Part One: student profile and UDL implementation

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered one of the most

common and challenging neuro-behavioural disorders and it has huge negative

influence on children, their families and their communities (Hamed, Kauer, Stevens,

2015). Student with ADHD have difficulties in sustaining attention to tasks and

instructions; They can be easily distracted; These students often interrupt their peers,

and they have difficulties with remain seated for a length of time (Wilens & Spencer,

2010; Gaastra, Groen, Tucha and Tucha, 2016).

John Doe is in Year 8. He has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and he has a combined aspect of both types of ADHD:

inattentive and hyperactive impulsive. He shows off-task and disruptive behavioural

issues in most of his classes.

The purpose of inclusion education is to create equal opportunities to students

from diverse backgrounds and with various individual characteristics to be educated in

the mainstream classrooms (Karhu, Narhi and Savolainen, 2018, Loreman, Deppeler &

Harvey, 2011). In the process of implementing inclusive education, teachers play a

crucial role in supporting students, particularly those with ADHD. Without teachers’

aids, these students are more likely to have academic difficulties such as

underachievement (Gaastra, et al., 2016). Apart from this, these students have a bigger

chance to be suspended and drop out of high school (Richman, Rademacher and

Maitland, 2014). Therefore, teachers need to make sure that every single lesson is

responsive to each individual students’ learning needs.

John is very enthusiastic, creative and he is a quick thinker. His constant stream

of ideas is always eye-opening; He always think out of the box and he is willing to find

creative solutions. John is very energetic, and he can take and process information
quickly. He shows a lot of interest in game-based learning. However, it is worth

mentioning that most of the time in the class, John is off-task and engage in disruptive

behaviour. For example, he is very fidget in class and he is distracted easily all the time.

He has trouble remaining seated for a length of time, he leaves his seat without teacher’s

permission. He has difficulty sustaining attention and he has difficulty completing tasks

in limited time; He likes talking, calling out; His behaviours consequently disturb other

students’ learning process and the teaching pace of the teacher.

To teach John in a mainstream classroom can be a challenge for teachers. When

he is engaged, he works effectively, and he needs little monitoring. However, the

question is how to draw his attention and make him sustain focused. It is important not

to label John as trouble maker or difficult. Teachers must understand his strengths and

needs so that John’s strengths will be valued and his needs will be addressed.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is used to design lessons that address

students’ varied learning abilities. UDL gives teachers guidelines to create a flexible

learning environment which appropriate accommodations can be made to cater for

individual student’s learning needs (Rao & Meo, 2016). Zelenka (2017) suggested that

incorporation of UDL in the classroom is an effective way to cope with students with

ADHD.

UDL has three core principles. They are multiple means of representation,

multiple means of expression and multiple means of engagement (Dalton, 2017;

Loreman et al, 2011; Rao & Meo, 2016).

Multiple means of representation require teachers to use various ways to present

the information and content to the students so that varied students’ capabilities and

learning needs can be addressed (Loreman et al, 2011; Dalton, 2017). In other words,
the information and content are presented in different formats for multiple times. As

each student approaches and comprehends information in different ways, multiple

presentations allow them to make connection with and between concepts by using their

own learning methods (National Centre on Universal Design for learning, 2018).

Throughout the lesson plan, multiple means of representation are used. For example,

PPT presentation, discussion, worksheet (hard copies & online), visual aids (video clips)

and research task. According to Rios (2014), due to the lack of attentiveness, learners

with ADHD require of multimodal options to perceive the information. Rios also

emphasised that help students understand the vocabulary of the content is a solution to

remain students focused on the content. Refer to the case of John, metalanguage of

commerce is addressed in the lesson by giving students a glossary of business terms

and definition, it helps John and other students to better understand the terms and

concepts of the lesson so that they will be more willing to learn. Moreover, it is worth

mentioning that all the teaching and lesson resources will be uploaded on google

classroom prior to the lesson, it allows students like John to download the learning

material and make change to the size of text and the colouring text in background based

on their preference to perceive. Furthermore, the lesson plan also assists students during

the outsourcing, discrimination and workplace safety video clips activity. Giving

students the links to access the online videos, enabling the subtitles while playing the

videos and providing transcripts to them help the students to better comprehend the

information. Multiple means of representations are also demonstrated by giving

students the opportunities to use technology to support their learning. For instance,

