Meeting Students Sensory Needs with UDL 

Presenters: Iris Warchall & Maisie Soetantyo
Each student has their own optimal set of sensory conditions to facilitate effective information processing, communication, and engagement with learning. Sensory universal design benefitting all students includes softer lighting, clean visual backgrounds, flexible seating, reducing noise, and options for kinesthetic input. Toolkits provided will include universal sensory-friendly classroom design and practical strategies for destigmatizing individualized support needs. This presentation will also cover ideas for teaching all students, both neurotypical and neurodivergent, authentic self-advocacy language. Participants will come away with affirming language to model around individualized sensory and personal preferences. By implementing these practices, educators can create more inclusive learning environments.