Many digital technologies have built-in supports and scaffolds to help students understand, navigate, and engage with the learning environment. Below are some free or low-cost digital tools that can help provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression.
Digital Tools for Engagement
- video sharing: FlipGrid
- online bulletin board: Padlet
- messaging: Google Hangout, Slack
- online survey: Google Forms (example)
- collaborative annotation tool: Hypothesis
- student response tools: Socrative, Pear Deck, Nearpod
- digital flashcards and quizzes: Quizlet, GoConq, Quizalize, Kahoot
Digital Tools for Representation
- text-to-speech tools: Voice Dream Reader, Read&Write, Speak Selection and Speak Screen
- screen-reading tools: Just Read, VoiceOver, TalkBack, ChromeVox
- visual tools: Mindly, Coggle, Draw.io, MindMup, MindNode
- comprehension tools: Edpuzzle, H5P
Digital Tools for Action and Expression
- tools for supporting speaking and interaction: FlipGrid, VoiceThread, Lingt, Vocaroo, WhatsApp
- tools for supporting written expression: Grammarly, Ginger, Voice Dream Writer, Picture Prompts
- tools for supporting multimodal expression: Piktochart, Explain Everything, easel.ly, Book Creator, Adobe Spark, Toontastic, TouchCast Studio, iMovie, Audacity, Notability
Citations
Getting Started. UDL On Campus. http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/udl_gettingstarted.
Perez, L. & Grant, K. (2021, Feb. 9). 30+ Tools for Diverse Learners. ISTE. https://www.iste.org/explore/Toolbox/30%20-tools-for-diverse-learners.
Rao, K. & Torres, C. (2020). Technology and Universal Design for Learning. SchoolVirtually. https://schoolvirtually.org/technology-and-udl.