Certificate in Universal Design and Assistive Technology

Unique opportunity for professional development and career enhancement!

Landmark College is now offering a non-credit Certificate in Universal Design and Assistive Technology. This program is of particular relevance to professionals/educators and would-be professionals in special education and postsecondary disability services.

The Universal Design and Assistive Technology certificate program is designed to provide in-depth understanding of Universal Design and its application to education and educational environments. The program also promotes the dynamic role of assistive technology in creating accessible instruction within the Universal Design context.

In partnership with Marlboro College Graduate School, students in the Certificate program also have the option to apply to receive graduate level credits for their coursework.

A low residency (only one weekend on-site for the first two courses and one week for the Capstone course) component together with two online courses, make this an ideal option for busy educators and graduate students. The program culminates in a Capstone project that is individualized and designed collaboratively by the participant and instructor. With direct application to the participant’s current or future job, the Capstone project offers a unique opportunity for experiential learning from expert faculty at Landmark College, and from Landmark students, who know what it means to be a non-traditional learner.

The program offers a variety of flexible options, including the opportunity to take selected courses for personal development, electives, and credit versus non-credit options. Apply now.

A certificate program flyer is available to share with others or to use for personal reference.

The Curriculum

Program Description

A new understanding of the ways in which students learn and teachers guide the learning process is shaping education in the 21st century. It is students at the margins, particularly those who learn differently, who are informing contemporary pedagogical practices. At Landmark College, experienced faculty work closely with researchers at the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT) to identify creative instructional practices and to test their effectiveness.

Certificate FAQs

What are the benefits of a Certificate in Universal Design and Assistive Technology?

This certificate program is designed to equip educational professionals and educators-in-training with a comprehensive understanding and practical experience in Universal Design for Instruction (UDI). In addition, the program will foster an understanding of learning differences among students, evidence-based pedagogical practices using UDI, and emerging technologies. The courses are taught by experienced Landmark faculty and LCIRT instructors with many years of experience in working with students who learn differently. Participants have the opportunity to observe how Landmark instructors teach and promote Universal Design.

Meet the Instructors

The Certificate Program in Universal Design and Assistive Technology is taught by a mix of Landmark College and Marlboro College Graduate School faculty and staff. Each one brings unique experience to provide program participants with a wide range of views and knowledge.

2013-2014 Schedule and Costs

Two Ways to Apply

Apply online. The one time application fee of $75 is waived for online application.
Download and complete an application form here. Mail your completed form and supporting documents to the following address:
Landmark College Admissions
PO Box 820
1 River Road South
Putney, VT 05346

Program Outcomes

The outcomes for the certificate program incorporate selected goals from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) professional standards for practice (See http://www.cec.sped.org/Standards)

Upon completion of this program students will:

Become familiar with current thinking in special and general education and changes in philosophical thinking, evidence-based practices, relevant laws and policies, and diverse and historical points of view that have shaped our understanding of teaching and learning of students who learn differently (Standard #1 – Foundations)
Understand specific characteristics, prevalence, etiology and diagnoses of students with learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (Standard # 2 – Development and Characteristics of Learners)
Recognize the interactions between the individual student, educational demands, and social and family circumstances that create for individual learning differences and ways to adapt instruction based on the principles of Universal Design (Standard # 3 – Individual Learning Differences)
Exhibit fluency with a repertoire of evidence-based instructional practices guided by the principles of Universal Design and instructional and assistive technologies (Standard #4 – Instructional Strategies)
Demonstrate ways of creating a community of learners and instructional climate that is inclusive of diversity and differences in approaches to learning, as informed by Universal Design for Instruction in multiple settings , including traditional and online/blended courses (Standard #5 – Learning Environments and Social Interactions)
Acquire vocabulary and a common vernacular for dialogue among professionals based on inclusive pedagogical practices and philosophy (Standard # 6 – Language)
Plan, deliver and assess instructional practices that embrace diversity and the underlying paradigm of Universal Design (Standard # 7 – Instructional Planning)
Utilize an array of assessment tools and strategies for evaluating student learning outcomes by providing students with multiple means of engagement and expression (Standard # 8 – Assessment)
Apply an understanding of personal attitudes and behaviors when communicating and engaging with peers, students, and families in the digital age (Standard # 9 – Professional and Ethical Practice)