International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
access information with easier access (including executive functions), and also build internal skills including
self-regulation and motivation.
Compared to other frameworks for curriculum design, including the many ESL guidelines that include
TOEFEL and other placement test requirements, we found Universal Course Design practices to be consistent,
well-researched, and approved by multiple national centers, state education departments, and school districts.
While this case study reports on a pilot project, we anticipate that outside organizations such as ACW could help
strengthen school networks in systemic change about meeting student challenges. For instance, early
involvement with families of students considering colleges abroad would strengthen inclusive educational
environments. In discussions with international student directors and other college administrators, there is
agreement that short informational presentations that highlight how UCD within U.S. classrooms would help
faculty, families, and other communities in understanding components and features.
Future scholarship should consider building on existing research and development efforts by CAST and other
initiatives; for instance, the U.S. Department of Education often funds special education and other grants for
instructors “to provide all students, regardless of ability, with a high-quality education (U.S. Department of
Education, 2006). While such opportunities often designate goals relating to improving results for students with
disabilities, we found that many UCD accessibility guidelines fit the needs of international students.
Considering factors such as accessible textbooks, response-to-instruction, and other approaches to assisting
students can help reach every student, regardless of language or cultural context.
Finally, our study is limited in that analysis of a small sampling of international students at a U.S. college
cannot show if the adoption of UCD principles becomes important only in times of transition to classrooms or if
such efforts might be magnified with initiatives before students leave their homes. This kind of renewal,
especially with faculties facing increasing numbers of diverse learners, keeps student focus as a powerful subtext
that open up education to more successful performances of all students.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Access Project. (2014). Best Practices through Universal Design for Learning, Colorado State University.
Retrieved January 25, 2014 from http://accessproject.colostate.edu/udl/video/index.cfm
American College Writing. (2014). Mission and program descriptions retrieved January 25, 2014 from
http://americancollegewriting.com
Bailey, T. (2009). Challenge and Opportunity: Rethinking the Role and Function of Developmental Education
in Community College. New Directions for Community Colleges. 145. pp. 11-30.
Bellevue College. (2014). College data and course catalogue descriptions, retrieved January 25, 2014 from
www.bellevuecollege.edu
CAST (2014). About UDL. Retrieved January 21, 2014, from http://www.cast.org/udl/index.html.
Hong E., & Peng Y. (2008). Do Chinese students’ perceptions of test value affect test performance? Mediating
role of motivational and metacognitive regulation in test preparation Learning and Instruction, 18 (6) , pp. 499-
512.
IASystem, (2014). Retrieved January 25, 2014 from http://iasystem.org/.
Intervention Central (2014). Oral Reading Fluency Passage Generator. Retrieved January 25, 2014, from
http://www.interventioncentral.org/teacher-resources/oral-reading-fluency-passages-generator
Jin, Y. (2010). The place of language testing and assessment in the professional preparation of foreign language
teachers in China. Language Testing. 27 (4). pp. 555-584.
Li G, Chen W, & Duanmu J. (2010). ‘Determinants of International Students’ Academic Performance: A
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Education, 14 (4), pp. 389-405.
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