Equity & Access
What is it?
Our main role as instructors is to facilitate student learning and community even in modified forms during closure. For this to happen, it is essential that we create an inclusive and equitable learning environment where all our students learn. We will all work to understand what pedagogical, socioeconomic, or social-emotional barriers could be hindering some of this learning. Our students will have other opportunities to learn this content, but you are the instructor they have during this pandemic. Their inclusion in your routines, work, and community are most important.
Why is it important?
DJUSD is committed to providing equity and access to our diverse students in equitable and inclusive ways. We enact this mission by using inclusive and equitable practices in our distance learning and our face-to-face classes. In DJUSD, where We All Belong we want to continue to emphasize the principle that we design our classrooms, communities, teaching, and learning with these values at the forefront. Student sense of belonging and connection is more important now than ever before.
How can I ensure equity and inclusion in my remote class?
Whether you are teaching face-to-face remote classes, or redesigning a course, know what is possible or what barriers may be present. It is also important to understand we all have stressors and things competing for their attention right now. Give yourself and your students flexibility to enter the teaching and learning as they can.
Plan for a teaching that is aligned with the technological tools that students can access. Equity and inclusion in online learning start with technology. Make sure that you have clear information about what tools your students can access. We might add to that, how a student's age, parental support, and attention span can contribute.
Adopt inclusion and equity as a pedagogical mindset. Let what you’ve learned about your students inform your pedagogical decisions and actions, ask yourself if it is inclusive of all your students and their needs.
Create conditions that are based on the principle of “highly structured with high levels of support”. All instruction should be explicit with weekly (if not daily) learning outcomes, assessments, and learning activities should be aligned. Students should always know what they are expected to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
Expand your course design by adopting best practices from the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The UDL Guidelines provide detailed information about how to create an online course that is accessible to a number of students that may need accommodations. The general principle is to offer multiple options and multiple formats for students to access the content, complete learning activities, and show their learning through diverse options.
Review guidelines created by our specialists: English Learners and Special Education
Transform any high-stakes assessments into multiple, low-stakes assessments. As you plan for several, low-stakes assessments that support learning growth over time, make sure that students receive timely feedback on their learning.
Be curious about what is happening for students and ask.