students can choose to hand-write or type while they are taking notes. Hence, the

application of the principle helps to retain all students’ focus and thereby reduce

disruptive behaviour.
 Students with impairment and underdeveloped executive functions can be easily

bored, distracted and reluctant to persist when learning becomes challenging. UDL

challenges teachers to provide scaffolding to support executive functions and to teach

strategies to support and improve them (SOOC, 2015). The principle of multiple means

of expression asks teachers to explore different ways to expand their repertoire of

activities for learners to help them express what they know and have learned (Loreman

et al, 2011; Dalton, 2017, SOOC, 2015). The adjustments made to the lesson plan

regarding to this principle are: first, to help John to stay focused on tasks, the teacher

must provide him with direct, specific and clear instructions. For instance, break down

large tasks into small segments, have the student to write each segment down and to

cross the items off once they are completed (Reynolds, 2013). Second, to provide

students with a range of approaches to demonstrate their learning gives all the students

an opportunity to use their strength to express their knowledge. To accomplish this, for

the research activity, students are encouraged to use different means to present their

findings. For example, students like John are very creative. They can get bored and be

reluctant to complete the task if they are required to present their answers on worksheet.

However, giving them the opportunity to choose their own means of presentation and

to use technology as assistance help to promote their creativity as well as their

motivation. Even though, such activity is not game-based learning, it aims to develop

student learning skills in terms of analysis, evaluation, synthesise and creation.

The last principle of UDL is multiple means of engagement. It means to tap into

all learners’ interests, provide appropriate challenges and increase their motivation

(Loreman et al, 2011; Dalton, 2017). This principle asks all the teachers to take into

consideration of varied students’ learning needs, learning styles, learning abilities and

interests to ensure that strengths and needs are catered for all individual learners (Centre
for Applied Special Technology, 2009; Zeff, 2007, as cited in Loreman et al, 2011).

Munafo (2017) suggested that there are several factors that influence on individual

learner’s motivation and engagement, including culture, personal experience,

background knowledge, subjectivity and so forth. It is essential to provide multiple

options for engagement. Teacher can engage students by providing students the

opportunity to link the content to the real world so that the students can perceive the

content as being relevant and useful (Johnson-Harris & Mundscenk, 2014). By

achieving this, students can develop self-determination and pride that consequently

stimulates their motivation and engagement (Munafo, 2017). Moreover, in Zendarski,

Sciberras, Mensah and Hiscock’s research (2017), they found that there is a high

correlation between ADHD and social deficit. They claimed that peer relationships and

friendships are the key to promote or impede engagement at school. Students who

constantly behave inappropriately and disruptively face social reject and isolation from

their peers. As a result, it can lead to academic failure. To helps students with ADHD

to improve their relationship with peers and teachers, the accommodation made to the

lesson plan is to get students involve in small group discussion and pair-think-share

activity. Teacher must explicitly communicate the expectations and instructions to the

students. Such collaborative activity allows all students to express their perspective and

ideas, it also teaches students about respect and acceptance as they learn from each

other.

At last, ICT is incorporated in the lesson plan to support the application of UDL

in the way of showing students online video clips regarding to the learning content.

Recently, ICT integration in the classroom has received a lot of attention as it provides

a dynamic and proactive teaching and learning environment as well as prepares the

students for the current digital era (Ghavifekr & Rosdy, 2015). For students, like John,
online video clips are used as visual aids to draw his attention, along with the provision

of transcripts with key words being highlighted and circled. It helps to sustain John’s

attention and it also helps him to identify the important concepts. Self-regulated activity

such as online research task is also incorporated in the lesson to help students establish

their accountability for learning as well as analytical and evaluative skills. To give

students some autonomy over their learning can increase students’ engagement and

motivation. More importantly, the lesson plan also addresses the issue of student mental

health. To start the lesson with a mindfulness meditation activity. The purpose of this

adjustment is to promote students’ mental health. Study conducted by Strine, Lesesne,

Okoro, McGuire, Chapman, Balluz and Mokdad (2006) showed that mindfulness

meditation helps to improve attentional control abilities and it was also proved to

improve emotion regulation. Encouraging students to get involved in this activity

means early intervention on potential mental health problems. This strategy does not

only help John to improve his ability to sustain attention on the tasks, it also helps

students who have emotional issues to better control and manage their emotions.
Part two: accommodation of lesson plan
Time Teaching and learning actions Organisation Centre
d

