Creating Classrooms for Everyone – How interactive whiteboards support universal design for learning

White Paper

Creating Classrooms for
Everyone
How Interactive Whiteboards Support
Universal Design for Learning

This white paper is for informational purposes only, is subject to change without notice and
should not be construed as offering any future product commitments on the part of SMART
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information, SMART Technologies ULC assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors,
omissions or inaccuracies contained herein.

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Creating Classrooms for Everyone: How Interactive Whiteboards Support Universal Design for Learning 2

Introduction
Classrooms today are filled with a diverse range of students. Many of them have grown up with
computers and the Internet. Some are primarily visual learners, some are auditory learners and
some kinesthetic. Some speak English as a second language. Others may be gifted and talented.
Still others may struggle with physical, mental, behavioral or emotional challenges. In the
2003−2004 school year alone, the U.S. Department of Education reported 14 percent of U.S.
students, or nearly 6 million learners, required Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 11
percent needed English Language Learner (ELL) assistance, and 36 percent, or 17.5 million,
qualified for free or price-reduced lunches (Hoffman and Sable, 2006).

Not surprisingly, teachers find their workloads steadily increasing as they struggle to keep up with
the demands of more complex student populations. A Canadian Teachers Federation survey
noted an increase from an already heavy 51.8-hour work week in 2001 to an even more
demanding 55.6-hour week in 2005 (Price, 2005). In the UK, the National Union of Teachers cites
workload as the major cause of stress and the primary reason for teachers leaving the profession
(Andalo, 2008).

Given the demanding environment teachers inhabit today, many wonder how a sometimes
dizzying array of new classroom technology can truly help manage differentiated learning,
engage digital learners and save time. Many technology solutions, including interactive
whiteboards, are offered to ease the challenge of teaching in today’s classrooms. While few
would deny the need for technology-enabled classrooms, how can educators determine which
technology solution is right for any given learning environment? With myriad products to consider,
budgets to balance and ever-changing trends to watch, evaluating technology can seem
daunting.

A useful approach may be found in Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL has its roots in
architecture’s universal design movement, which advocates designing structures and products
that can be used equally well by everyone, whether or not they have disabilities. Borrowing from
the principles of universal design, UDL can provide a framework for evaluating which products
have the potential to work best for all learning environments. This paper examines UDL standards
and how they can help guide the evaluation and use of interactive whiteboards in today’s
classrooms.


History: Universal design for learning
In the U.S., the movement toward barrier-free design began to gain momentum in the 1950s. At
that time, wheelchair ramps, audio systems, automatic doors and other adaptations helped
reduce barriers for people with physical limitations (Center for Universal Design, n.d.). As policies
and legislation set new standards for accessibility in subsequent decades, new ideas began to
emerge. People envisioned products and structures that could be used by everyone, without
expensive or unsightly adaptations, setting the stage for universal design (Center for Universal
Design, n.d).

Universal design differed from barrier-free design as the latter solution was geared more toward
retrofitting or adapting existing structures and environments than considering the needs of all
people during the design process itself. Ron Mace, the founder of universal design, described his
philosophy as “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the
greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design” (Center for
Universal Design, n.d.). For example, where accessibility might previously have meant adding a
wheelchair ramp to an external set of stairs leading into a building, the universal design approach
would be to design access to a building at street level or via a mild slope, which accommodates
everyone with the same nonstigmatizing solution.

From the 1960s to the turn of the 21st century, significant legislation was passed to protect the
rights of people with disabilities. These laws influenced the adoption of universal design as
architects realized the aesthetic, financial and humanitarian benefits of building designs that
worked for everyone. In 1997, the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University
published seven principles of universal design:

1. Equitable use – the design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities

2. Flexibility in use – the design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences
and abilities

3. Simple and intuitive use – use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the
user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level

4. Perceptible information – the design communicates necessary information effectively
to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities


5. Tolerance for error -- the design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of
accidental or unintended actions

6. Low physical effort – the design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a
minimum of fatigue

7. Size and space for approach and use – appropriate size and space is provided for
approach, reach, manipulation and use regardless of the user's body size, posture or
mobility
(Center for Universal Design, n.d.)

