Student Guide Corner

IF we immediately stopped buying textbooks, AND used some of the strategies here , AND, IF we cancelled all copying machine rental contracts, all laminating machine and most paper purchases AND used curriculum resources from Larry Ferlazzo selected by subject area, free resources from the Net for (Special) Education by Paul Hamilton , the free UDL resources here at CAST , and the Free Technology Toolkit for UDL in All Classrooms , THEN , we would end the school budget crisis TODAY and make the curriculum accessible to 99% of all students, including those with learning, cognitive and physical disabilities. Reducing unneccessary budget expenditures while removing the obstacles to learning and shifting instructional methods away from textbooks, lecture and print-based materials (which no research has validated as superior methods) provides money for actual learning. Do you have a better solution? photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracy_olson/61056391/

One of my favorite deep thinkers about all things special education, UDL and learning is Ira Socol who blogs at SpeEdChange . Ira has eloquently and persuasively advocated building the skills necessary to allow students to create personal toolbelts in his post, Toolbelt Theory for Everyone . If you haven't read it yet, you need to. Here's a sample: The only way to allow students to assemble this essential toolbelt for information and communication is to to throw open your classroom and let the world in. How will your students know which calendar works for them - the one on their phone, Google Calendar with SMS appointment texting, Microsoft Outlook, or any of a dozen paper systems unless you allow them to try them out? How will your students know whether they 'get' a novel better by listening to an audiobook, or reading it on paper, or using text-to-speech, if you don't let them experience all repeatedly and help them decide? Will their choice be the same when the...