Navigating the Intersection of AI, Course Design, and Digital Accessibility: A Teaching Guide (Part 1)

Welcome to the first part of our teaching guide series on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), course design, and digital accessibility. In this guide, we'll explore how you can harness the power of AI, specifically large language models (LLMs), to enhance course design and increase equity and digital accessibility for all learners. Dr. Julaine Fowlin developed a 4 Steps AI response continuum framework as a way for educators to see their AI learning and integration as a journey and give agency on where they should start. The framework’s 4 steps are Ignore, Address, Re-design, and Re-define (See Fig 1). This teaching guide will use the 4 Steps AI response continuum framework to discuss considerations for each level and provide resources.

In this article, we will focus on the Ignore and address levels by examining:

• What are the implications of ignoring AI in Course Design and Digital Accessibility?
• How do we take proactive steps to address course design and digital accessibility in the age of AI?

Let’s dive in!

The Implications of Ignoring AI in Course Design and Digital Accessibility

In the rapidly evolving teaching and learning landscape, it can be tempting to ignore the integration of AI into the work we are already doing. However, ignoring this can have significant implications for both you as an educator and your learners.

Ignoring AI in course design means missing out on opportunities to leverage AI-powered tools and technologies to enhance the teaching and learning experience. AI offers capabilities such as ideas for personalized learning experiences, course design strategies, and ways to provide new and engaging methods of instruction.

Reflection: Consider a course that you have taught or are currently teaching. How would your experience be different if you could increase the efficiency of designing and creating learning activities? How about developing a rubric? Writing instructions for an assignment? All of these are ways in which AI can upgrade these tasks.

On the digital accessibility front, ignoring the AI implications can result in excluding learners with barriers from accessing course content and participating fully in educational activities. AI can help support audio, visual, and even universal design for learning strategies you choose to implement. Keep in mind that accessibility considerations aren’t only for those with accommodations but provide support for all learners. Want to know how to create a more inclusive experience? Consult AI for strategies and then choose how to implement these in your context. Remember, AI is the building block from which decisions you make in your course can bloom.

By ignoring AI in course design and digital accessibility, it’s possible to risk falling behind in leveraging these innovative technologies and fostering an inclusive learning environment. As instructors and instructional support staff, we always want to accommodate diverse learner needs while creating learning experiences that adhere to solid teaching and learning practices.

Starting to Address Course Design and Digital Accessibility with AI

Taking proactive steps to address course design and digital accessibility considerations sets the foundation for creating engaging and inclusive learning experiences for all students. Here are a few essential strategies to kickstart the process:

1. Stay Informed: Educate yourself and your colleagues about the importance of responsibly integrating AI into course design and ensuring digital accessibility in teaching and learning. Stay informed about emerging trends, practices, and accessibility standards.

   Resources: The EdSurge news section on AI is a great way to see what is happening daily and how this impacts education.

2. Get to Know Your Students: Assess your student’s unique needs and preferences, including any accessibility requirements they may have. Ask about their knowledge of AI and whether they know how it can support their learning and responsible usage.

   Resources:  A pre-course survey is a great way to establish a rapport with your learners and gain insights and answers to these questions.

3. Explore AI Tools: Explore AI-powered tools and technologies that support teaching and learning objectives while promoting inclusivity and accessibility. Look for tools that offer automatic captioning, speech recognition, text-to-speech synthesis, adaptive learning pathways, and thoughtful course design strategies and considerations. Have fun and experiment! Pretend to be a student and move through your course using a few of these tools to gain insight into the effects they can have when implemented.

   Resources: The Tilburg.ai 22 Best AI Education Tools in 2024 is a great place to start.

By proactively addressing course design and digital accessibility considerations, you can lay the groundwork for creating engaging and inclusive learning environments that empower all learners. Additionally, AI tools can increase efficiency in the choices and decisions made before, during, and after a course in a way that supports your learners to the greatest extent.

Stay tuned for the next article in our series. In part 2, we’ll explore how to redesign your course activities and teaching strategies to take advantage of AI. Then, in part 3, we’ll conclude by examining what it means to redefine your work in teaching and learning with AI not only from a course but also from a program level.

“Teaching with AI is about harnessing the future to inspire the present.” – Mike Jackson.