AI's Role and Challenges in Special Education: Legal Implications Explored
In an effort to enhance learning experiences for students with special needs, schools are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI). However, the integration of AI in special education requires careful consideration and deliberate action to ensure its benefits are maximized while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and relational learning culture.
Schools should add statements about AI use to student handbooks, registration information, and their general AI policy. These statements should explain which AI programs are approved for use and outline staff expectations for using AI to enhance, not replace, professional judgment. School districts are responsible for the accuracy of all student program documents, even if AI was used to create them.
AI can be a powerful tool in special education, supporting neurodivergent learners, promoting self-regulation and metacognitive skills, preventing teacher deskilling, and promoting inclusive communication. For instance, AI can tailor learning experiences to accommodate varied brain functions, facilitate multisensory learning, enable students to monitor their focus, and support students with hearing, visual, or reading impairments.
However, teachers must combine AI tools with human judgment to personalize learning without losing the essential human connection and emotional support. Teachers should actively monitor AI’s impact on their professional skills and engage in continuous development alongside technological advances. They should design classroom practices that leverage AI's strengths, while intentionally preserving and emphasizing social-emotional learning and relationship-building.
Setting up clear protocols for AI use that align with neurodiversity-affirming pedagogy is crucial to ensure diverse learners feel supported and valued. Schools should make families feel that their child's education is tailored to them by personalizing educational documents such as IEPs or behavior support plans.
Teachers must use their professional judgment when making decisions, even when using AI-generated documents or recommendations. Negative perceptions of students with disabilities may arise if AI is presented as a magic solution to overworked teachers, making the students seem like the problem and the teachers like they're being victimized by the system. Teachers should reframe the use of AI in special education to position it as a catalyst for systemic change to support all learners in an inclusive setting.
Despite concerns about ethics, student privacy, and critical thinking, AI in special education is a helpful tool for both teachers and students. However, potential problems include decreased teacher agency, negative perception of students with disabilities, and legal issues related to teacher responsibility and transparency about how AI is used.
To ease concerns about individualized support, schools should be transparent about the use of AI in student programming. Using AI to create these documents can make families feel like their child's education isn't personalized. Decreased teacher agency occurs as AI supports tasks previously managed by special education teachers, potentially leading to a shift in their role from expert to collaborator.
In conclusion, while AI offers powerful support beyond commonly noted applications, maximizing its benefit in special education requires deliberate, informed teacher involvement. By combining AI tools with human judgment, actively monitoring AI’s impact, designing inclusive classroom practices, and setting clear protocols, schools can ensure a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students.
- Teachers should use their professional judgment when using AI tools and ensure they are combined with human interaction to maintain a relational learning culture.
- School districts should add statements about approved AI programs and staff expectations to student handbooks and registration information to ensure clarity in AI use.
- AI can support neurodivergent learners by tailoring learning experiences, promoting self-regulation, and enabling communication for those with impairments.
- To personalize educational documents for diverse learners, schools should set up clear protocols for AI use that align with neurodiversity-affirming pedagogy.
- Teachers should engage in continuous development alongside technological advances to ensure they maintain their professional skills and do not lose the essential human connection and emotional support in the classroom.
