Learning from Autistic Redditors: ChatGPT Adaptations and Implications for Inclusive Educational AI Design

• In Event: Interrogating and Advancing Inclusive and Accessible Tech/Media Engagement for Neurodiverse Learners

Abstract

This study examines how autistic users adapt ChatGPT to support real-world learning, planning, and communication. We analyzed Reddit posts by self-identified autistic users, focusing on how they tailor the tool to match their thinking style, manage executive function, and reduce social or cognitive stress. Emergent themes include prompt customization, social scripting, clarity scaffolding, and emotional safety. Rather than framing autistic users as edge cases, we center their adaptations to challenge default assumptions in AI tool design. All excerpts were paraphrased and ethical guidance for online research followed (Fiesler et al., 2024). Findings include user-led practices that reveal overlooked usability needs and suggest actionable design strategies for inclusive, cognitively accessible AI tools in higher education.

Author

• Yvette Doss, University of California - Santa Barbara