How can AI support students with disabilities?

AI may help some students with tasks such as organizing information, simplifying language, or producing draft captions, but its usefulness and accuracy vary. It does not replace an institution’s accommodation process or accessible course materials.

Match assistance to an actual access need

Evaluate the specific barrier with the student’s preferences and campus accessibility guidance in view. A generated summary may remove essential detail, and an inaccurate caption can change the meaning of a lecture. Students also need a workable way to check the output; inaccessible source material can make that difficult.

Check permissions before recording or uploading class content, and avoid sharing medical documentation in a general chatbot. Ask the accessibility office about approved options and how they fit course requirements. Treat AI as one possible aid whose performance must be tested, not a universal solution for disability access.

Your next steps

• Identify the specific access need and preferred format.
• Consult campus accessibility guidance and approved options.
• Test accuracy, usability, privacy, and a way to verify the result.