Instructional Principles, Universal Learning Design and the role of technologies

Abstract

Inclusion rises new and important challenges in educational design and practices. Curriculum design should not be addressed to an "average student" and subsequently adapted to special subjects; instead it should be conceived so as to be for all since the very beginning of the design, taking into account the various peculiarities (special needs, gifted students, cultural differences, language differences). Fields such as the architectural design and technology design, have already fully endorsed the Universal Access principles; more recently the educational domain has also started to endorse a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective. Inside this context we propose an "Instructional Design for All" model (IDAll), which moves from a comparative analysis of Gagné, Merrill and Cognitive Load Theory general models matching it with the domain of Special Needs. Within this theoretical framework we focus on how technology becomes a crucial asset for an effective approach to Universal Design Learning implementation. The role of technology is relevant for the increased flexibility in setting up learning environments (face2face, online, in mobility) and for the increased possibility of customizing the education according to specific contexts and needs.