Web 2.0 and UDL

      Web 2.0 has become a phenomenal way for educators to fully execute a Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  Teachers not only can educate their students in the classroom, but they are able to educate outside of the classroom as well.  Web 2.0 has given us the opportunity to fully take advantage of the internet by not only letting us look up information on a website, but also by allowing us to post information to share with others as well.  we can share information with thousands if not millions of people at a time when previously we would have never thought that was possible.  By using web 2.0 students can interact with not only their fellow students, but also their teachers.  Previously people were only able to see information presented to them on web sites but now anyone can post information to share with other people.     

     Web 2.0 is a wonderful tool to use in education because it increases learning potential as well as success in students.  According to the Center for Applied Special Technology, UDL is defined as providing "a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs." UDL involves the use of technology and other sources to help students live up to their full learning potential, and web 2.0 is a wonderful source for students to do just that. 

     For students with disabilities there are many benefits to using web 2.0.  One benefit is that it gives students a chance to communicate more with each other in a way in which they otherwise wouldn't.  It also give higher level students a chance to challenge themselves more and help students who may need help which is yet another way to work on social skills.  I think that another wonderful thing that Web 2.0 can do for the special education classroom is make students more independent by letting them work on the computer on their own.  Also, children who may not have the ability to write can use the technology to assist them in their work. One negative possibility of Web 2.0 is that an educator may not fully understand how to utilize it in the classroom.  Also, another negative possibility is that a school may not have enough money in the budget for the school to provide enough computers needed for students to utilize this form of education.

     I feel that web 2.0 is a wonderful resource for the classroom and fits in well with UDL.  The purpose of UDL is to give all student the ability to succeed in the classroom, and using web 2.0 does just that.  Not only can web 2.0 help students succeed in the classroom, I feel that it can also help students enjoy learning which in my opinion is very important because students are more likely to do well when they are enjoying themselves.