'Universal Design' for Diverse Learners

Manju Banerjee

Manju Banerjee

The Clarke Forum’s series on disability looks at how 'universal design' considers all students

BanerjeeManju Banerjee, a leading expert on learning disabilities, will discuss the "universal design" method for creating curricula that cater to the needs of all students in a lecture at Dickinson. The lecture, “Universal Design and Diverse Learners,” will be held Thursday, March 3, at 7 p.m. in the Holland Union Building, Social Hall West.

The "universal design" method seeks to allow all students to learn in the way that best suits their capabilities by recognizing the individuality of each learner. This includes students who are considered gifted, students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency. Neuroscience shows individuals learn through three primary brain networks: recognition, strategic and affective. These networks allow students to gather information, perform tasks and become interested in material, and the Universal Design method attempts to combine various techniques to engage these networks in students with different learning styles.

Banerjee is associate professor and vice president of educational research and innovation at Landmark College Institute for Research and Training, a school that focuses primarily on students with learning disabilities. She also is an associate professor at the college and has spent more than 29 years studying learning disabilities and working with learning-disabled students. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Postsecondary Education Disability and as a consultant to Educational Testing Service. Her published works and presentations cover a variety of areas including disability documentation and "universal design."

This event is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the departments of American studies and women’s & gender studies, Kappa Delta Pi, the Office of Disability Services and the Wellness Center. It is also a part of the Clarke Forum’s spring 2016 semester theme, “Disability.”

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Published March 1, 2016