From architecture and product design, the ideas behind universal design spread to other
disciplines, including education. There, through differentiated instruction and IEPs, the challenge
is not only to reduce barriers for students with special needs, but also to improve the learning
environment for all by helping to individualize instruction.

In 1984, a group of education researchers and clinicians founded the Center for Applied Special
Technology (CAST), “to explore ways of using computer technologies to improve education for all
children, especially those with disabilities” (CAST, n.d.). Influenced by universal design
guidelines, CAST researchers explored how education could be individualized through a flexible
approach to teaching methods and materials, which they called universal design for learning, or
UDL. Their work led them to develop alternatives that would not only reduce barriers for
individuals with special needs, but would also enhance learning for all students. According to
CAST, “addressing the divergent needs of special populations increases usability for everyone”
(Rose and Meyer, 2002, section 4.2).

In the course of their research, CAST developed three enduring principles of UDL:

1. Provide multiple means of representation – give learners various ways to acquire
information and knowledge

2. Provide multiple means of action and expression – give learners alternatives for
demonstrating what they know

3. Provide multiple means of engagement – tap into learners’ interests, offer appropriate
challenges and increase motivation (Rose and Meyer, 2002, section 4.3)


UDL principles provide insight into how noninclusive curricula and reliance on traditional media,
such as printed texts, lead to a one-size-fits-all approach, which misses the mark for many
learners, regardless of whether or not they have special needs. In such contexts, the onus to
adapt is placed on students, as noted by Thomas Hehir in “Eliminating Ableism in Education”:
“We often attempt to retrofit the child with inappropriate interventions after they have failed in
school, rather than design the instructional program from the beginning to allow for access and
success” (Hehir, 2002, p.20). When educational technologies and curricula embed UDL
principles, they ensure students can access, use and engage with learning materials in multiple
ways. This flexibility more effectively supports the needs of all learners (Rose and Meyer, 2006).

UDL principles and interactive whiteboards
Interactive whiteboards are designed to engage a wide variety of students in the learning
process. They evolved from constructivist pedagogy and support each of the three principles of
universal design for learning. The product provides teachers with multiple ways to represent
information using interactive text, images, sound and video files, and thus engage a broad range
of learners. Students can use the same features of the product to demonstrate their
understanding of a topic. Touch-sensitive boards in particular give multiple options for interacting
with displayed information, including by finger, pen tool or other object. Finally, interactive
whiteboards captivate learners of the digital age, increasing student engagement with instant,
tactile access to digital resources. The following sections review these principles in greater detail.

Multiple means of representation
Interactive whiteboards and differentiated learning
One of the key strengths of interactive whiteboards are their ability to simplify and speed the
process of sharing information using a variety of media formats, either as planned or
spontaneous elements of a lesson. Teachers can, for example, embed multimedia into existing
lessons, launch a WebQuest on a topic as it arises, listen to a symphony, view the Pyramids via
Google Earth™ and likewise enable students to actively demonstrate their knowledge to the class
through whatever media they desire. Using multiple media enables a “more diversified, flexible
palette for communication,” and allows teachers to select the best medium for a particular
purpose and audience (Rose and Meyer, 2006, p.19).

This flexibility not only expands the scope of learning in the classroom, but also succeeds in
engaging learners of the digital age. In a 2007 report entitled Evaluation of the Primary Schools
Whiteboard Expansion Project Report to the Department for Children, Schools and Families,
researchers from the British Education and Communications Technology Agency (Becta) noted


that “pupils are universally enthusiastic about interactive whiteboards, because of their clear
visibility (‘We can see!’), the easy access they give to ICT through touch, and the added variety
they bring to lessons” (Somekh, et al., 2007, p. 4).

Because interactive whiteboards speak to the multiple senses of sight, sound and touch, they
help reinforce topics and create a compelling focal point in the classroom. Teachers can use the
boards to build in informational redundancies, for example, by bringing up images or diagrams
during a lesson that provide additional reference material, thereby benefiting all students, and in
particular those with learning and behavioral challenges. These strategies also help ESL
students by providing additional context for discussions and lessons.

Many teachers today effectively use interactive whiteboards to appeal to multiple senses and
learning styles within the same lesson. They can turn anatomy lessons, grammar activities,
geography – even dissections – into engaging virtual, yet tactile and interactive, experiences for
every student, which has tremendous potential for differentiated learning.

