Webinars - CIDDL

Two developers study code on a monitor during a CIDDL webinar about customizing GPT, with a dark blue banner on the right.

Build Your Own AI Assistant: A Practical Guide to Custom GPTs for Educators

Artificial intelligence does not have to be a black box. In a recent CIDDL webinar, Drs. James Basham, Trey Vasquez from the University of Kansas, and Matthew Marino from the University of Central Florida walked educators through one of the most practical applications of large language models available today: building a custom generative pre-trained transformer, or GPT, trained on information you already trust.

Assistive Technology in Education: Current Evidence, Emerging Models, and Practices

Assistive technology (AT) plays a vital role in helping students with disabilities access learning, participate in classroom activities, and exercise greater autonomy in school. This webinar series was designed to bridge these areas by linking evidence, systems thinking, and practical examples. Four research teams contributed sessions that collectively addressed the current landscape of AT, challenges and opportunities in teacher preparation, systems-level models that support AT implementation, and disability-specific examples of practice. Together, these perspectives offer a comprehensive view of how AT can and should function across educator preparation programs and PK-12 schools.

Webinar Series: Promoting Self-Determination with Technology

This webinar highlights how technology can support the development of students’ self-determination. We invited Dr. Karrie Shogren, who conducts various studies related to self-determination, and discussed how the Goal Setting Challenge (GSC) app was developed and how it can help students practically.

Preparing Special Education Teachers to Teach Online

CIDDL’s latest recorded webinar series highlights preparing special education teachers to teach online. The preparation of educators for online and hybrid instruction has become an essential component of teacher education programs. While the rapid shift to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the need to prepare teachers for this environment. The continued integration of digital tools into K – 12 and higher education settings underscores its lasting relevance. Additionally, schools are turning to online learning to cope with extreme weather and teacher shortages. Effective online teaching requires more than familiarity with technology; it demands a pedagogical foundation that supports inclusive, accessible, and engaging instruction across diverse learning environments. As research and national standards emphasize, teacher candidates must be equipped not only to navigate digital platforms but also to design instruction that reflects the complexities of learners’ needs, the affordances of technology, and the evolving nature of educational spaces.

CIDDL Webinar Series: State AI Guidance in K-12 Education

CIDDL’s latest recorded webinar highlights state-level artificial intelligence (AI) guidance in K-12 education. As artificial intelligence has been evolving quickly and there has been growing interest in integrating AI in educational settings, there is a necessity for clear guidance around AI use in K-12 settings. The session offered valuable information on how different states are approaching AI integration in K-12 education. This webinar was presented by Yerin Seung, a doctoral student at the University of Kansas; Dr. James Basham, a professor of special education at the University of Kansas; and Dr. Angelica Fulchini Scruggs, a research associate at the University of Kansas and an operations director of the CIDDL center.

Empowering Collaboration with Technology: What Special Education Personnel Should Know

One of the key themes at CEC 2025 is collaboration, Which is essential to effective special education and ensures students receive the best support from a coordinated team. However, collaboration in special education is often complex, involving teachers, paraeducators, therapists, administrators, and families—all of whom must stay aligned on student goals, instructional strategies, and interventions. Technology has the potential to streamline communication, enhance data sharing, and create more efficient collaborative systems, ultimately improving student outcomes.

Integrating Technology into the High-Leverage Practices in Special Education Teacher Preparation

CIDDL’s latest recorded webinar series highlights researchers integrating technology into the High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) in special education teacher preparation. HLPs are important for special education teachers to support student learning outcomes. These 22 practices, divided into four domains—collaboration, data-driven planning, instruction in behavior and academics, and intensifying and intervening as needed—should be integrated into teacher preparation programs. While HLPs don’t rely on technology, innovations like AI, virtual field experiences, and mixed-reality simulations are used to prepare teachers and apply these practices. This recorded webinar series explores innovations to enhance further the application and knowledge of HLPs in special education teacher preparation.

Artificial Intelligence for IEP Development

CIDDL’s latest recorded webinar series highlights researchers integrating artificial intelligence (AI) for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) development. IEPs are essential for ensuring students with disabilities receive personalized support to succeed, but creating these plans can be a daunting process. Special education teachers often face significant challenges, including navigating extensive documentation, aligning services with individual needs, and managing heavy workloads. These demands can make it difficult to focus on developing meaningful, high-quality plans for each student. By integrating AI into the IEP process, educators can streamline repetitive tasks, access data-driven insights, and allocate more time to thoughtful, individualized planning. This webinar series explores how AI is transforming the way IEPs are developed, offering practical tools and strategies as well as evidence and insights from empirical studies.

Chef Ruth Ziolkowski: Choices of Quiches and Literacy Toolbars

In our most recent CIZZLE, Ruth Ziolkowski from TextHelp and Don Johnston shared about the Literacy Toolbars designed to support learners with reading and writing support needs. Though supports, like read aloud, are becoming more common on publisher’s platforms, the benefit to toolbars, Ruth shares, is that they are always there, regardless of the platform. She compared this to always knowing where your measuring cups are in your kitchen.

Chef Tiffanie Zaugg: Banana Cream Pie and AI

Tara Mason is an assistant professor of inclusive education at Western Colorado University. She uses a strengths-based student learning framework to investigate Universal Design for Learning (UDL), technology, and accessibility. She kicked off CIDDL Cizzles Season 3 with her family gumbo recipe! She discussed proactive teaching, UDL, and progress monitoring in this week’s Cizzle.

Category: Webinars