Issue 24 | November 2025
Special Education Technology
Center
Inclusive Insights & Access Tips
Making UDL Work: Easy Ways
to integrate AT & AEM
We often talk about Universal Design for Learning in broad strokes, but the real shift happens when we lean into built-in accessibility tools, assistive technology, and flexible formats right inside our everyday lessons.
Rather than tacking accommodations on as afterthoughts, this approach weaves access into the design from the start. That’s how UDL becomes more than theory, it becomes part of how we teach.
Try these concrete strategies to make your lessons more inclusive:
- Start with Accessible Content
- Use Accessibility Checkers in Google or Microsoft.
- Choose Born Accessible materials (audio, e-text, large print).
- Add alt text to images and headings for screen readers.
- Leverage Built-In Tools
- Turn on Read Aloud or Immersive Reader features.
- Caption all videos (YouTube auto-captions or Kapwing).
- Offer speech-to-text options for written responses.
- Offer Flexible Formats
- Let students show learning through choice: slides, posters, recordings, or written work.
- Use digital supports like graphic organizers or visual timers.
- Apply UDL Guidelines to balance engagement, representation, and expression.
- Audit and Improve
- Try the AEM Navigator to choose accessible materials.
- Use WAVE or Color Contrast Analyzer to check accessibility.
- Add one new accessible practice each week: small shifts make a big difference.
Bottom line: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) isn’t about extra work; it’s about smarter design. When accessibility and assistive tech become part of lesson design, students feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.
Using AI to support complex learning tasks
In the latest series of SETC’s Awe and Wonder podcast, Sarah and Brenda sit down with experts to explore how AI is shaping education and Assistive Technology. In this short clip, Sharon Redmon shares how AI can be used for task analysis to help students successfully complete complex tasks.
Belonging Grows Through Being Welcomed
Being welcomed is more than a greeting, it’s a genuine recognition that every student belongs from the moment they arrive. When students with disabilities enter a classroom and are met with smiles, eye contact, and intentional efforts to include their unique ways of communicating, they experience a sense of safety and acceptance. For students who use AAC, a warm welcome might look like a peer waiting patiently for their message or a teacher modeling their words on a device. These small gestures send a powerful message: You are not just included: you are wanted here.
Coming Soon: Inside the Exploratorium, AAC In Action
UDL reminds us there’s more than one right way to learn. Offering flexible formats—such as text, audio, video, or visuals—gives every student an entry point. It’s not about adding extras; it’s about removing barriers.
Try this simple swap: when assigning a reading, also link an audio version or enable Read Aloud in
your platform. Post a captioned video and the transcript so students can revisit key ideas in the way that works best for them. For students using Assistive Technology (AT), these options mean full participation without waiting for special conversions.
Want to explore more?
- CAST: Using Accessible Formats
- Bookshare – Free Accessible eBooks
- UDL Guidelines for Representation
Tip: Start small—pick one upcoming lesson and add an alternate format. The impact will surprise you
Inside the Exploratorium: Reading Supports for Every Learner
The upcoming Exploratorium will feature reading supports designed to make literacy accessible for all students. Explore tools like digital books, read-aloud features, graphic organizers, and scanning pens, along with strategies such as high-contrast text, line focus, and text-to-speech—simple yet powerful ways to boost focus, comprehension, and confidence
SETC SPOTLIGHT: Meet Kristin Leslie
“Remember to slow down enough to truly listen — because shared understanding is where innovative solutions begin.”
“As a parent of a child with a disability and an occupational therapist who has spent more than 27 years supporting inclusive technology in schools, I’ve learned that meaningful change grows from curiosity, collaboration, and deep listening. Whether I’m working side-by-side with a school team or contributing to statewide efforts, the best solutions emerge when we bring diverse perspectives together and design with students at the center.”
As Director of the Special Education Technology Center, Kristin works to create spaces where educators and families feel supported to reflect, problem-solve, and build learning environments where every student can thrive.
Outside of work, Kristin enjoys a quiet life in Ellensburg with her family. A thoughtful introvert and happy homebody, she finds joy this time of year in reading, long walks among the fall leaves, and listening to an eclectic mix of
podcasts and music. This grounding time fuels her commitment to cultivating thoughtful, inclusive 
communities in both her work and personal life.