One of the goals of this research study was to determine the academic achievement of a diverse group of students in a Grade 7 mathematics classroom. Out of 36 students in total, nine have social, emotional or academic disabilities, and had Individual Program Plans (IPPs) in place. Two students were coded as gifted, and also worked off an IPP. By conducting a pre test before the study began and a post-test four weeks later, using selected questions from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), it was determined that all students showed significant improvement in mathematical achievement. PISA was chosen for its known validity and reliability, also for its ability to effectively measure mathematical proficiency. It should also be noted students weren’t taught to the test, rather all elements were designed to build mathematical proficiency that would transfer to a number of contexts, one of which is standardized testing of the highest caliber.
Mean scores for all tasks demonstrated statistically significant improvement for coded LD students, for not-coded LD students, and for the class as a whole. Thus, it’s possible to raise both the ceiling and the floor of student achievement by incorporating UDL principles into the design of mathematics curricula.
