Principle of Representation Guideline 2- Language and Symbols

(This a series on Universal Design for Learning)

Universal Design for Learning

Principle of Representation - Guideline 2 - Language & Symbols

The first principle of Universal Design for Learning, ‘provide multiple means of representation”, help promote an inclusive learning environments on many levels. When developing a course and focusing on this principle, there are three guidelines to follow. They are:

1. Perception
2. Language and Symbols
3. Comprehension.

We are now going to take a deeper the second guideline. 

The second guideline, Language and Symbols, focuses on maintaining clarity about the content provided. How people interpret language or symbols can vary greatly depending on their frame of reference.  For example, a picture may have two different meanings depending differing cultural backgrounds. When content is provided in only one representation, inequalities may arise because not all learners share the same frame of reference. Part of supplying multiple representations is to clarify the content being presented. As you develop the material be sure that you can meet the following criteria:

1. Clarify your terms (vocabulary and symbols).
2. Support decoding mathematical notation, symbols, and other text.
3. Promote understanding across languages.
4. Illustrate through multiple media

By adopting this instructional strategy, more learners benefit. The alternative representations provided both promote accessibility as well as add clarity and comprehensibility for all learners.

Missing Menus in Blackboard

You sign into Blackboard and you discover that the menu is missing.  You can only see the homepage.  All your content seems to be missing.  

Don't panic. 

The menu is only hidden.  In Blackboard, if you mouse-over the divider line separating the content and the menu, you will see an arrow.  This hides the menu to offer more space to show the content. You can unhide the menu, by mousing-over the side of the window and selecting the expand arrow.  In two shakes of a lamb’s tail, the menu re-appears. 

The hidden menu occasionally occurs in Windows 10, but can occur in other operating systems, and is sometimes browser dependent.  

Tip:  If an embedded video does not play, sometimes it requires more screen real estate for the play function to trigger.  Try hiding the menu, and then try the playing the embedded video.