Identifying gaps in using artificial intelligence to support students with intellectual disabilities from education and health perspectives

Abstract

PurposeStudents with developmental/intellectual disabilities (ID/DD) often have serious health issues that require additional medical care and supervision. Serious health issues also mean increased absence and additional lags in academic achievement and development of adaptive and social skills. The incorporation of artificial intelligence in the education of a child with ID/DD could ameliorate the educational, adaptive and social skill gaps that occur as a direct result of persistent health problems.Design/methodology/approachThe literature regarding the use of artificial intelligence in education for students with ID/DD was collected systematically from international online databases based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The collected articles were analyzed deductively, looking for the different gaps in the domain. Based on the literature, an artificial intelligence–based architecture is proposed and sketched.FindingsThe findings show that there are many gaps in supporting students with ID/DD through the utilization of artificial intelligence. Given that the majority of students with ID/DD often have serious and chronic and comorbid health conditions, the potential use of health information in artificial intelligence is even more critical. Therefore, there is a clear need to develop a system that facilitates communication and access to health information for students with ID/DD, one that provides information to caregivers and education providers, limits errors, and, therefore, improves these individuals' education and quality of life.Practical implicationsThis review highlights the gap in the current literature regarding using artificial intelligence in supporting the education of students with ID/DD. There is an urgent need for an intelligent system in collaboration with the updated health information to improve the quality of services submitted for people with intellectual disabilities and as a result improving their quality of life.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by highlighting the gaps in incorporating artificial intelligence and its service to individuals with ID/DD. The research additionally proposes a solution based on the confounding variables of students’ health and individual characteristics. This solution will provide an automated information flow as a functional diagnostic and intervention tool for teachers, caregivers and parents. It could potentially improve the educational and practical outcomes for individuals with ID/DD and, ultimately, their quality of life.

Identity of AI

“…For example, it has been reported that OpenAI's GPT-3 language model [78] exhibits bias in terms of displaying strong associations between Muslims and violence [79]. There are many more other examples of biased results in AI [77,[80][81][82][83][84].…”

The Role of Methods and Applications of Artificial Intelligence Tools in the Field of Medicine to Diagnose and Discover Various Diseases

“…Some studies, including studies [5,9,12], in regard to the legal and ethical aspects of applying artificial intelligence systems in the medical field have shown that ethical tools are not sufficient to ensure that artificial intelligence is used ethically and legal systems must be updated to meet new challenges and emerging in the field of artificial intelligence. Also, it is possible that the risks become legal afterwards such as who is given consent and who bears responsibility in the event of an unfavorable development?…”

“…Among these obstacles, we would mention the legal concern. Study [5] mentioned that the obstacle that may prevent the application of AI is that it lacks appropriate regulations and some political, ethical and financial transformations. Does the current legislative framework seem appropriate to regulate artificial intelligence in terms of safety and efficiency?…”

“…These types of frameworks provide an immediate and straightforward strategy for clinical evaluation, and are useful in the absence of an expert or a clinical specialist. These frameworks give a result depending on the knowledge base built within or from specialists or experts in the field [5]. It is used to detect coronary artery disease using an integrated fuzzy neuron system.…”

A principle-based approach to AI: the case for European Union and Italy

“…AI can become an active force for the reduction of inequalities (e.g., (Capucha et al 2020)), incorporating a concept of distributive justice that looks at marginal categories as subjects of priority intervention. Tools based on AI, for example, can be useful, within the educational system, to bridge learning gaps (Drigas and Ioannidou 2013;Kharbat et al 2021), while in the health care sector, they can be used to stimulate social empowerment and services for individuals with disabilities (Neto et al 2019). From the perspective of the Italian Constitution, the impact on work, employment and wages primarily requires due attention.…”