How AI is Transforming Education for Students with Disabilities

Makenzie Gilkison, a 14-year-old from suburban Indianapolis, struggles with spelling due to dyslexia. However, thanks to assistive technology powered by artificial intelligence, she has been able to keep up with her classmates and even make it to the National Junior Honor Society. Tools like AI-powered chatbots and word prediction programs have been a game-changer for Makenzie and countless other students with various disabilities.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to help students with visual, speech, language, and hearing impairments with tasks that might be challenging for them. Schools are now grappling with how to incorporate AI effectively, especially for students with disabilities. The U.S. Education Department is prioritizing getting the latest technology into the hands of students who need it most.

While there is concern about ensuring that students are still learning while using AI, there are many benefits to these tools. Students can now summarize complex passages, translate text into different languages, and get help with organizing their thoughts. As voices generated by computers become more natural, visually impaired and dyslexic students can access learning materials more easily.

Students like Ben Snyder, a freshman from Larchmont, New York, are increasingly using AI to aid with their homework. Question AI, a program he uses, helps him understand math problems better and write outlines more efficiently. However, there is a fine line between using AI as a helpful tool and relying on it too much, as Ben believes using it to write an entire book report would be considered cheating.

While AI can assist students with disabilities, it is essential to balance its benefits against potential risks. Schools need to ensure that students are still working on improving skills outlined in their special education plans while the technology helps level the playing field for those with disabilities. Ethical considerations about privacy, tracking, and potential discrimination also need to be addressed when implementing AI in an educational setting.