UNIVERSAL DESIGN OF A FIELD-BASED SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR TEACHERS

Universal design in geoscience education means that physical, social, and learning environments are designed so that individuals with a wide range of abilities can have meaningful access and participation in science. In field-based settings, educators encounter diverse and sometimes harsh physical environments and informal social environments that impact student learning and present challenges for universal design. Access Earth is a field-based summer program in earth system science for high school students with disabilities and science teachers. During three summers, the program supported high school students with disabilities and science teachers in an intensive one-week study of estuarine systems. Students worked with research scientists to analyze modern and paleoenvironmental conditions of a northern New England salt marsh using interdisciplinary approaches. The field setting included woodland, beach, and wetland environments. Because a variety of disability types were represented, scientists necessarily used universal design as the framework for presentation of concepts, design of experiments, and assessment of student learning. A central tenet of the institute was that information must be presented in multiple formats to engage all students in learning. Scientists included multisensory approaches to field observations and supported students in the construction of models and role playing for analysis of data. Infusion of technology was an important feature of the program that supported multiple learning styles and abilities. Scientific instrumentation that allowed the collection and display of data digitally enhanced the educational experience for all students. A critical finding of the institute is that universal design supports students with disabilities to achieve at high levels, so that they in turn have full access to the science content of the National Science Education Standards, and to advanced science courses and scientific careers.