Artificial Intelligence and Learning

My husband doesn’t like the term artificial intelligence. He thinks a better description is organized intelligence. Just as a calculator can not calculate without human intelligence punching in the directions and a maps app can not chart your course without a person first telling it where they want to go, so it is with AI’s ability to organize information. 

Our work in general often times depends on something or someone external to us organizing information. A paralegal, a research assistant, a therapy aide, a teacher’s aide, etc., all perform specific tasks or gather specific pieces of information upon request. 

The therapy aide may not know the reason for the specific exercises after a tendon release surgery, but they are extremely efficient and skilled at carrying them out. A head researcher may be on the brink of a life changing discovery, but gathering the proof she needs to make her case will take many hours of digging into the literature and study. The research assistant is tasked with gathering all the knowledge, organizing it, and giving it to the researcher to decide what is applicable and what is not.

The world works like this. To look at all of our accomplishments, we often recognize the patterns of question – idea – information gathering – planning – execution. We could not have new ideas if we didn’t learn the ones that already exist – the one’s that appear to support and equally important, the one’s that seem to conflict. In our age of information overwhelm, how do we begin to sift through it all?

Many times someone will post an exciting new study in DSAP and I can feel us all collectively thinking, “What does this even mean?” Through the years I have found myself going down rabbit holes trying to understand concepts and then getting enough information to connect dots and understand what a study is saying. If I were a the head of the department, I would ask one of the assistants to do the digging and break the study down into understandable parts for the team.

Now, I can simply type into ChatGPT “Can you summarize (name of study) in laymen terms?” Once I get that info, the ideas start flowing…”Can you list studies that link this concept to Trisomy 21?” or “What are some epigentic ways to influence this with lifestyle changes?” And, it goes on. 

It is hard to contain my enthusiasm when I apply this thought to our children. Our brilliant children with incredible intelligence locked behind a brain that isn’t yet organizing input correctly or reliably, may not yet be planning motor output for communication or writing, and sometimes requires too much time to process while the conversation / lecture / interaction is moving on. 

It is not enough to know and respect the fact that our children are innately intelligent, or even that with enough neurodevelopmental input their brains will form more organized outputs. 

It is not enough because that takes a lot of time. And, in the meantime, our children’s lives take place in performance based environments.

Having friends relies on following conversation in real time. Successful inclusion in school requires our children to demonstrate understanding by taking tests (which require tons of processing and motor output), writing, and communicating. Successfully navigating a supermarket or a parking lot requires managing sensory overwhelm, and visual perception. Most importantly, development of proper praxis – in any area – requires integration of inputs.

Important Note

I want to be clear. When it comes to organizing the brain there must be consistent effort for proper neurodevelopment. Organizing the sensorimotor, visual motor, and reflex systems is the seat of all processing and praxis. 

There is no age limit on neurodevelopment because the brain is plastic – it grows and changes in response to inputs. Lucas just turned 17 and he still walks / runs 3-4 miles 5 times a week. We still work on organizing inputs with the way we learn academic subjects in a neurodevelopmental way, and we still work on crosspatterning through gross motor and processing work. Neuro-organization is a non-negotiable for neurodevelopment and it is the very principle that separates a true neurodevelopmental approach from traditional therapy that is output, performance, and problem – based.

If we look to anything that is a modification based on a perceived limitation, like walkers or braces to get our kids walking (in the absence of a musculoskeletal deformity), watering down learning materials because that’s the way Special Ed has always done it…and also, “That’s just kids with DS,” we are not promoting growth and neurodevelopment. We are settling for the next best way to achieve a milestone based on the assumption that our child will not ever do it on their own. I vehemently disagree that AI falls into this bucket.

The Difference

Every single person who has ever taken Algebra will tell you it would be impossible to pass an exam if all the calculations had to be done by hand. Could the student graph by hand? Complete the calculations in long form? Sure. But honestly, who cares? 

The important thing is that the Algebraic concepts are understood. If they are, the student simply needs to tell the calculator what to do and it performs the processing in lightening speed. Does using the graphing calculator mean the student doesn’t know algebra? No. Just the opposite. The student must have command of the subject as well as the device itself to get the answer.

I started to wonder. 

What Current AI technology exists to assist Neurodivergent learners?

*This section co-authored by Chat GPT (Interesting to note, DS is not mentioned one time in AI’s organization of the research.)

There are several AI-driven technologies available that assist neurodivergent learners, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences. These technologies focus on personalized learning, communication, social skills development, and accessibility. Here’s an overview of some current AI technologies:

1. Personalized Learning Platforms

DreamBox Learning: An adaptive math program that uses AI to personalize instruction in real-time based on a learner’s needs, providing appropriate challenges and support.

CogniToys Dino: An AI-powered smart toy that interacts with children, answering questions and providing educational content. It adapts to the child’s learning style, making it useful for neurodivergent children who benefit from interactive learning.

Curai: An AI-driven platform offering personalized educational content for children with different learning needs, helping to create customized lesson plans and activities.

