The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship
Abstract
In order to meet the needs of young children, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recommends teachers utilize developmentally appropriate practice, DAP. For young children with disabilities, teachers must also utilize the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended practices, evidence-based teaching practices aimed at enhancing learning outcomes for children and their families (DEC, 2014) that pair well with the NAEYC developmentally appropriate practices. Both NAEYC’s DAP and DEC’s Recommended Practices align with the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework for proactively addressing the needs of diverse and exceptional learners by ensuring all children have access to the curriculum. UDL includes the use of multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of expression. This article provides a brief overview of evidence-based UDL practices, with a specific focus on the use of engagement strategies for young children.
Recommended Citation
Lohnmann, M. J., Hovey, K. A., & Gauvreau, A. N. (2018). Using a Universal Design for Learning Framework to Enhance Engagement in the Early Childhood Classroom. The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.58729/2167-3454.1072