The interactive whiteboard acts as a multimodal portal, giving teachers the potential to
use still images, moving images and sound, and when used in this way, it can address
the needs of learners who find text difficult as the only mode of communication
(Somekh, et al., 2007, p. 6).

Some interactive whiteboards also allow teachers to capture lessons as audio and video files for
distance education, future use, or for students who are absent or who cannot attend class
because of illness or injury.

Multiple means of expression
Accommodating learners with special needs
A key benefit of using interactive whiteboards to accommodate diverse student populations is the
fact that students do not need to be able to use all the features of the interactive whiteboard to
unlock its educational potential. The technology enables multiple means of expression, benefiting
students of all ages and abilities.

Fine motor delay
Younger students and those with fine-motor challenges can operate interactive whiteboards by
using special pens, a finger or fist, or any object, such as a tennis ball, depending on the type of
board used. Those who cannot type or write can still benefit from lessons and participate in
activities using drag-and-drop techniques on the board. Even students with severely limited


movement who are able to use switch systems to control their computers can use the same
systems to operate interactive whiteboards.

The sense of accomplishment and mastery for students with physical challenges boosts self-
esteem while increasing their engagement in the lesson. Becta noted, for example, that “young
children who have not yet acquired writing skills, and older pupils with special educational needs,
are highly motivated by being able to demonstrate their skills and knowledge with the tapping and
dragging facilities of the interactive whiteboard” (Somekh, et al., 2007, p. 7).

Visually challenged
Educators can use interactive whiteboards to adapt material for students with visual challenges in
a variety of ways. For example, they can resize text and graphics, and adjust brightness or
contrast controls as needed. Students with limited vision can often write on the surface of the
board because the brightness and scale is greater than that of a pen and paper or traditional
chalkboard. Educators can also play videos, enlarging the image so their students can view detail
they wouldn’t be able to see on a smaller computer screen. This enables students to not only
view information that would be otherwise inaccessible, but also to interact with objects on-screen
and participate more fully in the lesson.

Deaf students
Interactive whiteboards are also a boon for teachers of deaf students. Interactive whiteboards
with finger-touch capabilities enable educators to keep their hands free of pen tools, which can
interfere with signing. At Ireland’s St. Mary’s School for Deaf Girls in Cabra, Dublin, educators
found that the technology helped keep the entire class on track, particularly during lessons that
involved reading text:

In practical terms, the IWB allows one to hold the attention of all students at the same
time. When textbooks or worksheets are used in teaching deaf students, they have to
look down to read the text and it is very time consuming to get the attention of the
students again. The IWB greatly reduces this problem. We can read information from
the board and sign at the same time. This increases the opportunities for
communication between teachers and students (McLafferty, 2007).

Mental and behavioral challenges
For students with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, attention-deficit disorder and other mental or
behavioral challenges, maintaining focus can be a significant issue. Interactive whiteboards,
which provide a stimulating focal point for lessons, can therefore be a tremendous asset. In


addition to capturing student interest, interactive whiteboards give ongoing visual reinforcement to
complement instruction, offering students another sensory channel to help them process
information. Educators then have the option to appeal to one or more senses when presenting
information, which helps keep students engaged and on task. And for many students, the intrinsic
reward of being able to use the interactive whiteboard when answering a question or playing a
game provides a compelling reason to stay focused (K. Kautz, personal communication, January
17, 2007).

Many students with mental and behavioral challenges may also struggle with expressive
communication, so being able to manipulate information on an interactive whiteboard to answer
questions gives them new avenues for sharing knowledge. Some educators use the interactive
whiteboard to view videos that depict social situations. This provides students with the opportunity
to view and analyze social interactions in order to learn and practice appropriate responses (K.
Kautz, personal communication, January 17, 2007).

