This outline is designed for a dynamic, multi-station environment, focusing on continuous engagement rather than a rigid, timed agenda. The goal is to facilitate intimate, one-on-one and small-group conversations throughout the 90-minute session.
The Station Setup
Visual Poster Display: The main poster will be visually organized around the three UDL principles: Representation, Action & Expression, and Engagement. Each section will highlight a specific AI tool with a QR code linking to the tool and a brief, compelling visual example.
Demonstration Station: A laptop or tablet will be set up for live demonstrations.
"Make and Take" Station: A small table with a few devices for attendees to try the tools themselves.
Handouts: A handout with QR codes to the tools, a brief UDL overview, and a call to action for participants to connect with the presenters online.
Content and Engagement Flow (Continuous)
Initial Engagement (Ongoing): As attendees approach, we will engage them in a brief, one-on-one "elevator pitch." We will ask questions to gauge their interest and background, such as, "What are the biggest challenges you face in making your lessons accessible?" This will allow us to tailor the demonstration to their specific needs.
Part 1: AI for Representation (Demonstration and Hands-On)
Demonstration: We will use the laptop to live-demonstrate an AI summarizer. For a single attendee or a small group, we will take a piece of text (e.g., a complex scientific paragraph) and show how the AI can provide a bulleted summary. We will also demonstrate an AI text-to-speech tool on the same text.
Engagement: We will then invite attendees to the "Make and Take" station to try it themselves with a text they provide or a sample text from the handout. The conversation will focus on how these tools could be used for differentiated instruction and providing options for accessing content.
Part 2: AI for Action and Expression (Demonstration and Hands-On)
Demonstration: We will use the laptop to demonstrate an AI image generator. We'll prompt the AI with a concept (e.g., "explain photosynthesis") and discuss how the visual output could help a student who struggles with written expression. We'll also show a dictation tool for students with physical barriers.
Engagement: We will prompt attendees to experiment with the image generator at the "Make and Take" station. They will use a simple prompt to create an image, modeling how students can use this as an alternative form of expression.
Part 3: Fostering Engagement and Community Dialogue (Continuous)
Content: This section is less about a single tool and more about the pedagogical application of AI. The visual poster will feature prompts for discussion on ethical use and student agency.
Engagement: Throughout the session, we will facilitate small-group conversations. For example, we will ask, "How can we teach students to use these tools responsibly?" or "What's one way you could empower your students with a tool you saw today?" We will encourage attendees to share their "aha moments" and ideas with each other.
Process:
Intimate Conversation: The entire 90-minute session is driven by peer-to-peer interaction and small-group conversations, moving fluidly between demonstration and hands-on activities.
Flexibility: The open-station format allows for attendees to join and leave at any time, ensuring a continuous flow of engagement.
Takeaways: Attendees will leave with a physical handout containing a summary of the key ideas and QR codes to the tools, serving as a tangible takeaway and a reminder of the session's key concepts.
This poster session explores how artificial intelligence can be strategically leveraged to support Universal Design for Learning (UDL), creating an inclusive environment for all students. Attendees will learn how to use readily available AI tools to provide multiple means of representation and enable multiple means of action and expression.
The session incorporates a wide range of viewpoints by grounding the content in UDL, a framework designed for diverse learners. As a poster session, it will facilitate intimate, small-group conversations, encouraging participants from various backgrounds to share their unique experiences and contribute to a broad, community dialogue on using AI for accessibility.
The session directly addresses the following ISTE standards:
6d: Model and nurture creativity and creative expression. The session models this by demonstrating how AI can be a tool for creative expression. Attendees will experiment with AI-powered image generators, modeling how students can use these tools to communicate ideas and knowledge in a visual format, fostering a new type of creative expression.
6a: Foster a culture where students take ownership of their learning. The core of the session is Universal Design for Learning, which gives students choice and agency. By showing how AI can provide multiple means of action and expression, the session demonstrates how educators can create a culture where students take ownership of their learning by selecting the tools and methods that best suit their needs and goals.
1a: Set professional learning goals... and reflect on their effectiveness. The poster session format is a model of professional learning. Attendees will engage in small-group conversations where they can set personal goals for integrating a new AI tool, explore practical applications of promising innovations, and reflect on how these tools can improve their teaching practice.
The content most aligns with the Transformational Learning Principles of Ensure Opportunity and Ignite Agency.
After this session, participants will be able to:
Design a UDL-aligned learning experience using at least two of the demonstrated AI tools.
Identify specific AI tools that can provide accessible pathways for students to access content and express their understanding.
Evaluate the ethical implications and potential biases of AI tools and begin to develop a framework for responsible classroom integration.
Model for their peers how to use a specific AI tool to nurture creativity and foster student agency in a small-group setting.
Create a personalized plan for how they will apply a new AI-integrated teaching practice in their own professional context.
CAST: CAST, the organization that created the UDL framework, is the most authoritative source for UDL information. They have numerous resources, including books, articles, and a dedicated website. Their book Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice by Anne Meyer, David H. Rose, and David Gordon is a foundational text.
Website: CAST, cast.org
Book: Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice by Anne Meyer, David H. Rose, and David Gordon.
Novak Education: Dr. Katie Novak is a well-known expert in the field of UDL. Her book, UDL Now! A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning in Today's Classrooms, provides practical strategies for implementing UDL in the classroom.
Website: Novak Education, novakeducation.com
Book: UDL Now! A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning in Today's Classrooms by Katie Novak.
National Education Association (NEA): The NEA has published a resource on the intersection of AI and accessibility that is directly relevant to the poster session's topic.
Article: "AI and Accessibility" by the National Education Association, nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/ai-and-accessibility
Every Learner Everywhere: This organization focuses on equitable and effective digital learning. They have a blog post that addresses how AI in assistive technology supports students and educators.
Article: "How AI in Assistive Technology Supports Students and Educators with Disabilities" by Every Learner Everywhere, everylearnereverywhere.org/blog/how-ai-in-assistive-technology-supports-students-and-educators-with-disabilities
Hopkins Universal Design for Learning (HUDL): This resource library from Johns Hopkins University provides a variety of UDL resources, including articles and videos, and connects the UDL principles to neuroscience and cognitive science.
Website: Hopkins Universal Design for Learning, hudl.jhu.edu
"How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Making Education More Accessible for People with Disabilities": This article from the Society for College and University Planning provides specific examples of how AI is being used to make education more inclusive.
Article: "How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Making Education More Accessible for People with Disabilities," scip.org/news/706084/How-Artificial-Intelligence-AI-is-Making-Education-More-Accessible-for-People-with-Disabilities.htm
Posters in this theme:
Back
Trips and Tours
