Differentiated Instruction + Technology = Better Learning

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I recently read through a wiki called Differentiate-with-Technology.  There I found useful information about the nature of differentiated instruction and what technology can do to further this approach when teaching students. The whole notion of differentiated instruction is what grabbed me the most.  From reading about it in this wiki I realized that differentiated instruction is very similar to the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  The idea is that you design instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners in your classroom rather than those of average students. Different learning styles and preferences for self-expression are seriously considered while planning instruction.  This sounds very similar to what I have seen discussed about UDL and how teachers following this approach need to incorporate various ways of delivering information and provide many different options for students to demonstrate what they have learned. It was an interesting connection to make.


Regarding both concepts, I say "Yes!" It rings true to me that different students learn in different ways and need a teacher to understand them well enough to make instruction meaningful and relevant to them. The teacher also needs to provide means for assessment that are well-matched to the learning preferences of students. Now, how can technology help with this?


There are a plethora of technological tools out there that students can use to demonstrate what they have learned to be able to do.  Plus, there are a variety of tools that can suit many different learning styles and student interests.  Their are graphics programs for visual learners, digital story-telling for auditory learners, movie-makers for tactile students, etc. The Internet and various Web 2.0 tools can bring leranign alive for a very diverse student population.  It is only then up to the teacher to learn about her/his students and be able to fluently match assessment activities and tools to their individual needs. 


One question I am left pondering is: How can technology be a component of culturally-responsive teaching and assessment?