CoSN and CAST last released a comprehensive report entitled “AI and Accessibility in Education.” Authored by Fernanda Pérez Perez, a recipient of The Blaschke Fellowship, the report explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance educational accessibility and support for students, particularly those with disabilities. As AI technologies like Generative AI (GenAI) and assistive tools become increasingly prevalent in educational settings, it is crucial to understand both their benefits and limitations.
The report serves as a comprehensive guide for educators, district leaders and policymakers, providing insights into the benefits and challenges of AI in education and offering practical strategies for its effective and ethical implementation enabling accessibility.
“The AI and Accessibility in Education report emphasizes that the integration of AI in education holds significant promise for enhancing accessibility and support for all students,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN. “By placing a strong emphasis on inclusive design, implementing comprehensive policies and fostering ongoing professional development, we have the opportunity to create a future where every student, regardless of their background or abilities, can thrive and reach their full potential through the thoughtful integration of AI.”
Key highlights from the report include:
- Potential of AI for Accessibility
- AI tools can significantly improve personalized learning by tailoring educational content to meet the unique needs and preferences of each student, especially those with disabilities. For example, text-to-speech software, speech recognition systems, and AI-integrated augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools enhance the learning experience for students with diverse needs.
- AI can alleviate teacher burnout by automating administrative tasks such as grading and attendance tracking, allowing educators to focus more on direct student interaction and support.
- Use Cases and Examples
- Case studies from various educational settings illustrate the practical applications of AI in enhancing accessibility. For instance, AI tools have been used to create individualized learning materials, facilitate communication for students with speech disabilities and develop accessible math assessments for blind students.
- Challenges and Risks
- Despite its potential, AI implementation in education comes with challenges such as data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias and limitations in personalized learning. AI systems must be created by diverse people and trained on diverse datasets to avoid inaccuracies and ensure true representation, particularly for students with disabilities.
- Ensuring that AI tools are designed and implemented with accessibility in mind is crucial to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.
- Policy and Frameworks
- This report highlights the importance of policy frameworks and guidelines to ensure the safe and ethical use of AI in education. Key policies include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and updates to Title II (Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services, 2024), which require state and local government entities to provide fully accessible digital resources.
- The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework provides a guiding principle for creating inclusive educational environments that cater to all students’ needs, interests and preferences.
- Recommendations
- This report proposes a three-level solution for safe GenAI implementation, focusing on short-term actions like professional development, medium-term actions such as ensuring accessibility for special education students and long-term goals of universal access to AI tools.
- Ongoing collaboration among educators, policymakers and technology developers is essential to navigate the complexities of AI in education effectively.
For additional insights, read CoSN blog posts:
- Three Strategies to Enhance Accessibility Using AI
- Risk and Reward: Artificial Intelligence in K–12 Education
- A Three-Level Solution: A Range of Possibilities to Create IEPs With GenAI While Ensuring Data Privacy
- Exploring Generative AI Products: Essential Recommendations for Schools on Privacy and Accessibility
- Adapting to ADA Title II: Effective Strategies for Accessible AI in Education
”The Blaschke Fellowship has been an invaluable experience, allowing me to deepen my expertise by conducting research on AI and accessibility in education. It provided the unique opportunity to collaborate with leading experts in the edtech industry, significantly shaping my professional path,” said Fernanda Pérez Perez, 2024 Charles Blaschke Scholarship Fellow. “This project has empowered me to contribute meaningfully to the evolving intersection of technology and inclusive education.”
“When I learned that the focus of this report would be on AI and accessibility in education, I was delighted as it perfectly combines the interests that my husband, Charles, and I both shared,” said Kathy Hurley, CEO, Kathy Hurley Consulting and Former EVP, Pearson Foundation. “As a former special education teacher, the subject of inclusivity has always been paramount, and Charles dedicated much of his career to the research of revenue streams to support special education, Title I and accessibility. I look forward to sharing this report far and wide.”
“At CAST, we believe that the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework plays a crucial role in harnessing AI’s potential to make education more accessible and inclusive,” said Lindsay Jones, CEO, CAST. “By leveraging AI technologies within UDL’s flexible framework, educators can better support diverse learners and remove barriers to learning. This report highlights the transformative power of AI to create educational environments where every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds.”
The complete report, “AI and Accessibility in Education,” is available for download (accessible to members only) on the CoSN website at https://www.cosn.org/2024-blaschke-executive-summary/.
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