AI and Inclusion

"The Committee identified that this technology has the potential to enhance educational experiences and deliver stronger student outcomes, particularly for Australia’s most vulnerable cohorts of students." ~ Generative AI in Education Report Released, Parliament of Australia, 10 September 2024.

The term "inclusion" is an overarching umbrella encompassing the concept of including all.

Key Themes: Explore Universal Design for Learning, supporting disability, English as a Second Language or Dialect considerations, mental health, and rural and remote contexts.

First Nations: Explore the intersection of AI across a variety of First Nations cultures from around the world, including Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations, Maori, and African culture.

What is Inclusion

“Inclusive education is more than a set of practices. It is also a philosophy: a way of thinking about people, about learning, about teachers and students. Inclusive education is a human right.”
— Linda Graham, 2024

Inclusion is a commitment to creating learning environments where every student feels valued, seen, and supported to thrive. Inclusive education recognises the diversity of learners as a strength by designing flexible, responsive systems that honour the full range of human experience across ability, culture, language, neurotype, gender, and background.

At its core, inclusive education is about removing barriers, physical, social, emotional, and pedagogical, so that learning is genuinely accessible to all. It requires educators to lead with empathy, centre student voice, and work in partnership with families and communities. It is grounded in the belief that every learner belongs and that belonging is the foundation of both wellbeing and achievement.

Inclusive education challenges systems to evolve through universal design, differentiated teaching, relational practice, and ongoing critical reflection. It is where equity meets action, and where all learners can grow, connect, and flourish together.

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Reference:
Graham, L. (2024). Inclusive education for the 21st century: Theory, policy and practice.

How do we define the role of AI in inclusion?

AI in Inclusive Education refers to the thoughtful use of artificial intelligence tools and technologies to support equitable, accessible, and empowering learning environments for all students, particularly those with diverse needs, disabilities, or from disadvantaged backgrounds.

As Lata, P. (2024) in “Towards Equitable Learning: Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Inclusive Education” states:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly enhance inclusive education by:

Personalising instruction to meet diverse learner needs
Enhancing accessibility for students with disabilities
Supporting social-emotional development
Freeing up teacher time for more meaningful student interaction
Reducing achievement gaps and promoting equity
Addressing systemic inequalities and broadening access for underserved students

However, ethical and practical challenges must be addressed to ensure responsible, equitable implementation”

AI holds strong potential to enhance inclusive education, but ethical use, equitable access, and adequate educator training are essential for success. In higher education they identified opportunities in using AI in inclusive education:

Opportunities Identified

Tailored Learning: AI enables personalised, adaptive, and creative learning experiences.
Accessibility: AI tools improve access for students with disabilities (e.g. speech-to-text, image recognition).
Insight into Student Needs: AI helps identify learning gaps and supports early intervention.
Supports lifelong and ethical learning: Encourages reflection, innovation, and ongoing growth. Singh & Gupta (2025)

We value all contributions to this page.

Please contact Alfina Jackson or Annelise Dixon on LinkedIn if you would like to contribute.

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