Libraries have always been special places where kids can go for a change of scenery, to check out a great new book, to get a little 1:1 attention from the librarian, or just chill out and read. But like many other spaces within a school, they're not always conducive to meeting the needs of all learners. We need to think about both the physical space and the educational supports in place to make accessibility feasible for every kid. Universal Design for Learning prescribes a set of criteria for setting up your space and curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners, and appeal to various learning styles. Educators who become familiar with UDL, and embed it into their planning, will succeed at meeting the needs of diverse learners and likely have a more engaging, accessible instructional space.
Let's start with the physical space. The physical space of the library can make or break it, and it's pretty clear that an inviting space is going to appeal to kids and keep them coming back. Here are a few ideas to "Feng Shui" your library space to make it more inclusive:
1. Sit on a stool or the floor and see how things look from that vantage point. Kids who are physically unable to access materials that are elevated will benefit from shifting things around a bit. Similarly, make sure your space is open and free of clutter so that students in wheelchairs can navigate them easily.
2. Think about sensory issues. A library should be a quiet (ish) place, but when there are full classes in session, the noise level may mitigated by playing some quiet classical or meditative music in the background. Furniture could include wobbly stools and a standing desk. Ease up on the bright lights! Get some plants! Kids love them, and they can be very calming.
3. Have assistive tech tools readily available--things like headphones, iPads, projectors with speakers. Don't overlook low tech tools too, such as: page magnifiers, signs that include images, braille books, large print books, enlarged images, etc.
Assistive technology. There are so many tech tools available today to engage and provide access for diverse learners. Here are a few tried and true essentials for any library:
1. Audiobooks. I have used audiobooks along with text for many years. This is a true UDL strategy because it benefits everyone, while also providing access to those who struggle with reading, are learning English, or have print disabilities. Plus, listening to text while reading it makes it so much more engaging.
2. Google Read&Write. A must for students who are English Learners (EL) or struggling readers, because they can use the text to speech function to listen to text, or speech to text to write it with ease. I always insist that students listen to their own writing before submitting a final draft, and it's powerfully beneficial for them. Best of all, it's already available to use on Chromebooks.
3. Google classroom. This is an awesome tool for all kids, but especially helpful for students with executive functioning difficulties, because it allows them to manage their assignments, due dates, and get important messages. Additionally, librarians and teachers can add materials such as audio and video supports, modified materials, graphic organizers, etc.
4. Bookshare. A huge digital library that is free to students with print disabilities, and has text-to-speech functions embedded in all materials.
5. Rewordify. As a history teacher, I've found this tool invaluable in helping students modify existing informational text to a more accessible lexile. They can simply copy and paste text into a box, and it's "translated" into less complex words, with the same meaning intact.
