Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers to Integrate Special Education Technology in Inclusive Classrooms Chris O’Brien The University of North Carolina at Charlotte United States christopher.obrien@uncc.edu Nancy Aguinaga Southeast Missouri State University United States naguinaga@semo.edu Jon Mundorf Tommie Barfield Elementary School United States jmundorf@yahoo.com Abstract: The diversity of contemporary schools including trends toward inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities inspires a paradigm shift in the university preparation of general education teachers. The use of special education technology has recently trended towards a Universal Design approach. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emphasizes an integration of multiple learning strategies and content enhancements in addition to multimedia presentation and digital materials that promote accessibility. Given the traditional nature of teacher education programs that rarely emphasize methods for teaching academically diverse students, there continues to be a need to prepare students to integrate technology and accessible materials into content instruction. This paper will focus on policy developments and case examples of teacher educators attempting to include UDL principles in methods courses, as well as the current instructional approach of a practicing educator integrating technology in his classroom to serve diverse populations. Introduction The diversity of contemporary American public schools including significant trends toward inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities inspires a paradigm shift in the preparation of general education teachers in colleges of education. Special education technology, traditionally a niche emphasis of special educators designing assistive technology opportunities for students with disabilities as highly individualized accommodations has diminished, as schools move toward a Universal Design approach. The theory of the instructional framework, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), emerged in recent years from the special education technology community, specifically the Center for Special Technology. UDL emphasizes a coordinated integration of multiple learning strategies and content enhancements in addition to various modes of multimedia presentation and digital materials that promote accessibility. Given the traditional nature of teacher education programs that rarely emphasize teaching methods for academically diverse students, there continues to be a need for discussion among teacher educators focusing on the integration of technology and accessible materials into standard content instruction. Students on the Margins Driving Improvements in Teaching The concept of UDL is a perspective on instructional design based on three main principles: providing multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation (e.g., images, text, sound), and multiple means of expression, such that students have choices in how they demonstrate their learning/knowledge (Rose & Meyer, 2005). “These three principles, implemented with new media, can help educators set goals, individualize instruction, and assess student progress” (Rose & Meyer, 2002, p. 69). New media and recent developments in computerized