Page 10 - Mainstreamer Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2023

MAKING IT WORK
AI in Inclusive Education (AIE)

Sahilah Ain
Sathakathulla

Introduction According to Dr. Wong Huey Siew (2023),
rtificial intelligence (AI) is changing the AI is transforming how people work in areas,
world, including education. Nonetheless, such as employment, healthcare, smart cities,
Aconcerns have been raised about its impact transportation, communication and data
on the workforce. Inclusivity and representation analysis. For individuals with disabilities, AI could
are crucial in AI development and use. While AI significantly enhance inclusivity and accessibility,
can enhance classroom inclusivity, it is important particularly in automatic speech recognition,
to integrate inclusive education when teaching AI. visual description, voice text technology and
This article explores AI’s role in fostering inclusivity Seeing AI. For example, Seeing AI can assist the
in education, covering learning impairments, blind in identifying people in a room and reading
challenges and policy models. documents. The integration of AI with screen
readers can empower the blind to perform tasks
more effectively and efficiently. Governments
AI: Addressing Learning Impairments should increase their investment in AI technology
Teaching AI in inclusive education should begin development for individuals with disabilities to
by acknowledging and celebrating the diverse create a more inclusive and disability-friendly
perspectives and experiences that people bring to environment for all.
the table. This approach includes individuals from
different races, cultures, genders and abilities, as
in Article 8 of Malaysia’s Federal Constitution, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
and the ASEAN Declaration of Human Rights. By
recognising and embracing this diversity, we can
ensure that AI is developed to be sensitive to the
needs and concerns of all individuals.

Muhammad Nazmi bin Abdullah (deaf)

Nazmi stated that AI is a great help for people
like him who need support in different areas. He
uses Google Bard to find answers to his questions,
gain ideas for creating posters and discover
interesting places to dine with his family. AI helps
him to generate possible solutions whenever he
Dr. Wong Huey Siew inputs the challenges he faces using questions or

9 November 2023 | Vol. 01, Issue 4