Introduction to CAST

Video Transcription

In this tutorial, we'll introduce the website of the Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST. We'll begin with a brief introduction to the overall CAST website.

And then we'll visit the UDL Exchange portion of the website. We'll look at some of the available features on the site, including the UDL Studio. Let's get started.

The Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST, offers a specific resource on their website that works in a way that is similar to the UDLinks app available for iOS devices. The CAST website is located at www.cast.org.

The UDL Exchange is a specific portion of the CAST website. The direct web link is udlexchange.cast.org/home. The UDL Exchange offers you the ability to browse existing resource collections, build your own resources, and review both lessons and collections of resources available on the site.

The Resources section of the UDL Exchange is where you will locate links, audio and video resources, and documents and presentations on a wide variety of topics. The Lessons portion of the UDL Exchange offers Universal Design for Learning compliant lesson plans. And the Collections section of the UDL Exchange allows you to browse lessons and resources that are organized by theme or unit.

Here are some of the features that are available within the UDL Exchange. The Add resources button allows you to upload your own resources or lessons to your UDL Exchange account. The Share with others button allows you to share these uploaded resources or lessons with others that you choose.

The Remix button gives you the option to copy and repurpose items that you have found on the website, so that they work for your particular class and students. The Recommend feature allows you to recommend individual items, such as resources or lessons, to other people. And the Favorites button can be used to mark resources for easy retrieval.

Another resource available to you on the CAST website is UDL Studio. Here, you can take advantage of the Discover option, which allows you to search for existing UDL compliant activities and projects by grade level or by content area.

The Work in studio option is where you can find or create media that you can incorporate in UDL instruction in your classroom. There are also lots of links in UDL Studio to sites that will help you create and find resources made up of text, audio, video, images, or animations related to your desired content area.

In this tutorial, we explored the options available on the website of the Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST. After a brief introduction to the overall CAST website, we examined the UDL Exchange and its available features. And we also took a look at UDL Studio.

Now, it's time for you to stop and reflect. Might you spend some time browsing the resources on the UDL Exchange or in the UDL Studio? Is this a resource that you might recommend to colleagues or parents?

To dive a little deeper and learn how to apply this information, be sure to check out the Additional Resources section associated with this video. This is where you'll find links targeted toward helping you discover more ways to apply this course material. Thanks for watching today. Have a great day.