Interactive whiteboards and IEPs
Educators who use interactive whiteboards find that not only is the technology a helpful teaching
tool, but it can also maximize collaboration and facilitate clear communication in meetings with
the special education team (C. Swanson, personal communication, January 14, 2007). Special-
needs educators work within a team of educators, administrators, parents and specialists to
create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The team meets to chart achievement goals and
discuss progress. Using an interactive whiteboard to view and add input to the IEP enables
individuals to examine the plan in tandem, discuss key points and record notes during the
meeting. Being able to do this in a group setting helps keep everyone up to date and ensures the
correct information is captured to the IEP. Once it is saved and agreed upon, the meeting
organizer can e-mail the information to the team for future reference (C. Swanson, personal
communication, January 14, 2007).

Interactive whiteboards in the field
Interactive whiteboards are a key classroom element for students in exclusively special-needs
schools. For example, Stephen Hawking School in Neckargemünd, Germany, a private school
™
primarily for students with physical disabilities, installed the first of many SMART Board
interactive whiteboards in its classrooms in 2002. Across the Atlantic, the Florida School for the
Deaf and Blind, the largest school of its kind in the United States, standardized on SMART Board
interactive whiteboards in 2005.


Flexibility is a major feature for some classrooms in particular. The Bridge Academy in London,
England, teaches students with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), autistic
spectrum disorders (ASD) and severe learning disabilities (SLD). Needing an interactive
whiteboard that could be operated by all students, including those who weren’t able to hold a pen,
administrators chose to install SMART Board interactive whiteboards in each classroom.

Multiple means of engagement
Providing digital tools for digital natives
As Marc Prensky noted in Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, “our students have changed
radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to
teach” (Prensky, 2001). Prensky asserts that students today are qualitatively different from the
generations that did not grow up with the Internet, MP3 players, video games and cell phones.
Their thought processes are less linear, they demand instant access to information, and they are
fluent in digital media their teachers are still learning about (Prensky, 2001).

To engage these learners effectively, teachers need technologies that enable their students to
speak their “native” tongue (Prensky, 2001). Interactive whiteboards are suitable for presentation
and interaction, and they provide access to all types of media and the Internet. For students of
the digital age, whose lives outside the classroom are inundated with technology, having an
interactive whiteboard in classrooms also provides continuity. Their need for instant answers and
desire for stimulating, media-rich environments find satisfaction in the large, colorful displays,
touch control and sound capabilities that most boards provide. As a venue for content, the
interactive whiteboard gives digital learners the immediacy they desire and the ability to find,
create, synthesize, share, organize and play with information in new and exciting ways.

Effect on student achievement
With the ability to engage a broader spectrum of students in multiple ways, educators are quick to
appreciate the benefits of interactive whiteboards. Solid evidence exists that interactive
whiteboards have a positive effect on student engagement. The Becta study concluded that
interactive whiteboards supported whole-class teaching, focused students’ attention and
increased engagement (Somekh, et al., 2007).

However, an additional, critical factor in determining the value of interactive whiteboards in
diverse student populations is their effect on student achievement, or attainment. Far from being
faddish, the value of interactive whiteboards actually increases over time. In the same study,
researchers reported a positive correlation between students’ achievement gains and the amount


of experience their teachers had with interactive whiteboards, highlighting the critical role
teachers play in using technology to benefit their students (Somekh, et al., 2007).

Seven key features of interactive whiteboards that support
UDL principles
As UDL tools, interactive whiteboards provide educators and students with a variety of avenues
for creating, presenting and sharing information, including text, images, drawings, websites,
charts, sound and video files. Interactive whiteboards engage students by appealing to all
learning modalities and providing new opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge. But not all
models are the same, so knowing which one is best for any given situation depends on the needs
of the learning environment in question. The following points outline several important features for
consideration:

1. Is the interactive whiteboard you are considering truly easy to learn and use? Look online
for objective reviews and ask educators who use the product to evaluate its ease of use.
Test the board yourself to find out how intuitive it really is.

2. Do you need a pen-only board or one that accepts input from fingers, pen tools and other
devices? Having the flexibility to shift from pen tools to fingers or other devices can be
important in meeting the technology needs of diverse student populations.

3. Can the software license be used in multiple instructional arrangements and
environments without additional fees?

4. Is the product designed for accessibility? Does it have toolbars that can be moved around
the screen to make them easy to reach? Will you need a wireless slate to interact with
the content from anywhere in the classroom? Do you require a height-adjustable stand so
you can raise or lower the screen?

