Journal of English Language Teaching

Universal Design for Learning as a Drive for Inclusive Language Development

Ananthi G Pillai

Assistant Professor and Course Coordinator, Department of Special Education Society for Advance Study in Rehabilitation (SASR) Faridabad, Haryana- 121 009

Keywords: Universal Design for Learning, language development, language skills, primary schooling, large size effect, inclusion

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Abstract

The present study Universal Design for Learning as a drive for Inclusive Language Development was carried out with 30 samples of Primary school students from Haryana, India. These 30 are chosen by Stratified random sampling method from the data record of Society for Advance Study in Rehabilitation (SASR) Haryana. Nineteen of them are from CBSE (Central) schools and the remaining eleven are from state board schools. The same students are further divided into two based on the gender; 20 boys and 10 girls. Among the 30 students 18 are having siblings and other 12 are single don’t have siblings. The investigators employed a quasi-experimental method for the conduct of the study. Independent variables are gender, type of school, and siblings’ status. Detail of the primary school students are collected by administrating the checklists developed by the investigator. The study reveals, large size of effect in the Cohen-d calculation. Introducing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the primary school stage helps in language development skills. The recorded significant difference is the evidence of the findings. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a platform for the language development process in all stages, higher in the primary school stage. Admitting UDL principles in the primary school stage prevents the students from becoming learning disabled (LD). Universal Design for Learning will decrease the count of learning-disabled population. Thus, the Universal Design for Learning strengthens the inclusion process at an early stage of education. 

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