This highly interactive session will be structured into five focused segments over 60 minutes, ensuring participants gain immediate, actionable skills. The session begins with an 8-minute Welcome and Equity Hook, utilizing a digital poll and discussion to assess attendees' current barriers to differentiation and frame AI as the ultimate equalizer. This is followed by 17 minutes of Hands-on Tool Demos, where attendees engage in guided practice on their personal devices, exploring generative AI for content simplification and cognitive aids for executive function. This segment includes a brief Think-Pair-Share to immediately anchor the practical use cases. The core of the session is the 20-minute Collaborative Design Challenge, a peer-to-peer activity where groups tackle Case Study Cards and use the practiced tools to draft specific, AI-enhanced IEP goals, directly aligning technology with student autonomy. Next, 8 minutes are dedicated to a Rapid-Fire Policy Review, using challenging ethical scenarios and a whole-group discussion to address critical issues like algorithmic bias and data privacy. The session concludes with a 7-minute Wrap-up and Action Plan, where attendees individually draft their AI Implementation Blueprint—a tangible takeaway—while receiving the curated resource list and participating in a final Q&A.
Participants will . . .
Analyze a student's specific learning profile (e.g., challenges in executive function, reading comprehension) and select the most appropriate category of AI tools (e.g., generative AI, cognitive aids, adaptive testing) to address their needs.
Use a generative AI platform to instantly differentiate a core curriculum text or create a personalized visual aid, ensuring the content is accessible for two distinct special education profiles.
Evaluate the ethical and data privacy considerations of new AI tools and draft a short-term, equitable implementation plan for introducing one AI solution in their school or classroom setting.
Ahmad, W., Raj, R., & Shokeen, R. (2024). Reshaping special education: Strategic use of artificial intelligence. In R. K. Kumari (Ed.), Artificial intelligence in special education: Enhancing learning outcomes for students with disabilities (pp. 1-44). IGI Global.
Alter, B. (2024). Three strategies to enhance accessibility using AI. CoSN (Consortium for School Networking). Retrieved from https://www.cosn.org/three-strategies-to-enhance-accessibility-using-ai/
Center for Innovation, Design and Digital Learning (CIDDL). (n.d.). Artificial intelligence for IEP development. Retrieved from https://ciddl.org/artificial-intelligence/
Edutopia. (n.d.). Using AI to save time and reduce the workload when writing IEPs. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-ai-write-ieps-help-educators-reduce-workload/
Institute of Education Sciences (IES). (2024, February 1). Research and development partnerships using AI to support students with disabilities. IES Blog. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/blogs/research/archive
Marino, M. T., Vasquez, E., Dieker, L., Basham, J., & Blackorby, J. (2023). The future of artificial intelligence in special education technology. Journal of Special Education Technology, 38(3), 404–416. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434231165977
Rakap, S., & Balikci, S. (2024). Investigation into the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in special education: A literature review. Social Sciences, 14(5), 288. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14050288
Shriver, T. (2024, September 6). A new era of special education begins with inclusive AI. Time Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/news/a-new-era-of-special-education-begins-with-inclusive-ai
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2021). Recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000380455
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2023, May). Artificial intelligence and the future of teaching and learning: Insights and recommendations. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/documents/ai-report/ai-report.pdf
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