Is my app accessible? A UDL-based evaluation of a Persian language learning app

• In Event: Technology in inclusive education

Proposal

Introduction
How does an instructional design accommodate the diverse needs of students? A popular answer to this question can be found in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. UDL, defined by CAST in 1995 as a framework that focuses on equity and access for all learners because some learners need different forms of support than others to be able to perceive presented information (Nelson, 2013), and they should be provided with opportunities to engage in relevant, authentic learning experiences (Murawski & Scott, 2019). By implementing the UDL framework into the instructional materials, designers aim to create flexible and user-centered materials. But it’s always been challenging when the instruction materials adapt an in-person pedagogy and transform it into a distributed form as mobile learning. This paper explores the insights from the designers’ experiences of reviewing the instructional materials they produce through the lens of UDL. The digital instructional tools mentioned are mobile games and videos developed by the team to teach reading Persian, as the heritage language, to children from Iranian immigrant families in the diaspora. Applying the UDL framework to a language app can make learning the language more accessible, inclusive, and effective for diverse learners, including learners with exceptional needs.
Researchers utilized multimodal learning while transforming this in-person pedagogy to mobile. Multimodal learning emphasizes the integration of multiple sensory modalities, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, to facilitate effective learning and improve learners' understanding of the received information. There is evidence of the benefits of multimodal learning and different modes of presenting content knowledge, including verbal and non-verbal. Mixed modality can make the learning process more effective as it engages different senses of children (Moreno & Mayer, 2007). To address the goal of multimodal learning in creating inclusive environments for learners with different needs and abilities, the UDL framework and its principles can offer a new lens for this process. Using a language learning app, this study explores how UDL provides multiple ways for people to engage in the learning process.
Method
Tool:
The researchers developed an android-based mobile application to support the Persian-speaking community globally, with particular emphasis on the growing number of immigrants from this community in Canada, North America, and Europe. It leverages the innovative pedagogy, Art of Reading, developed by Ali Sedaghaty Khayat (http://amookhayat.com/), known as Amoo Khayat, which emphasizes using gestures to enhance language learning. This allows learners to connect objects and concepts meaningfully, facilitating contextualized learning that resonates with their cultural background. The pedagogy is an in-person approach used by numerous teachers and collaborators working with Amoo Khayat. The team adopted this pedagogy to be transformed into a more distributed form by making it mobile-device-based, to provide quality Persian learning tools. The researchers used a design-based approach to design and refine the instructional content, and this paper discusses specifically the latest cycle of iteration, which focuses on implementing UDL into the games.
Review of the tool:
As Kleinfeld (2019) highlights how UDL principles in multimodal pedagogy address diverse audiences linguistically, culturally, and physically, we will investigate the application and effectiveness of UDL guidelines in the app's content. Three significant principles of UDL (CAST, 2018) include multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action & expression. To ensure that the app is accessible and engaging for diverse learners. Here are examples of UDL guidelines reflected in the app:
1. Multiple Means of Engagement (the WHY of Learning)
• Agency: The app offers learners an agency, meaning they can choose from various games. It helps to promote a sense of curiosity and independence rather than restricting them in a linear flow. In the app, learners can choose the letter they want to learn. After the introduction of the letter, the rest of the games associated with it unlock, further giving them agency to choose the game.
• Culturally Relevant Content: The app's focus on heritage language and use of culturally relevant content connects with the learners' cultural identity, enhancing their engagement and motivation, especially for neurodivergent children who may need content that resonates personally with them to sustain interest.
• Multimodal Engagement Approaches: The combination of visual, auditory, and gesture-based learning helps to maintain attention while providing multiple ways of engagement for the learners.
2. Multiple Means of Representation (the WHAT of learning)
• Diverse game interactions: Children will learn each concept (letters, words, sentences) through a variety of different game-based interactions, gesturing gifs, and videos. As for language learning, it is important to make connections between sounds and their associated visuals (letters here). We employed different game-design strategies such as puzzle games, memory cards, scratch cards, storytelling, etc. to help learners connect visual representations of letters to their corresponding sounds.
3. Multiple Means of Action and Expression (the HOW of learning)
• Although this app primarily utilizes multiple means of representation and engagement, the gesture-based features of the app (a specific gesture to each letter) offer additional ways for learners to demonstrate their understanding and practice language. Insights gained from evaluating this app based on UDL guidelines have highlighted the need to enhance the area of action and expression which will guide future updates of the app, aiming to address these gaps, integrating action and expression more effectively across different educational settings while continuing to build on the strengths of representation and engagement.

Conclusion
The UDL framework seeks to provide all learners equal opportunities to access learning by offering multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. The goal of this study is to create a practical Persian language learning experience that ensures every learner’s engagement with the app. The evaluation of the app through the lens of UDL has provided us the opportunity to reflect on the components of the games leading to valuable insights into improving its accessibility, particularly in terms of action and expression. These insights will guide the future development of the app, ensuring it aligns even more closely with UDL principles to enhance the accessibility of the learning process for diverse learners.

Authors

• Shafagh Hadinezhad, University of Illinois Urbana-Champ

• Sourabh Garg, University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign

• Sepideh Shahi, Seed foundation

• Joann Ihuoma Anokwuru, University of British Columbia