Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform education for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) by providing tailored support that nurtures their potential and well-being. The aim of this study was to explore how ChatGPT can enhance the inclusion and well-being of students with ASD. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted, during which an intervention with ChatGPD was implemented in the Special Unit. Participants were six students, one teacher and three school assistants. Data were collected with participative observation and interview. It was found that there were recurring themes in the students inquiries, preference for detailed and structured information, repeated focus on specific topics or areas of interest (e.g. cars), and questions related to social skills, emotional understanding, or coping strategies. ChatGPT served as a safe and non-judgmental medium for students to express emotional concerns or seek help. As a result, targeted interventions were designed and teaching strategies were tailored, so as to incorporate instructions, aids and guidance, based on the students’ queries.

People with disabilities often encounter difficulties reading and understanding documents and correspondence from authorities, often due to complex terminology. In this context, Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is a promising way to facilitate independence and participation. This paper presents a participatory research project from Germany in which an AI-enabled application is being developed to assist people with learning disabilities understand written text. 13 people with intellectual disabilities participate as peer researchers and have decisive power over the project development and implementation. First results are presented, including novel structures to cooperate and foster participation, as well as implications for design, fields of applications and functions. The results highlight the benefits of involving user groups in technology development and the need for appropriate research methods as well as methods for designing participatory processes.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in special education has demonstrated significant potential in enhancing learning outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Existing systematic reviews highlight AI’s positive impact on cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional development; however, they often lack a nuanced analysis of its practical implementation. This systematic review investigates the specific challenges and opportunities associated with AI-driven learning technologies, particularly in adaptive education for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Using a PRISMA-guided methodology, we analyzed studies published between November 2021 and November 2024 from SCOPUS, EBSCO, PsycInfo, ProQuest, and two education-focused preprint servers (EdArXiv and SocArXiv). The results indicate that AI significantly enhances personalized learning, motivation, and social interaction. Nevertheless, challenges such as the steep learning curve for educators, ethical concerns regarding data privacy, and disparities in accessibility hinder effective implementation. This review contributes to the theoretical discourse on AI-driven education and offers practical recommendations for future AI integration in special education.

Incorporating AI technology into our OCR software for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), "InftyReader Online" (IRO) is developed. It is a web site to provide dyslexic students with an innovative online service to convert STEM contents in PDF or PowerPoint into various accessible forms. In IRO, we adopt Google Cloud Vision API as an OCR engine, which enables IRO to recognize multilingual STEM contents. In mathematics recognition, both the Google and our STEM-OCR engines are used to improve accuracy. Furthermore, AI-based object detection enables IRO to decide a typeface to a certain extent.

As a new type of accessible books for dyslexic students, "Fixed-layout DAISY" is also developed. In Fixed-layout DAISY, the whole page is treated as a multi-layer picture, the second layer of which has the same form as the original print document (the page image). A DAISY (EPUB3) player can read out any texts on the transparent front layer together with highlighting them. Even if the page layout of the original document is very complicated, almost automatic conversion into Fixed-layout DAISY can be carried out. It should be a powerful/effective tool to realize reasonable accommodation in school examinations.

This study investigates the differences in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in inclusive versus special school settings, with a specific focus on assistive technologies. Using a systematic review approach, we analyzed data from the literature, including the recent review by Bosse and Nussbaumer (2024), and incorporated findings from a secondary data analysis. Our results indicate significant differences in the adoption and implementation of assistive technologies across settings. Special schools tend to have higher integration of assistive technologies due to specialized support structures, whereas inclusive settings face challenges related to accessibility, teacher training, and resource limitations.

Moreover, while special schools benefit from structured support systems that facilitate the integration of assistive technologies, inclusive settings often struggle with inconsistent policy frameworks and a lack of customized support. The findings suggest that disparities in ICT adoption are not only a result of available resources but also of broader institutional and pedagogical factors. By analyzing these differences, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on digital inclusion and educational equity, highlighting best practices, policy implications, and areas for future research to enhance ICT accessibility across educational environments.