Instructional Design for Simulations in Special Education Virtual Learning Spaces

Virtual learning environments provide new teachers with experiences to apply knowledge of learner differences to semi-authentic learning situations involving students with special needs, teachers, and parents. Instructional design provides a systematic process to document instructional designs in an undergraduate special education course, which has students apply universal design for learning principles. A variation of instructional design designed for teacher education, the teacher decision cycle, documents the teaching decisions behind the use of TLE TeachLivE to provide simulated experiences in virtual learning settings, as well as supporting activity structures. Implementation guidelines are provided.