INTEGRATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Education among learners with special needs is being transformed by the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) all over the world. This opinion paper talks about the relationship between special education, AI and sustainable development, and how students with disabilities can be prepared to fit into the demands of the upcoming work force. This opinion argument presents how AI-enhanced tools like intelligent tutoring systems, speech-to-text, and adaptive learning platforms could be used to increase accessibility, create personalized learning experiences, and provide learners with employable skills applicable to the digital economy. Meanwhile, the paper highlights the ethical and practical issues that come with the adoption of AI, such as equity-related concerns, affordability, and the possibility of an algorithmic bias that could only deepen existing gaps. This argument has been put forward within the concept of sustainable development where inclusive education is seen as a human rights obligation as well as a driver to the generation of a strong and future based workforce. Through reflection on policy, pedagogy, and technology, the paper advances the view that, in a responsible manner, AI can have a transformative capacity to close the gap between classroom learning and labor-market involvement among learners in special education. It ends with a plea to the higher-order forms of policies, intersectional cooperation, and culturally relevant innovations to see that nobody is left-behind in the new digital economy.