T/S

5mins Teacher marks the roll. Teacher: Student

Engages and instructs the whole class for mindfulness -instructs students to engage in breathing exercise
meditation – breathing exercise
Student:

-breathing exercise

Resources

- roll,

20mins Teacher explains lesson’s content and the first activity. Teacher: Student

Teacher hands out vocabulary sheet (glossary) to students, - give feedback

including bolded key words and definition of each business
terms to help students better comprehend. Teacher also tells Students:
students that all the hard copies they are given today can be
- take notes while reading and watching
downloaded from google classroom.
- discuss in group
Teacher hands out the worksheet with open-ended questions
on it. Explains to the students that they are going to watch Resources:
3 video clips “outsourcing, discrimination and workplace
safety” and they are required to attempt all the questions. - computer, projector, worksheet ,Youtube link

They can either write their answers on the worksheet or type 1.outsouring
it in their devices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFH71CkKowU
Teacher reads each question and asks students to highlight
2. discrimination
or circle the key words in each question and lead students
to think what kind of information they will be looking for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ3PQINTifg
from the video.
3. workplace safety
Teacher goes to Youtube and plays video clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0CGgjQOC00&list=

Students are required to take notes while they are watching PLAaiq7apU7kcPETXY7fYDN7ED6JRs6SMr

After watching the videos, students share their answers in

pair or groups with the teacher.

30mins Teacher puts students into pairs. Teacher: Student

Teacher handouts worksheet “Occupational Health and - hands out worksheet

Workplace safety”, explains to students that they are going
to complete a research task
Informs student that this worksheet can be also downloaded
from google classroom
- circulate the room, make sure students are using the
computer for learning purposes & make sure all
computers are working properly & students are able
to access the website

Teacher instructs students to use classroom computers Students:

Teacher repeats the rule/ policy of using computers - work collaboratively with their partners

Teacher breaks down the research question into small - complete worksheet
segments, provide students scaffolding including where to
start and what kind of information they should be looking - use computer properly
for.
Resources:
Teacher prepares a checklist for students, students need to
- worksheet, laptops/PPT, web link
cross the items out once they are completed.
 Students can either present their answers in the following http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/
suggested forms of
http://www.antidiscrimination.justice.nsw.gov.au/
- a list of dot points
- a paragraph employers-and-managers/anti-discrimination-law-
- a concept map, etc. and-employers

students shares their answers with the class.

5mins Teacher wraps up the lesson Teacher: Student

instructs students to complete the online self-evaluation for - conclude the class
today’s lesson. (it includes what you have learned? What
you are struggled with) Students:

- work on self-assessment

Resources
Reference:
Dalton, E. (2017). Beyond universal design for learning: guiding principles to reduce barriers to digital

& media literacy competence. Journal of Media Literacy Education 9(2), 17-29. Retrieved from:

http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1289&context=jmle

Gaastra, G., Groen, Y., Tucha, L., & Tucha, O. (2016). The effects of classroom interventions on off-

task and disruptive classroom behaviour in children with symptoms of attention-

deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analytic Review. PLOS ONE, 11(2). Retrieved from:

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0148841

Ghavifekr, S., & Rosdy, W. A. W (2015). Teaching and learning with technology. International Journal

of Research in Education and Science, 1(2), 175-191. Retrieved from:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1105224.pdf

Hamed, A., Kauer, A., & Stevens, H. (2015). Why the Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4659921/

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00098655.2014.897927

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13603116.2017.1370741

Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2011). The case for inclusion (pp.1-21). Crows Nest NSW.

Allen & Unwin.

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http://www.iscsjournal.com/Makaleler/1378171236_5c1s_1.pdf

National Centre on Universal Design for Learning. (2018). The UDL guidelines. Retrieved from

http://udlguidelines.cast.org

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http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2158244016680688

[Susana Rios]. (2014, Feb 7). UDL & ADHD [Video File]. Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SDbfXW5GHA

Strine, T., Lesesne, C., Okoro, C., McGuire, L., Chapman, D., Bulluz, L., & Mokdad, A. (2006).

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[SOOC]. (2015, Feb 22). Multiple means of Action and Expression (Week 4) [Video File]. Retrieved

from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-EsS6Cbkj4

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