5. What kinds of training programs are available and how flexible they are in meeting the
needs of your staff? Effective and accessible training is the key to empowering teachers
with new technology. Check with others who have taken all or some of the programs to
see if they found them helpful.

6. Do professional development programs or user communities exist for the product? Are
they virtual and local? These resources help teachers get the most out of the product and


enrich the classroom experience for everyone. Find out how well the programs are used
and supported, and if they have been successful in attracting an active community.

7. How well established is the brand? Take advantage of your professional networks and
ask around. The more established the brand, the greater the potential for online
communities to share information and advice – this is important for educators looking to
expand their skills or to collaborate with geographically dispersed peers and their
students.

The benefits of choosing SMART
SMART Board interactive whiteboards have flexible, intuitive features that help teachers and
students adapt to the challenges of the 21st century classroom while enriching learning for all. The
products are also supported by comprehensive training and professional development programs,
backed by solid warranties, and chosen more often than all other interactive whiteboard brands
combined.

From a usability perspective, SMART’s robust hardware and easy-to-use software are perfect for
the demands of the classroom. Moveable tool bars, height-adjustable screens, pen-and-finger
operation and other options allow even severely physically disabled students an opportunity to
participate in lessons. This versatility also gives teachers a broad range of options for
accommodating diverse abilities, creating differentiated lessons and appealing to every learning
style.

SMART invented the interactive whiteboard in 1987. Today, it continues to drive innovation by
supporting a research and development team of more than 200 scientists, engineers and other
specialists. It remains focused on providing the best user experience by actively collaborating
with teachers and students – each new version of software or hardware incorporates features and
suggestions from classrooms around the world. Choosing a SMART Board interactive whiteboard
is an investment in industry-leading classroom technology for both teachers and students for
many years to come.

Conclusion
Because interactive whiteboards conform to UDL principles, they are adaptable to even the most
unique learning environments and student populations. The opportunity to present information in
multiple ways, allow flexible means of expression, and engage learners of the digital age makes it
a natural fit with UDL and a vital part of today’s inclusive classrooms. And while interactive


whiteboards in general play a critical role in education, those with flexible, intuitive interfaces,
plentiful, high-quality digital resources, an established track record and strong customer support
hold the most potential for universal appeal and effective classroom use.

For more information
SMART education consultants (all former educators) and SMART-authorized resellers work with
educators to determine the right products for their classrooms. They can be contacted at
www.smarttech/wheretobuy.com.

To learn more about SMART products and services, go to www.smarttech.com.


References
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Retrieved www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/mar/14/schools.news.

CAST, n.d. Center for Applied Special Technology website. Retrieved December 29, 2008 from
www.cast.org/about/index.html.

Center for Universal Design, n.d. Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University
website. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from
www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/udhistory.htm.

www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/about_ud.htm.

(www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/udprinciples.htm)

Hehir, T. (2002). Eliminating ableism in education. Harvard Educational Review, Volume 72,
Number 1. ISSN 0017-8055. Available from www.hepg.org/her/abstract/64.

Hoffman, L., & Sable, J. (2006). Public elementary and secondary students, staff, schools, and
school districts: School year 2003–04 (NCES 2006-307). U.S. Department of
Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved
December 29, 2008 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006307.pdf.

McLafferty, L. (2007). Interactive whiteboards: A quiet revolution in the classroom. CABHAIR, the
Newsletter of the Special Education Support Service (SESS), Issue 1, April, 2007.
Retrieved on December 29, 2008 from www.sess.ie/sess/Files/cabhairissue1.pdf.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved on December 29, 2008, from
www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Price, T., (2005). Address to 2005 annual general meeting, July 15, 2005. Retrieved December
29, 2008, from www.ctf-fce.ca/enews/Vol2_6/President_%20message.pdf.

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for
learning. Retrieved December 29, 2008, from
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Rose D., & Meyer, A. (2006). The universally designed classroom: Accessible curriculum and
digital technologies. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Education Press.

Somekh, B., Haldane, M., Jones, K., Lewin, C., Steadman, S., Scrimshaw, P., et al., (2007).
Evaluation of the Primary Schools Whiteboard Expansion Project: Report to the
Department for Children, Schools and Families. Centre for ICT, Pedagogy and
Learning Education & Social Research Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University.
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