The following excerpt is from Tim Shriver’s op-ed, “A New Era of Special Education Begins with Inclusive AI,” published by Time Ideas:
As summer winds down and the familiar hum of school buses returns to our neighborhoods, millions of American students are gearing up for another year of learning. But as we stand on the cusp of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, this annual ritual is about to face a seismic shift—especially for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The decisions that school leaders make in the next academic year are likely to determine whether this technological wave creates more inclusive learning environments, or exacerbates existing disparities. A recent study from the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education reveals a complex landscape of attitudes towards AI in education and a fear of leaving students with IDD behind.
The study found the majority of educators (64%) and parents (77%) of students with IDD view AI as a potentially powerful mechanism to promote more inclusive learning. AI will never replace the centrality of genuine human connection in teaching, the essential element for our community to flourish in the classroom or on the playing field. But contrary to the alarms that many are raising about AI in schools, our research demonstrated significant optimism about the technology. Those who work most closely with young people with ID see great potential in AI’s ability to simplify information—including lectures and curricula—making it more accessible to students with disabilities. Imagine the adaptive learning systems that can provide each student with an educational approach tailored to their unique needs.
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