[WASHINGTON, D.C., 22 JULY 2024] — A study released today from the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education reveals that 64% of educators and 77% of parents of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) view AI as a potentially powerful mechanism to promote more inclusive classrooms and close educational gaps between students with and without IDD. However, only 35% of educators believe that developers of AI currently account for the needs and priorities of students with IDD, reflecting an obvious need for the creation of more disability-inclusive tools. As public debate around the responsible use of AI intensifies, this is among the first surveys to include the views and sentiments of people with IDD and their broader community. This study will inform further efforts by Special Olympics to address this community’s underrepresentation in the development and implementation of AI technologies and policies.
“With the ‘AI wave’ rapidly approaching, we must ensure that our population is not left behind. We found that educators, parents and athletes are energized about AI’s potential to close educational gaps between students with and without IDD. But existing tools do not always meet the needs of people with IDD. And while educators believe in AI’s potential as a learning aid for students with IDD, their fears about the potential negative impact on all learners overshadow their enthusiasm. The survey points to a clear need for school districts and organizations like Special Olympics to support educators in thinking more ambitiously about the benefits of AI technology for students with IDD, while advocating for the support and training needed for their responsible adoption of AI tools in classrooms.”
The survey, conducted in the United States and fielded by Stratalys Research, finds a high degree of interest in AI’s potential to improve educational outcomes for young people with IDD through adaptive, personalized learning. In particular, 77% of parents and 79% of teachers express excitement about AI’s ability to simplify information – including lectures and classroom curricula – making it more accessible to students with IDD. Nearly four in five parents and teachers also identify AI’s potential to create more personalized educational plans for students with IDD as a positive development.
Dr. Shriver added, “Any organization that is present in classrooms today needs to be thinking about AI and how it will impact learning for young people. That begins with asking young people with IDD, along with those who care for and educate them, what they want from AI and how they are already using it. When we realized no one was asking these groups for their perspective on AI, we decided to do it ourselves. But we cannot do it alone. We must call on technology companies and developers to reflect the needs and perspectives of our community in future products. A failure to listen to people with IDD will result in three percent of the population being locked out of the most revolutionary technology since the advent of the personal computer. That must not happen.”
Despite some positive associations, the study also uncovers a high degree of AI skepticism, particularly among educators. While teachers recognize that AI holds massive potential for students with IDD as a learning aid, they worry about AI’s potential negative impact on the broader student population. The study also reveals concerns among teachers (72%) and parents (63%) that AI models have not been trained on data provided by persons with IDD and will therefore not accurately reflect their capabilities and contributions.
Additional insights revealed in the study include:
- Parents (85%) and educators (72%) are optimistic that AI can be used to help students with IDD learn and grow.
- Teachers who have already used AI are more optimistic (76%) about AI’s ability to help students with IDD learn and grow than those who have not (61%).
- Both parents (76%) and educators (52%) are optimistic that AI can be used to help students in their extracurricular or sports activities.
- A significant majority of parents (84%) and teachers (79%) believe it is important for young people with IDD to develop AI skills for their future personal and professional lives.
- Both teachers (78%) and parents (66%) express concerns about AI’s potential to replace genuine human connection.
The study was released to coincide with National Disability Pride Month—celebrated every July to honor the history, achievements, experiences and struggles of persons with disabilities. The holiday was established to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights law that continues to break down barriers to inclusion in society.
Special Olympics’ signature Unified Champion Schools program creates more inclusive schools and communities by engaging students of all abilities through sports competitions, clubs, student organizations and activities. This model creates opportunities for young people with and without IDD to learn from one another by building friendships that bridge differences. Research demonstrates that all students benefit from this inclusive model, with measurable results for students both with and without IDD – from an improved sense of community to better reading and math scores.
This research study follows Special Olympics’ first annual letter on the Global State of Inclusion in Education, released earlier this year, which found that countries around the globe are falling short of their commitments to inclusion. In 2023, the organization called on governments to dedicate a minimum of three percent of their national education budgets to increase social inclusion for students with IDD. Last summer, Special Olympics also announced the formation of the Global Leadership Coalition for Inclusion, a pioneering multilateral effort, comprising governments, industry, philanthropy and the development community, to increase inclusive practices in education and sport, and create more inclusive schools and communities.