Background: There is a wider disability gap in educational attainment and literacy among children with disabilities (UNESCO, 2024). With limited access to resources due to high costs, it becomes challenging for teachers to meet their students’ learning needs. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education by enhancing accessibility, enabling personalised learning, and fostering the development of innovative resources. However, its application in inclusive teaching practices, especially within Southeast Asian community-based contexts, remains limited. Teachers in low-resource environments have limited access to AI training, underscoring the urgent need to equip them with AI literacy and practical skills. In Pakistan, teachers lack digital skills due to limited training opportunities (Kamran & Bano, 2024). This project builds upon extensive professional and voluntary experience in disability education, which has revealed persistent challenges teachers face in developing appropriate resources. Early adoption of AI can enable them to develop inclusive, low-cost digital resources and promote equitable access.
Context: The pilot study is conducted at a Karachi-based community institute that serves 40 children with disabilities and is supported by 15 volunteer teachers. Current instructional practices primarily involve hands-on activities and role-play, with minimal integration of technology. While teachers express significant interest in AI, they currently lack the readiness to implement it, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for professional empowerment.
This pilot scholarship project aims to empower inclusive teachers to integrate AI into their instructional practices to support learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Research Questions
- What challenges do teachers face in developing learning resources for learners with ASD?
- How does participation in a pilot course on AI empower teachers to create low-cost learning resources?
Theoretical Framework: This pilot study is informed by connectivism theory (Siemens, 2005), which conceptualises learning as networked and shaped by technology, and the Community of Practice framework (Wenger, 1998), which emphasises collaborative learning. Collectively, these perspectives elucidate how teachers construct knowledge through digital connections and collective participation. These frameworks provide a robust lens for examining the integration of AI into teaching.
Methods: The study employed a qualitative single-case design, focusing on six volunteer teachers at a Karachi-based institution for learners with ASD, selected through criterion sampling. Data collection methods included focus group discussions and reflective diaries. Focus groups examined challenges in developing inclusive resources, while reflective diaries documented the progression of engagement with AI tools. Data is analyzed using thematic analysis.
Intervention: Participants completed 10 hours of hands-on AI training. Following this, they collaborated to develop three educational resources for learners with ASD. Each teacher pair produced a resource in formats such as colouring books, storybooks, audio poems, or puzzles. The resources were disseminated through the MERLOT open-access platform, thereby extending the impact beyond the immediate context and advancing inclusive education.
Findings: AI empowered teachers to create inclusive, low-cost digital resources for learners with ASD in low-resource settings. It empowered teachers to develop free resources to meet learners’ needs. It also fostered a collaborative culture of innovation.
Contribution: This pilot scholarship project provides new, context-sensitive evidence from Pakistan to inform global discussions on AI in education. It advances inclusive education by aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 and offers insights for policymakers, NGOs, and educators seeking to bridge gaps in accessible learning for learners with disabilities. Dissemination of findings through conferences and forums will encourage stakeholders to adopt and implement responsible, inclusive AI educational practices and collaborate to create equitable educational opportunities for all learners, regardless of ability.
6 responses to “Empowering Teachers about Artificial Intelligence to Support Learners with Disabilities”
Hi Salima
Thank you for a superb presentation. Some of the questions from the chat pane are below. Some you answered on the day, some not – it’s up to you how you respond here.
Best wishes
Simon
Why did you choose focus groups instead of individual interviews, and what are the pros and cons of each?
Which specific focus group method have you used, such as the Nominal Group Technique or the Thinking Environment Council?
In analyzing the focus group data thematically, did you take an inductive or deductive approach?
Are teachers finding that their students are engaging well with the AI resources they are provided?
Do you know yet if teachers are continuing to use AI beyond the study timeline?
The potential for teachers to use AI to create low cost learning resources sounds useful beyond your case study. How might you share the findings?
The findings seem to be overwhelmingly positive. Did the study reveal any challenges?
Why did you choose focus groups instead of individual interviews, and what are the pros and cons of each?
I selected focus groups because they foster an environment in which teachers can share challenges, exchange experiences, compare ideas, and collaboratively build understanding. Such collective discussions often generate insights that may not emerge in individual interviews. The method offers strengths such as the inclusion of multiple perspectives, richer data, and reduced researcher influence. Challenges, including uneven participation or reluctance to discuss sensitive topics, can be addressed through effective facilitation. While interviews are valuable for eliciting private, personal details, they are more time-consuming and lack the interactive dimension. Given that my project examines the collective experiences of supporting learners with autism, focus groups provided an appropriate balance of depth and authenticity.
Which specific focus group method have you used, such as the Nominal Group Technique or the Thinking Environment Council?Yes, I employ a hybrid focus group methodology to enhance inclusivity and methodological rigor. In the pre-pilot focus group, I used the Nominal Group Technique, which ensures that each teacher contributes ideas individually prior to group discussion. This structured approach prevents more experienced participants from dominating and yields a prioritized understanding of the challenges in resource design.
In the post-pilot focus group, I adopted the Thinking Environment Council approach. This method provides each teacher with uninterrupted time to reflect on their experiences with AI training, thereby fostering equality and respect and generating deeper insights into empowerment outcomes.
By integrating the systematic structure of the Nominal Group Technique with the reflective depth of the Thinking Environment Council, I address the limitations of traditional focus groups and generate balanced, authentic data aligned with the research aims.
Are teachers finding that their students are engaging well with the AI resources they are provided?Teachers have reported that students engage deeply with AI-generated resources, particularly when these materials are personalized. Following professional development, educators created a variety of colourful, creative materials, including storybooks, audio poems, interactive visuals, and colouring sheets. These resources captured students’ attention, fostered self-expression, and promoted joyful learning beyond the classroom environment. Learners demonstrated curiosity and enthusiasm, and this sustained engagement has encouraged teachers to further integrate AI into their instructional practices, thereby enhancing lesson inclusivity and accessibility.
Do you know yet if teachers are continuing to use AI beyond the study timeline?Teachers have continued to use AI beyond the study timeline. In my role within the institute, I have directly observed their ongoing practice. Educators remain motivated to integrate AI into lessons, developing creative and low-cost resources that sustain student engagement. This sustained use indicates that the training had a lasting impact, with AI adoption becoming embedded in everyday teaching rather than diminishing after the study concluded.
In analyzing the focus group data thematically, did you take an inductive or deductive approach?Thematic analysis is conducted primarily using an inductive approach, enabling themes to emerge directly from participants’ accounts and authentically capturing their lived experiences. This approach is appropriate for the exploratory nature of the study, which aims to understand teachers’ challenges in designing resources for learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the empowerment gained through artificial intelligence (AI) training.
Concurrently, the analysis is guided deductively by the research questions, ensuring that coding remains focused on identifying barriers in resource design and evaluating empowerment outcomes related to AI. This hybrid approach balances openness to participants’ perspectives with alignment to the study’s objectives, thereby enhancing both the depth and relevance of the findings.