2. Speech and Communication Tools

Assistive AI Apps (e.g., Proloquo2Go, Avaz): These are augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) apps that use AI to help non-verbal or minimally verbal children communicate. They learn from the user’s input and usage patterns to provide more relevant suggestions and improve communication efficiency.

Linguistic AI (e.g., Text-to-Speech, Speech-to-Text): Tools like Google’s Live Transcribe and Speech-to-Text technology assist neurodivergent individuals who may have difficulties with verbal communication, providing real-time transcription and helping in both learning and daily interactions.

3. Social Skills Development

Social Robots (e.g., QTrobot, Leka): AI-driven robots designed to help children with autism develop social skills. These robots can engage learners in interactive scenarios, teaching them to recognize emotions, practice social interactions, and build communication skills in a non-threatening environment.

Mightier: A biofeedback video game platform that helps children with autism and ADHD learn emotional regulation. The game’s difficulty adapts to the child’s emotional state, encouraging them to practice calming techniques in a safe environment.

4. Assistive Writing and Reading Tools

Ginger Software & Grammarly: AI-powered writing assistants that help neurodivergent learners with grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. These tools are especially helpful for those with dyslexia or dysgraphia.

Kurzweil 3000: A comprehensive literacy support tool that uses AI to offer text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and other learning supports, making reading and writing more accessible for learners with dyslexia or other learning differences.

Natural Reader: An AI-based text-to-speech software that helps students with dyslexia or other reading challenges by converting written text into spoken words.

5. Adaptive Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Nessy Learning: A suite of educational programs specifically designed for children with dyslexia. The platform uses AI to adapt learning activities to the user’s progress, providing a customized experience that addresses individual challenges.

Knewton: An adaptive learning platform that uses AI to create personalized learning paths based on the learner’s performance. It’s particularly useful for students who may require different pacing or alternative teaching methods.

6. Behavioral and Cognitive Support

Brain in Hand: An AI-driven digital support system for individuals with autism, ADHD, and mental health conditions. It provides on-demand support, offering reminders, coping strategies, and instant access to human support when needed.

Cogito: An AI-powered platform that analyzes vocal patterns to provide real-time mental health and emotional well-being insights. It’s particularly useful for neurodivergent individuals who may struggle with self-regulation or emotional expression.

7. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Floreo: A VR platform designed to help children with autism learn social, behavioral, and communication skills in a controlled, immersive environment. The AI within the platform adapts scenarios to the user’s progress.

Jewelbots: An educational platform using AR and wearables to engage neurodivergent learners in coding and technology through interactive and tangible learning experiences.

8. Executive Functioning and Organization Tools

Otter.ai: An AI-driven note-taking app that transcribes voice recordings into text. It helps individuals with ADHD or other executive functioning challenges by organizing their thoughts and tasks more effectively.

Todoist: An AI-powered task management app that helps individuals with ADHD or executive functioning disorders to manage their tasks and schedules. The app offers smart suggestions and prioritizes tasks based on user behavior.

9. Neurofeedback and Cognitive Training

MUSE: An AI-powered headband that provides real-time feedback on brain activity, helping users with ADHD or anxiety learn to control their attention and stress levels through guided meditation exercises.

NeuroNation: A cognitive training app that uses AI to offer personalized brain exercises designed to improve memory, focus, and cognitive flexibility, which can benefit neurodivergent individuals.

Chat GPT’s Conclusion

AI technology is rapidly advancing to support neurodivergent learners by providing personalized and engaging learning experiences. These tools not only enhance the learning process but also help in building essential life skills, improving communication, and offering emotional and behavioral support tailored to individual needs.

My Conclusion

Just as I can accept using a mobility device to assist me moving through the environment until a broken leg heals, or a stroller until my child learns to walk, I gratefully embrace new ways to help Lucas interact, demonstrate, and perform necessary tasks in the classroom until his brain is organized enough to do it alone. I also can not underestimate the epigenetic importance of this appropriate and organized output getting fed back into his brain. I believe the input has inherent biofeedback value. 

And, are any of our brains doing it alone? 

You don’t want me using a pencil and a map to chart the directions for a road trip. 

I rely weekly on ChatGPT to create a “7 day menu for 4 people that is whole food, filled with lean protein and oily fish, naturally gluten free, dairy free, and casein free, with low glycemic index fruits, including packable lunches.” “Also, can you give me the corresponding shopping list?” I get a comprehensive plan and and a shopping list in under a minute.

The very topic of this blog posed to ChatGPT would have taken me days to unearth on my own – and it wouldn’t have been on my own…I would have been using Google, or finding books…

I believe there is a place for this technology for true learning. 

By taking this organized information and directing it with our Human Intelligence and expert knowledge of our children’s needs, we are standing on the brink of updating our operating belief systems.

Best,

Geralyn

*NB – How specific can we make our questions in the chat box to get individualized and tailored information specifically for our child?