The final session of the CAST UDL Symposium was “Learner Voice and Inclusion: The Future of Education” with Allison Posey and Lindsay Jones, newly appointed CEO of CAST. Posey started the last session by encouraging people to take action and share what they learned. Posey said learner voice is so much more than how we communicate. Participants shared they will help others elevate student voices. Posey shared that we should design with student needs from the beginning. “How is our humanity reduced to a diagnosis?” came up. Posey also asked educators: “How will learners get to the on-ramps?” This is through using software or turning on captions, for example.UDL allows us to have a new language, Posey explained. Lindsay Jones is the new CEO, and expressed thanks to all educators and students who participated in the symposium. “We should all just be generalized education teachers” because “variability is the norm,” shared Jones. Posey asked Jones how to maintain energy and advocacy. Jones stated that assistive technology should be available to all. Jones suggested rephrasing definite language even in the UDL Guidelines. Jones explained that we should all have access to assistive technology and learning spaces.
