Universal Design and Multiple Literacies: Creating Access and Ownership for Students With Disabilities

Given the prevalence of reading and writing difficulties among students with disabilities, coupled with the high number of these students accessing the general education curriculum and instruction for the majority of their school day, providing access to general education curriculum and grade level academic content is a challenging task for general and special education teachers alike. In this article, we explore the concept of universal design and multiple literacies as a means of not only providing equal access to general education curriculum and instructional goals, but also providing opportunity for the development of literate thought for all students. We explore the use of both technological- and nontechnological-based strategies and methods of instruction and discuss the impact of using universal design as a means of providing educational justice for all students.