The 21st century is the era where most technologies for education are being created; emerging technologies have been promising teaching and learning innovations for decades. At the same time, inclusive education aims to create equal opportunities for everyone, which can sometimes become counterintuitive for individual learning needs and experiences, especially when it comes to learners with specific needs. While assistive technologies have been extremely helpful for specific types of disabilities in the context of special education, this is not always the case in terms of educational technologies (tools and conceptual frameworks), which are at times too generic and not easily applicable to specific contexts. On the other hand, current technological developments such as generative artificial intelligence, while potentially bringing new opportunities and avenues for research and development, if left underproblematized and undertheorized, might even increase existing divides and favor different types of exclusion.
The most widely used models and frameworks for inclusive education generally provide a descriptive frame of reference for an aspirational view (i.e., Universal Design for Learning). However, actionable, innovative pedagogical strategies and methodologies that go hand in hand with emerging technologies are not easily available. This is true also in terms of creating individual learning experiences fitted for specific needs in terms of planning, implementing, and assessing learning outcomes. Furthermore, aligning inclusive learning principles with those of individual needs and plans of different learners requires careful reconsideration in line with different tools, modalities, spaces, and pedagogies. Moreover, with new, emerging technologies, inclusion issues and problems might even increase if we do not carefully consider related risks and challenges: for instance, we can already witness an emergence of an exponentially increasing gap between genAI-supported and unsupported languages. With emerging technologies such as generative AI, we should be able to create theoretical, conceptual, and technological artifacts that can tackle these gaps and provide strategies and tools ranging from policy to practice, focusing on educators and learners – especially in special and inclusive education.
This Research Topic aims to explore how emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, can be harnessed to foster inclusive education while addressing the potential risks and challenges that may arise. The main objectives include investigating how generative AI can be integrated into inclusive education frameworks, identifying the ethical considerations and policy implications, and developing innovative pedagogical strategies that cater to individual learning needs. Specific questions to be answered include: How can generative AI be used to support inclusive education? What are the ethical and policy challenges associated with its use? How can we ensure that emerging technologies do not exacerbate existing educational divides?
To gather further insights into the intersection of inclusive education and generative AI, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Generative AI and inclusive education: theory, practice, and policy
- Emerging technologies and special education: prospects for teacher professional development
- Ethics and policies for the use of Generative AI in special and inclusive education
- Reconceptualizing innovative education in the context of emerging technologies
- Challenges, risks, and visions for the educational future in the context of inclusive education
The 21st century is the era where most technologies for education are being created; emerging technologies have been promising teaching and learning innovations for decades. At the same time, inclusive education aims to create equal opportunities for everyone, which can sometimes become counterintuitive for individual learning needs and experiences, especially when it comes to learners with specific needs. While assistive technologies have been extremely helpful for specific types of disabilities in the context of special education, this is not always the case in terms of educational technologies (tools and conceptual frameworks), which are at times too generic and not easily applicable to specific contexts. On the other hand, current technological developments such as generative artificial intelligence, while potentially bringing new opportunities and avenues for research and development, if left underproblematized and undertheorized, might even increase existing divides and favor different types of exclusion.
The most widely used models and frameworks for inclusive education generally provide a descriptive frame of reference for an aspirational view (i.e., Universal Design for Learning). However, actionable, innovative pedagogical strategies and methodologies that go hand in hand with emerging technologies are not easily available. This is true also in terms of creating individual learning experiences fitted for specific needs in terms of planning, implementing, and assessing learning outcomes. Furthermore, aligning inclusive learning principles with those of individual needs and plans of different learners requires careful reconsideration in line with different tools, modalities, spaces, and pedagogies. Moreover, with new, emerging technologies, inclusion issues and problems might even increase if we do not carefully consider related risks and challenges: for instance, we can already witness an emergence of an exponentially increasing gap between genAI-supported and unsupported languages. With emerging technologies such as generative AI, we should be able to create theoretical, conceptual, and technological artifacts that can tackle these gaps and provide strategies and tools ranging from policy to practice, focusing on educators and learners – especially in special and inclusive education.
This Research Topic aims to explore how emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, can be harnessed to foster inclusive education while addressing the potential risks and challenges that may arise. The main objectives include investigating how generative AI can be integrated into inclusive education frameworks, identifying the ethical considerations and policy implications, and developing innovative pedagogical strategies that cater to individual learning needs. Specific questions to be answered include: How can generative AI be used to support inclusive education? What are the ethical and policy challenges associated with its use? How can we ensure that emerging technologies do not exacerbate existing educational divides?
To gather further insights into the intersection of inclusive education and generative AI, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Generative AI and inclusive education: theory, practice, and policy
- Emerging technologies and special education: prospects for teacher professional development
- Ethics and policies for the use of Generative AI in special and inclusive education
- Reconceptualizing innovative education in the context of emerging technologies
- Challenges, risks, and visions for the educational future in the context of inclusive education