Artificial intelligence presents a major opportunity to assist countless students with visual, auditory, or language impairments, while also improving the academic performance of students with learning disabilities in completing tasks that may seem easy for others.
For 14-year-old Mackenzie Gilkison from an Indianapolis suburb, spelling was a major challenge. Words like “rhinoceros” could become “rhinancors,” and “sarcastic” might be spelled “sarkastic.” Despite her ability to pronounce words, dyslexia makes the process extremely exhausting, making it difficult for her to comprehend texts.
Reflecting on her early school years, Mackenzie says, «I used to think I was stupid.» However, AI-powered assistive technology changed her life and helped her keep pace with her peers. Last year, she was selected to join the National Junior Honor Society, thanks to tools such as an AI-powered chatbot, word prediction software, and other technologies that read texts on her behalf.
Mackenzie says, «If it weren’t for these tools, I would have given up.»
Artificial intelligence and empowering students with disabilities
Introducing modern technology to students with disabilities is a priority for the U.S. Department of Education, which has emphasized to schools the necessity of considering students’ needs for tools such as text-to-speech and alternative communication devices. The Department of Justice has also enforced new rules requiring schools and government entities to make applications and digital content accessible to everyone.
Benefits with caution
Students can use artificial intelligence to organize ideas, summarize complex texts, or even translate Shakespeare’s texts into simple language. In addition, the artificial voices used to read texts have become more natural and less robotic.
Alexis Reid, an educational therapy specialist in Boston, says, «Many students discover these tools as if they found a magic code in a video game,» emphasizing that using artificial intelligence is not cheating, but rather a way to help students overcome obstacles.
Technical challenges and future aspirations
While artificial intelligence helps level the educational playing field, it poses new challenges. Paul Sanft, director of a Minnesota assistive technology center, says, «There are always concerns about the misuse of tools, but for students with disabilities, it’s about achieving what was once impossible.»
Despite the benefits, there is a risk that artificial intelligence could reduce the level of academic challenge for some students or reveal their disabilities in inappropriate ways.
In Iowa, for example, the Department of Education invested $3 million in an AI-powered personalized learning program to help students struggling with reading difficulties.
New developments on the way
The U.S. National Science Foundation is funding artificial intelligence research to develop new tools, such as software to assist children with speech and language difficulties. However, challenges remain, such as improving handwriting-to-text conversion technology.
Personal experience
For Mackenzie, the technical challenges of these tools can sometimes be overwhelming. But her mother, Nadine Gilkison, who works as an instructional technology integration specialist in schools, stresses that the benefits outweigh the challenges. Last September, her school launched chatbots to support special education students in high schools, enabling them to rely on themselves.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence represents a golden opportunity to improve the lives of students with disabilities, but it requires a balance between providing support and achieving actual learning.
