Designing Artificial Intelligence for Students With Disabilities: Theoretical Considerations for Promoting Inclusion and Equity

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 5:25 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Innovative Literacy Instruction for Disabled Students (Table 2)

Abstract

The rapid expansion of AI in terms of quantity and capability has left policymakers, researchers, and practitioners unprepared to address the opportunities and challenges associated with the ethical and equitable use of AI in education, especially applications for students with disabilities (SWDs). The purpose of this article is to call attention to key areas regarding designing AI for SWDs by using the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to frame the role of AI in mediating dynamic interplays between SWDs and their sociocultural context. We illustrate an equity-oriented framework with three human-centered design principles focused on enhancing accessibility to support sensory and physical experiences, facilitating (meta)cognitive processing through goal-oriented actions, and promoting agency by leveraging learner strengths and cultural-historical experiences.

Authors

• Ling Zhang, University of Wyoming

• Richard Carter, Indiana University

• Slki Narae Lim, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill