Purpose: In response to the underexplored need for holistically inclusive makerspaces for learning, we put propose the "SCAFFOLD" framework, which considers equity, inclusion and accessibility in the design of spaces and activities for socioculturally diverse learners. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes a universal design…

An important goal of any sexuality education program is to support youth and young adults to develop a positive self-image and develop competence and confidence in skills needed to express sexuality and develop positive relationships. For youth and young adults with disabilities, sexuality education is offered far less often than for their same…

In light of the growing population of students with disabilities at colleges and universities worldwide, faculty development connected to accessible teaching is of paramount importance. Drawing from the existing literature and from the results of a qualitative study of educational accessibility at one Canadian university, this article offers a…

With the increasing number of students enrolling in distance education, there is a need to consider the accessibility of course materials in online learning environments. Four major groups of disabilities: mobility, auditory, visual, and cognitive are explored as they relate to their implementation into instructional design and their impact on…

An interdisciplinary partnership within an European Leonardo da Vinci project has developed a new approach aimed at educating secondary school students in the creation of built environments accessible to disabled people and at sensitizing them towards the inclusion of people with disabilities in all realms of social life. The AWARD (Accessible…

A teacher faces hostility from certain colleagues who view his decision to attend a controversial lecture as tantamount to the repudiation of the principle of inclusive education and the rights of students with disabilities. The teacher sees the proposed boycott of the lecture as a form of censorship threatening freedom of inquiry and critical…

Universal design (UD), a concept that grew from the field of architecture, has recently emerged as a paradigm for designing instructional methods, curriculum, and assessments that are welcoming and accessible to students with a wide range of characteristics, including those related to race, ethnicity, native language, gender, age, and disability.…

Principals and teachers need a framework that will allow school personnel to reach and teach all students within the general education setting. One such framework is universal design for learning (UDL). UDL is achieved by means of flexible curricular materials and activities that provide alternatives for students with disparities in abilities and…

In order to better prepare rehabilitation counselors to meet the needs of older workers, Kampfe, Wadsworth, Smith, and Harley (2005) suggested that aging issues can be infused into the curriculum of rehabilitation education programs. This article is a follow-up to the earlier publication that called for infusion of aging issues into the…

This book offers guidelines for elementary school teachers for making adaptations in reading and mathematics instruction for students with mild disabilities in the general education classroom. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 1 presents eight principles for materials adaption organized according to the acronym FLEXIBLE: F-feasible…

The importance of accessibility to digital e-learning resources is widely acknowledged. The World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative has played a leading role in promoting the importance of accessibility and developing guidelines that can help when developing accessible web resources. The accessibility of e-learning resources…

Discussion of the principle of least restrictive environment (LRE) in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reviews sociopolitical, legal, and educational data. The article suggests that concerns about LRE placement have obscured the preeminent issue of free and appropriate instruction, another IDEA principle. Some principles of…

This book offers guidelines for designing the cognitive supports to instructional materials for students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Chapter 1, an introduction, describes the contexts of change, including the changing demography of learners, which has increased the curricular and instructional complexity that teachers face…

This training manual provides practical guidelines for staff development in supported employment programs for individuals with severe disabilities. It provides information on designing and developing training programs using adult learning principles, for program managers or trainers responsible for implementing inservice training and technical…