Key Considerations for AI and Accessibility in Higher Education

Practical advice for educators and administrators implementing AI

BOULDER, CO, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Every Learner Everywhere and Teach Access have partnered to publish a new resource titled Where AI Meets Accessibility: Considerations for Higher Education, to support educators and administrators in higher education in exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and accessibility, with a particular focus on the needs of people with disabilities (PWD). Created through collaboration with experts from academia, industry, and the disability community, this resource aims to help educators and institutional administrators discover innovative ways to foster access and opportunity in higher education for PWD.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded into educational settings and practices, it offers both opportunities and challenges. This comprehensive resource will help navigate both aspects— demonstrating how AI can help overcome technology barriers and highlighting areas where it may inadvertently create new obstacles for PWD. It is also a practical toolkit for incorporating accessible AI in higher education, complete with example activities, discussion questions, and reading lists.

Key highlights include:
Intro to Accessibility and AI, explaining key concepts and their relevance in higher education.

Specific challenges PWD face when using AI, including biases and ableist assumptions that may hinder accessibility.

The role of AI in assistive technology (AT) and how it can be used as an assistive tool in educational contexts.

How AI can support accessibility, providing insights into making AI more inclusive.

Practical advice for educators and administrators on implementing and using AI inclusively.

The goal is to shift the conversation around AI in higher education beyond topics like academic integrity or the student experience, and instead encourage a focus on how AI can promote accessibility and inclusion. Accessibility should be recognized as a fundamental part of inclusion. The resource includes various recommendations for integrating AI inclusively across different areas of higher education.

"As artificial intelligence transforms how we learn, communicate, and work, it's essential to recognize and remove any barriers it may introduce," said Rolando J. Méndez, Director of Education at Teach Access and co-author of the resource. "This resource empowers higher education institutions to reimagine AI adoption and integration, ensuring it expands access and opportunities for people with disabilities."

Inclusion plays a crucial role in supporting people of all abilities and identities, and it has become a central focus for many higher education institutions. While AI has the potential to improve accessibility in learning environments, it can also unintentionally create barriers. Educators and administrators in higher education are crucial in ensuring that AI development and implementation is accessible.

The full resource, Where AI Meets Accessibility: Considerations for Higher Education, is available for download at https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/resources/where-ai-meets-accessibility-considerations-for-higher-education/

To download the free resource or learn more about Every Learner Everywhere and its collaborative approach to improved student success in higher education through digital learning, visit everylearnereverywhere.org. To contact Every Learner Everywhere, email everylearner@wiche.edu, or call (303) 541-0208. Follow Every Learner on LinkedIn at Every Learner Everywhere.

Emilie Cook
Every Learner Everywhere
+1 303-541-0208
everylearner@wiche.edu
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