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Inclusive Futures: How ChatGPT Challenges and Changes Disability Discourse in Education

This session explores the paradigm-shifting potential of AI, with a focus on ChatGPT, as a catalyst for creating more inclusive educational environments and reshaping perceptions of disability and accommodation in higher education. Grounded in the recognition that the current discourse around emergent AI technologies mirrors the narratives often associated with assistive technologies and accommodation—characterized as potentially dishonest or an otherwise inauthentic experience and performance of learning—we argue for a reevaluation of these tools as critical access enhancers. By examining how ChatGPT and similar AI resources can serve students with disabilities by providing customizable learning experiences, instant support, and a platform for exploring and expressing complex ideas, we challenge the prevailing stigma surrounding both AI and accommodations. This presentation will draw on evidence from peer-reviewed journals and higher education discourse to support our argument that AI can not only augment accessibility for students with disabilities but also act as a lever for broadening understanding and acceptance of diverse learning needs. Furthermore, we posit that the widespread integration of AI in educational settings can dismantle long-standing biases and misconceptions about disability, promoting a more inclusive view of student capabilities and academic excellence. By advocating for the embrace of AI technologies like ChatGPT, we envision a future where educational practices are inherently inclusive, accommodating a wider spectrum of learning preferences and needs.

Presenters

Designing Inclusive Pedagogy: Digital Approaches for Global Epistemologies

I am keen to delve into the intersectionality of learning beyond the classroom, student empowerment, and the creation of inclusive environments, which are fundamental to progressive pedagogy and demand broader recognition and implementation. As a student from a minority background, I often encountered a discord between my cultural epistemologies and those prevalent in Western academia, which sometimes led to a misrepresentation of my cultural background. Now, while the current emphasis on Black and Indigenous methods marks a pivotal shift in teaching methodologies, it's crucial to address that these Western pedagogies, even when well-intentioned, may inadvertently continue to marginalize other non-Western epistemologies. The incorporation of diverse sources must, therefore, be thorough and deliberate. In my role as an anthropology and art history lecturer, I prioritize student engagement, from syllabus creation to assessment methods, ensuring inclusivity throughout. At this conference, I will present a paper on decolonial methods that champion inclusive materials to amplify student voices, honoring both collective and individual identities. I will discuss how anthropological teaching can adopt interdisciplinary approaches, drawing from my background in media and communication studies, to craft pedagogy attuned to students' socio-political and techno-social realities, transforming them into active contributors to their education and field of study. This egalitarian ethos, influenced by theorists like Seymour Papert, Cathy N. Davidson, Safiya Umoja Noble, Nelson Maldonado-Torres, and Dylan Robinson, underpins the culturally sustaining pedagogies I advocate for—ones that promote reciprocal learning and support, especially for marginalized groups. Teaching that extends beyond the traditional classroom, embracing embodied and kinesthetic learning, intersects significantly with non-Western and Indigenous epistemologies and knowledge-making practices. These approaches move away from the restrictive structures of institutional learning spaces. In my pedagogy, particularly when addressing specific topics, I integrate site visits, outdoor excursions, cultural events, and ceremonies to enrich the educational experience, which is especially beneficial for ethnographic studies. My presentation will address decolonization, Non-Western pedagogies, inclusive design, and student well-being against the backdrop of global conflict and ideological divides. It's imperative to cultivate a safe space where students of all cultures, ideologies, and backgrounds can contribute, engage critically, and learn from one another's values and worldviews.

Presenters

Transforming student voice through a digital scientific communication assignment

Students are often taught to communicate to an academic audience (e.g., professor). Limitations of academic writing include: (1) not resembling many students’ career-based writing goals, and (2) having limited reach to broader audiences. To address these limitations, I shifted assignments to a scientific communication style, which requires students to communicate their understanding of the core content and learning outcomes in a way that would be understood by the general public. I have developed a framework for introducing students to scientific communication and guiding them through the process as they compose and disseminate their work to the public. This framework has gone through multiple iterations based on my experiences implementing the assignment as well as student feedback (used and revised in 5 courses). I have had success with this framework in undergraduate and graduate courses. In these courses, I include scientific communication as a learning objective. I scaffold learning by first having students compose a blog in small groups and receive peer feedback. After this experience, they conceive of and compose a blog post largely independently (but still receiving peer feedback). Students post their assignments in a public-facing class blog and are invited to share the webpage broadly. This blog is automatically removed shortly after the term is complete. I have also incorporated elements to the assignment to specifically empower student voice and agency, such as students (1) choosing their assignment topic; (2) choosing their assignment format (most commonly blog post, but has also included podcasts and videos); and (3) being able to opt-out of posting their work publicly. At the end of the term, students demonstrating exceptional products are invited to post their blogs in my permanent TMU blog to enable a longer-term impact from their work. I believe that this assignment format has improved the student experience in my courses. I have received very favourable feedback from students, including students enjoying the process of creating the assignment. I have found that the quality of the projects are high, which I believe is partly due to the potential impact of the work (beyond earning them a grade).

Presenters