Practice - CIDDL

Meet the Updated CIDDL Chat: Explore Evidence-Based Resources Through AI

What if you could explore CIDDL’s resources by simply asking a question? With the newly updated CIDDL Chat, educators, families, researchers, and other stakeholders can engage with CIDDL’s resources through an AI-powered conversational interface. During a recent CIDDL Office Hour, Daniel Neugent, a PhD student in Computer Science at the University of Kansas and a Graduate Research Assistant for CIDDL, introduced the updated CIDDL Chat, demonstrated its features, and answered questions about how the tool works.

Infographic on a Decade of Special Education Technology: Trends, Tools, and Research Gaps (2014–2024).

A Decade Behind: What Ten Years of Special Education Technology Research Tells Us About the Gap Between Innovation and Evidence

K-12 education technology spending reached $14.8 billion in recent years and is projected to climb to $132.4 billion by 2032 (Merod, 2023). Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality tools are now common in many classrooms. Yet the research base supporting their use with students with disabilities has not kept pace. A ten-year review of the Journal of Special Education Technology (JSET) makes the gap concrete and points toward what the field needs to do next (Carreon et al., 2026).

person looking at their cell phone at their desk with a laptop

Before the Phone Call: Using AI Simulation to Practice Family Engagement Conversations

Strong family-professional partnerships depend on communication, equality, trust, and respect (Blue-Banning et al., 2004), yet educators may have limited opportunities to rehearse these practices. Simulation in teacher preparation offers one way to practice, receive feedback, and reflect before higher-stakes interactions.

From Local Problems to Community Solutions: Join the Fall 2026 CIDDL AI Community Challenge

What could students improve in their community if artificial intelligence became a thought partner rather than an answer machine?
The Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL) invites students and teachers in Grades 7–12 to answer this question through the Fall 2026 AI Community Challenge. Teams across the nation will identify a consequential local issue, investigate its causes, and design an evidence-informed solution with support from artificial intelligence (AI). The challenge places human reasoning at the center of every submission.

Beyond the Tool: Designing Coherent AI Systems in Education

When conversations turn to AI in education, the question I hear most often is, “If you could recommend one AI tool, what would it be?” It is a reasonable question. Educators are navigating full schedules, expanding responsibilities, and increasing learner variability in their classrooms. With new AI platforms emerging almost weekly, asking for one manageable starting point feels efficient and practical. In a field moving this quickly, there is also understandable pressure to adopt something just to avoid falling behind. But I often pause before answering. Instead of naming a tool, I ask, “What do you need?” That pause is intentional.

Ethical use of AI in IEP Development framework image

Navigating AI in IEP Development: A Framework for Ethical Practice

Research suggests GenAI can be a powerful support when used strategically. Studies by Rakap (2024) and Waterfield et al. (2025) found that educators using ChatGPT with proper guidance produced IEP goals of the same or higher quality while spending less time drafting. Some platforms even claim to reduce paperwork time by up to 90% (eSchool News Staff, 2025).

office hour image with james bashams picture highlighted

CIDDL Office Hour: Welcome Back! Start the Semester with CIDDL Updates

On August 19, 2025, CIDDL hosted an Office Hours session that brought together faculty, researchers, and practitioners to discuss one of the most pressing topics in education today: how to responsibly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into teacher preparation and special education. Led by CIDDL Co-PI Dr. James Basham, the conversation highlighted both big-picture frameworks and low-lift classroom practices, making AI integration approachable for educators at all levels.

CIDDList: 5 Free AI-Powered Tools to Transform Your Teaching

Summer’s either already here or right around the corner for most educators, which means it’s a perfect time to explore new ways to streamline your prep, spark student engagement, and breathe fresh life into your lessons! Whether you’re winding down the school year or gearing up for next fall, these five websites help you work smarter, not harder (note: some sites offer limited free use before requiring a subscription). You don’t need to be a tech wizard, just click through, enter a prompt or two, and watch them do the heavy lifting. Here’s your CIDDList of essential digital toolkits, each broken down into simple steps so you can get started right away.

Human hands using a mobile app with an interface showing dashboards and texts

How Apple and Synchron Are Making Neural Control an Accessible Reality

Apple is developing an open standard for brain‑computer interfaces that will enable users to control iPhones, iPads, and the Vision Pro VR headset using only their neural signals. By partnering with Synchron, whose Stentrode implant reads neural signals from the motor cortex, Apple aims to empower people with severe mobility impairments to interact with their devices without lifting a finger.

CIDDL Office Hours: What are you Reading, Watching, and Listening to Learn about AI?

On May 27, 2025, CIDDL hosted a summer-themed Office Hours session centered around a deceptively simple yet essential question: What are you reading, watching, and listening to Learn about AI? As AI continues to reshape education, the CIDDL community gathered to share their favorite podcasts, articles, tools, and personal habits for keeping up with the rapidly evolving field. Facilitated by Dr. James Basham, Dr. Katie Tuck, and the CIDDL team, this session offered a wide-ranging collection of resources that participants can explore throughout the summer and beyond.

Category: Practice