Rishik Rangaraju

Bah, Yahya Muhammed, and Myrtati D Artaria. “Corona Virus (Covid- 19) and Education for All
Achievement: Artificial Intelligence and Special Education Needs- Achievements and Challenges.”
2020, Accessed 2023.

This article discusses the role teachers play in imparting knowledge in the classroom and, at the same
time, creating a positive and progressive impact in a child’s life, especially one with special needs. AI
technology hasn’t been made into classrooms at the same speed as in other sectors. The authors believe that
with the help of AI-driven learning analytics, learning abilities can be significantly improved. Some examples
include assistive technology-driven gadgets like cognitive hearing aids and smart glasses etc., Additionally, AI
tools could help teachers in content creation. The authors used different sources for literature analysis, like
Google search, to analyze various articles and found that only a few articles in this space met the qualifying
criteria for the required research. This speaks to the volume of research still needed in this space. The AT
(Assisted Technology) has been found to be a helpful aid in speech recognition, speech synthesizer, grammar
corrections, etc., helping special needs kids. Additionally, for subjects like mathematics, students could
understand through listening aids, personalized content, etc. The AI tools are also proven to help mentor the
students through different problem-solving skills and simulations. Using adaptive intelligence, AI tools are also
able to contribute to areas of diagnosing, strategizing, and profiling special needs kids. The process of
assessment, documentation, reporting, and identifying the learning gaps is another valuable area where AI could
contribute. AI technology can help reduce the stress and load on the teachers, thereby giving them enough
bandwidth to focus on student interactions. The students, in turn, will benefit from accessibility to high-quality
education, personalized curriculum, effective tracking to improve the curriculum, and the quality of the learning
for special needs children. However, not all countries are advanced enough to impart AI-driven education in the
classroom. The accessibility and affordability of this technology are not universally the same. It is a beginning
where AI and AT technologies can start to demonstrate value and impact such that they can be spread to other
developing countries worldwide.

The authors, Yahya Muhammed Bah and Myrtati Dyah Artaria are qualified to discuss the needs,
achievements, and challenges of the implementation of AI in Special Education because their credentials
include working in the University of The Gambia in the Department of Sociology, publishing various articles
with studies such as “Poor performance in mathematics among senior secondary school students: lessons for
education planners and parents,” and working in the Department of Anthropology at Airlangga University.
Their contact information, including email addresses, is included in the article. Written three years ago, this
source is current on the topic of COVID-19 and education for all achievement: Artificial Intelligence and
special education needs- achievements and challenges. The authors of this article thoroughly evaluated all sides
of the issue. For example, they acknowledge that ATs cannot eradicate learning difficulties and that robot
personalities cannot replace classroom teachers perfectly. They then address that opposing viewpoint by saying
learning to strengthen the technologies will improve the life and living conditions of students with learning
difficulties and that AI has the power to structurally change educational institutions both administratively,
teaching-wise, and learning-wise. This inclusion shows that the article’s authors acknowledge alternative
viewpoints because they make it clear that AI technologies cannot permanently fix unfixable problems nor be a
replacement for teachers but can be extremely powerful tools used by teachers as technology develops to help
students learn. The information contained in the source can be verified elsewhere. For example, the author says
that there is a great shortage of well-trained teachers in special education, which is a serious problem
worldwide. This can be corroborated by Emma García and Elaine Weiss in their publication “The teacher
shortage is real, large and growing, and worse than we thought,” where they conducted studies that show that
around 17.1% of teachers who work in high-poverty schools in the United States left teaching between
Rishik Rangaraju

2015-2016. This article aims to highlight the impact of COVID-19 on teachers in the field of Special Education
and to discuss how AI and assistive technology can revolutionize education, particularly for special needs
students, by enhancing learning abilities, aiding teachers, and improving accessibility. The audience is
educators, policymakers, researchers, and professionals involved in special education. The article is appropriate
for this purpose and audience because it delves into the challenges and potential solutions for leveraging AI to
improve education for children with special needs, citing studies and discussing the role of AI in various aspects
of education delivery. For example, the authors discuss limitations/challenges such as a lack of ICT specialists,
limited availability of disabilities-friendly ATs, government investment, public attitudes, and financial support
in developing countries.