Clusive-Blog Post # 5

 





CAST.org is an excellent resource for learning all things UDL. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is defined on the site as “a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.” The purpose is to make learning accessible for the largest amount of students, both with and without learning differences. It breaks down the components of UDL into three main parts: engagement-the why of learning; representation-the what of learning; and action & expression-the how of learning. 


 (UDL: The UDL Guidelines, 2022)

This handy graphic organizer can be found on the site at The UDL Guidelines. 


CAST.org has spearheaded the development of a digital tool called Clusive an online adaptive environment “ designed to support the needs of diverse learners by making digital educational materials accessible, flexible, and engaging for all students”(CISL - Center on Inclusive Software for Learning at CAST, 2022).


Clusive has a built-in library, and it also has the capabilities for class-specific materials.   A teacher can create an account for the class and then post the materials and specific content for the course. 



When a student selects the materials, they have several options. The first step that occurs is a vocabulary test to assess the word knowledge of the reader. Once done, the vocabulary words are added to an ongoing list:


From here, the student can click on the word for a definition and move the words back and forth as they attain mastery. Some materials have the option to choose different versions.

 


The settings make the text adaptable for reading differences. The font and background contrast can be changed as well as the spacing between lines and letters. It also includes dyslexia-friendly font. There is a read-aloud option as well with the ability to adjust the voice and speed.




 




Once the readers adjust their settings and begin reading, if they come across a word that they don’t understand, they just have to highlight it to open up options. 




The options include highlighting, defining, transforming, and reading aloud the word in question. The arrows above are the transforming option where readers are able to translate and simplify the word as well as be provided with a graphic. 





For “antipathies” the simple graphic that they gave was a thumbs down. 


One final asset of the program that I would like to touch on is the “your thoughts” section which enables readers to record their reaction to the text on the same page that they are reading. Not having the need to go to another page and pull out a paper limits the opportunities for distraction. Also, when a teacher uses Clusive with an entire class, she is able to observe classwide reactions easily. 

When we think of Clusive while consulting the UDL guidelines, we can see how the tool affects learning. It optimizes choice and autonomy. It allows for customization. The word list provides a visual representation of mastery feedback. It also makes it easy and immediate to clarify vocabulary and symbols. These are just some of the ways Clusive exemplifies the guidelines.

Under the UDL principles, good teaching and tools assist the greatest number of students. I can think of many ways and types of students that can benefit from Clusive. First off, Clusive is great for students with dyslexia and print disabilities, but it would also be helpful for audio and visual learners. All learners would also benefit from the ease of defining and transforming the vocabulary and the ability to record immediate feedback on the page that they are working. If used within a classroom, the teacher could make use of the information, for instance, further investigate vocabulary words that the majority of the class is struggling with. 

The Clusive site allows guests to try everything out before signing up for membership, which I highly suggest! You can do that here:

https://clusive.cast.org/dashboard

The National Center for Accessible Educational Materials also made a podcast discussing Clusive. Give that a listen here.

Lastly, a CAST webinar discusses the joining of Clusive and Bookshare (!!!) “a powerful partnership for inclusive literacy.” You can watch that here: Clusive & Bookshare: A Powerful Partnership for Inclusive Literacy

I hope this information was helpful! Thanks for reading!



**Screenshot images are taken from the Clusive website.

CAST. (2022, March 4). Clusive & Bookshare: A Powerful Partnership for Inclusive Literacy. YouTube. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sEBH5XYv8c


 CISL - Center on Inclusive Software for Learning at CAST. (2022, June 2). CISL. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://cisl.cast.org/?utm_source=clusive


S.01, Ep.08: Making Learning Inclusive with Clusive. (2022, May 17). AEM Center. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://aem.cast.org/get-started/resources/accessible-learning-experience/s01-ep08-making-learning-inclusive-clusive-cisl

          

           UDL: The UDL Guidelines. (2022, September 2). Retrieved October 6, 2022, from       https://udlguidelines.cast.org/?utm_source=castsite


Welcome to Clusive. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://clusive.cast.org/

Comments

  1. the hoppe padOctober 7, 2022 at 9:43 AM

    Thank you for sharing a new tool to explore for the classroom! One of the most important aspects of this tool is being able to change font size or background colors. I find that with the majority of students this is something that is very personal to each learner. It would be great to curate "classes" that relate to topics in a way that cross the borders of classrooms. So if a selection of reading material is picked for a particular time frame, you could include information on the arts that were popular, music, stories about actual people that lived there, literature that relates, and even the politics of that time. Then you can add or take out information as the "class" changes. Thanks for the information! Caroline Hoppe

    ReplyDelete
  2. Christine DonaldsonOctober 8, 2022 at 6:56 PM

    This is a great resource! Bookshare was new to me, and I think the implications for school and library use are limitless. Clusive looks like it would pair with Bookshare and create a resource that would be a game changer for many students. The ability for students to select articles and then select reading levels that best fit their abilities is fantastic. The ability of teachers to upload articles for the students to the program is also a notable feature. Creating lessons for the multitude of learners and their differing abilities is very daunting and time consuming. This would be an incredible resource for many teachers. Thank you for sharing and I am looking forward to exploring Clusive more and possibly sharing it with other teachers in my district.

    Christine Donaldson

    ReplyDelete

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