Advancing Writing Outcomes Through AI: Implications for Special Education Teacher Preparation
Dr. Samantha Goldman
About Dr. Samantha Goldman
Dr. Samantha Goldman is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Kansas. Her work focuses on AI-supported writing instruction, writing assessment, and teacher preparation. She serves as Co-Principal Investigator and Project Director of Project AI SCORE, an OSEP-funded initiative. Her research examines how artificial intelligence and evidence-based practices can support teachers and improve writing outcomes for students with disabilities and struggling learners.
The problem highlighted in this brief
This brief explores how artificial intelligence can support writing instruction through prompt engineering, feedback systems, and increased access to supports. It highlights how AI can reduce barriers to writing while maintaining student ownership and independence. The brief also provides practical recommendations for integrating AI into teacher preparation programs.
Why does this topic matter to teacher preparation?
Teacher preparation programs often emphasize reading and pedagogy while providing limited explicit instruction in writing. Many educators enter classrooms without the tools or confidence to teach writing or to integrate technology meaningfully (Goldman et al., 2025). This gap affects student outcomes, as writing is a primary means of demonstrating knowledge across content areas. Strengthening preparation in writing instruction and technology integration remains critical for improving access and outcomes for students with disabilities (Goldman et al., 2026).
About This Brief
This brief explores how artificial intelligence can support writing instruction through prompt engineering, feedback systems, and increased access to supports. It highlights how AI can reduce barriers to writing while maintaining student ownership and independence. The brief also provides practical recommendations for integrating AI into teacher preparation programs.
Research and Practice Context
AI-Supported Writing Instruction
Writing is a complex, iterative process that requires organization, vocabulary, and sustained cognitive effort. Students with disabilities often face additional barriers in written expression, while teachers face constraints related to time and preparation. Emerging research explores how AI can provide immediate feedback, scaffold writing processes, and support instructional decision-making. Integrating AI within established instructional frameworks offers a promising direction for improving writing outcomes.
Conversation with Dr. Samantha Goldman
Q1: What issues does your work address?
Dr. Goldman emphasized that both students and teachers face systemic challenges. Students struggle to meet proficiency benchmarks, while teachers often lack training in writing instruction and technology integration. This gap creates barriers to effective instruction and equal access.
Dr. Goldman: “Writing is a really complex task… there’s a lack of preparation in teacher education to integrate technology into writing instruction.”
Q2: How can AI address these issues?
AI supports key components of writing, including brainstorming, outlining, revising, and feedback. These tools reduce the burden on teachers while increasing access to timely support for students. AI also helps separate writing skill deficits from content understanding.
Dr. Goldman: “AI can provide immediate, specific, and actionable feedback… and help remove barriers to effective written expression.”
Q3: How can teacher preparation programs integrate this work?
Integration requires moving beyond isolated technology courses. Programs must embed AI within content and pedagogy using frameworks such as TPACK. Teacher candidates need opportunities to practice both using and teaching AI tools.
Dr. Goldman: “We have to explicitly connect those tools to pedagogical and content knowledge… and teach teachers how to teach those tools.”
Q4: What should programs consider when starting?
Dr. Goldman highlighted the importance of applied learning. Teacher candidates should engage in case studies, data analysis, and simulated teaching experiences. These opportunities build confidence and instructional decision-making skills.tal literacy and responsible technology integration in education.
Dr. Goldman: “Provide opportunities to practice… analyze student data… and apply tools to real classroom scenarios.”
Q5: Where is this research headed?
Future work focuses on AI literacy and prompt engineering as essential skills. Writing and prompting share foundational competencies, suggesting that instruction can support both simultaneously.
Dr. Goldman: “There’s a connection between writing and prompting… both require organization, vocabulary, and iteration.”
Q6: What should programs consider moving forward?
Responsible AI use requires ongoing instruction. Programs must emphasize ethical use, critical evaluation, and the maintenance of student ownership. AI should function as a support tool, not a replacement for human thinking.
Dr. Goldman’s work underscores the importance of integrating AI into writing instruction through evidence-based practices and intentional teacher preparation. AI has the potential to reduce barriers and increase student independence when used as a scaffold rather than a replacement for learning. Teacher preparation programs must prioritize AI literacy, ethical use, and applied practice to ensure educators can effectively support all learners in developing strong writing skills.
Resources and References
Focuses on AI-supported writing tools and instructional practices that improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
Oscar (On-Screen Composition Assistant for Writing)
An embedded AI chatbot designed to support student independence while maintaining authorship.
If you are interested in learning more, please read the articles, Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities to Be Prompt Engineers and Special education teachers' use of AI to support students with disabilities in writing in the Journal of Special Education Technology.
Goldman, S. R., Carreon, A., & Smith, S. J. (2026). Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities to Be Prompt Engineers. Intervention in School and Clinic, 61(3), 142-150.
Goldman, S. R., Smith, S. J., & Carreon, A. (2025). Special education teachers' use of AI to support students with disabilities in writing. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1710974. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1710974
Suggested Citation
Martinez, K., Goldman, S., & the CIDDL Team. (2026). Advancing Writing Outcomes Through AI: Implications for Special Education Teacher Preparation.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.