CIDDL Research and Practice Briefs is a series of brief reports on research and practice regarding the innovative use of technology in special education, early childhood, related services personnel preparation and leadership personnel preparation programs as well as K-12 educational settings. For each brief, experts or practitioners in the field will be invited to discuss their research and practice on innovative use of technology. In addition, experts and practitioners will share their insights into opportunities and challenges about transferring and applying research and practice into teacher or leadership preparation programs. This series aims to spark conversations and provides an avenue for enhancing professional networking among experts and emergent scholars in the field.
The brief begins with context on the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR) in supporting students with disabilities and the opportunities and challenges these technologies present for educators.
This brief examines how mobile devices can support the independence of students with intellectual disabilities as they navigate college campuses and community settings. Drawing on Dr. Hester’s discussion of her collaborative work with Lori Cooney and Dr. Don McMahon, it explains how Google My Maps can be customized according to individual students’ destinations, preferences, support needs, and person-centered plans. The brief also considers how mobile technology can be incorporated into teacher preparation, how educators can develop more balanced perceptions of mobile devices, and what future research is needed to strengthen technology-supported transition and inclusive postsecondary education practices.
This brief explores what digital accessibility means in practice, why it matters for students with disabilities, and what teacher preparation programs and school leaders can do to build educator capacity in this area. Drawing on Cynthia Curry’s decades of experience and her current leadership of NCADEMI, the brief highlights the most pressing challenges schools face, and the opportunity to embed. accessibility into existing instructional initiatives, and practical resources educators and preparation programs can use to get started.
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.
The brief begins with context on the background of AI integration in education, focusing on special education teachers’ early adoption of generative AI tools. Audiences will learn about the current usage patterns among special educators, the factors that influence their decision to use (or not use) AI tools, and the practical implications for professional learning and teacher preparation. Drawing on Naatz and Ruppar’s (2025) exploratory survey, this brief highlights actionable insights for designing ethical, effective, and inclusive AI training that reflects the realities of classroom implementation and supports teachers of students with extensive support needs.
The brief begins with context on the background of AI integration in education, focusing on special education teachers’ early adoption of generative AI tools. Audiences will learn about the current usage patterns among special educators, the factors that influence their decision to use (or not use) AI tools, and the practical implications for professional learning and teacher preparation. Drawing on Naatz and Ruppar’s (2025) exploratory survey, this brief highlights actionable insights for designing ethical, effective, and inclusive AI training that reflects the realities of classroom implementation and supports teachers of students with extensive support needs.
The brief begins with context on the background of rural special education, highlighting longstanding unequal access to services, evidence-based practices, and representation in research. Readers will learn how Dr. Hott’s work addresses these challenges by combining simple technologies with strong community partnerships to support instruction and behavioral interventions. The brief also shares how her team engages rural schools in meaningful research and coaching, and how teacher preparation programs can foster technology-enabled, relationship-driven approaches that respond to the realities and assets of rural communities.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into daily life and educational settings, teacher preparation programs face a critical challenge: ensuring that pre-service educators are equipped to navigate, integrate, and critically assess AI in their practice. AI literacy refers to the ability to understand, utilize, and critically evaluate AI technologies, including their functionality, societal implications, and how to engage with them responsibly (Long & Magerko, 2020; Ng et al., 2021). However, many in the education field still approach AI with uncertainty, often viewing it as a potential threat to academic integrity. As Dr. Victor Lee noted, misconceptions about AI’s capabilities, such as assuming it is highly intelligent or inherently subversive, can limit meaningful integration. Without shared understandings, practical frameworks (e.g., AILit Framework, CODE.org), and intentional dialogue, there is a risk of reducing AI to a reactive concern rather than embracing it as a powerful tool for teaching, learning, and innovation.
This brief highlights how game-based learning can transform STEM education for all students, including those with disabilities. Readers will gain insights into how game-based learning fosters student engagement, collaboration, and conceptual understanding, supported by real-world projects and research. It also explores how iterative design principles and AI-enhanced personalization can be integrated into teacher preparation. Dr. Marino’s approach illustrates how evidence-based game development and reflective practice can bridge the gap between research and classroom implementation.
As educational technologies evolve rapidly, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), many in-service teachers face challenges in meaningfully integrating these tools into inclusive instructional design (Mosher et al., 2024). Without sufficient professional development, teachers risk using technology in ways that encourage passive rather than active learning. This misalignment can hinder student engagement, particularly for students with disabilities, and limit the effectiveness of technology in promoting critical thinking and meaningful learning outcomes. Jackson and Rosenblatt (2025) identified that when teachers are not grounded in pedagogical frameworks like Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Triple E, technology use may become superficial, inequitable, or even counterproductive.
Special education teachers often encounter challenges when entering the classroom, particularly regarding classroom management, collaboration, and running Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. While teacher preparation programs emphasize instructional delivery, they often lack structured opportunities for candidates to practice essential soft skills such as leading IEP meetings and collaborating with families and colleagues (Ward et al., 2018). Dr. Hirsch and her colleagues address this gap by integrating Mixed Reality Simulation (MRS) into teacher preparation to provide pre-service teachers with structured, low-risk opportunities to practice these critical skills before entering real classrooms.
This brief explores how automated writing evaluation and feedback tools can support SWDs, particularly by enabling universal screening and targeted interventions. Dr. Wilson shares his research on how automated feedback can improve the writing products of SWDs through productive revision.