Presenters:
Dianne Tetreault and Hope Shirey
This session explores how visual literacy and multimodal texts can serve as powerful tools for fostering inclusion, global awareness, and critical thinking in diverse learning environments. Grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the presentation highlights strategies for engaging students through multimedia formats—visual, auditory, and interactive—that accommodate varied learning needs and preferences. Participants will examine how interpreting visuals and understanding the visual grammar can deepen comprehension and encourage nuanced analysis of literary elements, themes, and authorial choices. Emphasis will be placed on exploring multiple perspectives through culturally responsive texts that reflect a range of identities, experiences, and worldviews. By integrating visual literacy and multimodal resources, educators can create inclusive spaces where students connect personally and intellectually with texts, while developing empathy and intercultural competence. The session will include examples of scaffolded assignments, discussion protocols, and collaborative activities that support critical engagement of visual literacy across formats. Attendees will leave with practical tools for designing accessible, standards-aligned instruction that empowers all learners—especially multilingual students, neurodiverse learners, and those historically marginalized in traditional curricula. Participants will gain insights into how visual literacy and visual media can be leveraged to build community, challenge assumptions, and inspire deeper inquiry. This session is ideal for curriculum designers, and higher ed faculty seeking to enrich literacy instruction through inclusive, multimodal, and globally conscious approaches.
