCM) has a recently approved accelerated BS/MS (MS in Technology, concentration in TCM) degree program, a relatively new BS program (2014), a healthy undergraduate certificate program, and a long-standing, strong service course presence. Beyond TCM majors and certificate students, most students in the School of Engineering and Technology are required to take at least one TCM course to improve their technical communication skills. Because of the large number of students impacted through the TCM courses, it is important that TCM begin the work toward improving the design of these courses, so they are optimized for all students. The School of Engineering and Technology has a diverse student body with a large international population and an increasing number of students with differing abilities. For this reason, TCM must create a UDL model that can be adapted to the many TCM courses. UDL is not widely known or used across the curriculum, and accessibility is often thought about on an as-needed basis. The TCM program would like to take a proactive approach to UDL and accessibility in the curriculum.