Research (page 3)

What New National Evidence on School Phone Bans Means for Special Education Personnel Preparation 

By info@ciddl.org | May 13, 2026
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Roughly two-thirds of U.S. states have enacted legislation restricting student phone access during the school day, and more than half of countries worldwide have followed suit (D’Addio, 2025; Prothero et al., 2026). Nearly 5,000 schools deployed them by 2026 (Allcott et al., 2026). The pace has outstripped the evidence.
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CIDDL Office Hours: CIDDL Needs Assessment

By Teddy Kim | May 11, 2026
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During this CIDDL Office Hour session, Cheryl Lemke, President and CEO of The Metiri Group, shared early findings from CIDDL’s 2026 Needs Assessment, offering a timely look at how higher education faculty and preparation programs are thinking about educational technology, artificial intelligence, and assistive technology. As CIDDL begins a new five-year cycle, the needs assessment provides an important snapshot of the field’s current priorities and emerging concerns. A central message from the session was clear: faculty are no longer simply asking which tools to use, but are asking deeper questions about pedagogy, student learning, accessibility, ethics, and how to prepare future educators for increasingly AI-rich K–12 environments.
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Why Mobile Devices Matter in Special Education: Supporting Independence, Transition, and Participation

By Teddy Kim | May 4, 2026
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Smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices have become natural parts of everyday life. People use mobile devices to navigate, communicate, manage schedules, access information, and monitor health and daily routines (we don’t endorse products or companies; these are simply examples). In special education, however, mobile devices can be more than convenient tools; they can serve as assistive technology that supports students with disabilities in accessing opportunities in academics, transitions, employment, independent living, and community participation.
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Supporting Students Through Finals: AI-Enhanced Strategies for Faculty at the End of the Semester

By info@ciddl.org | April 27, 2026
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Finals assess more than content knowledge. They require students to plan, initiate, and persist under pressure. Faculty who use AI to provide structure and support can reduce barriers while maintaining rigor.
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AI and Educational Assessment 101

By Angelica Fulchini | April 21, 2026
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One of the most common inquiries CIDDL receives is about Artificial Intelligence and assessment. The integration of AI throughout the education system is affecting nearly everything educators do daily, from small tasks such as emailing students to planning instruction. But one of the largest concerns educators often have about AI is how to design effective assessments. Well, just like nearly everything else with this powerful technology, the key is to understand the basics and then design to support the most effective human interaction.

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From Debate to Design: Reflections on AI, Cognition, and Learning at AERA 2026

By Yerin Seung | April 20, 2026
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Attending the 2026 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, I was struck by how much the conversation around AI in education has evolved. Across sessions, scholars from diverse disciplines engaged in rich discussions about integrating AI into teaching and learning. Compared to last year, the tone felt notably more mature. Rather than questioning whether AI should be used in education at all, there was a growing recognition that AI is already embedded in daily life and learning environments. The central question is no longer whether to use AI, but how to use it well.

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Is AI Helping Students Think, or Doing It for Them?

By Yerin Seung | April 7, 2026
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Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of students’ everyday learning routines. They use it to generate ideas, summarize texts, solve problems, and even draft full assignments. But as AI becomes more embedded in classroom workflows, an important question often goes unasked: Is AI helping students think, or doing the thinking for them? This question matters because not all uses of AI support learning in the same way. In some cases, AI can extend students’ thinking, provide meaningful feedback, and open new possibilities for learning. In others, it can unintentionally reduce effort, bypass critical thinking, and limit opportunities for growth. The difference is not always obvious, but it is crucial for instructional decision-making.
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Shaping the Future of Special Education: CIDDL at CEC 2026

By Yerin Seung | March 2, 2026
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CIDDL is preparing to head to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)’s Annual Convention in Salt Lake City from March 11th to 14th. This convention provides special education personnel (e.g., teachers, administrators, and related service providers) with professional development through interactive sessions grounded in application to students with disabilities. It is a fantastic event that brings together special education professionals to “learn, share, grow, and connect.” The CIDDL team is bringing research and practice with technology and innovation to the conference through demonstrations in the Tech Playground and sessions focusing on technology integration and AI. Be sure to check out these sessions to explore how AI is shaping the future of special education and join the conversation on AI in education. Below, we will share the various sessions hosted by the CIDDL team. RSVP to them through our community and on the convention’s Whova app!
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Beyond the Tool: Designing Coherent AI Systems in Education

By Yerin Seung | February 26, 2026
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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.
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Navigating AI in IEP Development: A Framework for Ethical Practice

By info@ciddl.org | February 17, 2026
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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).
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Icon represents CIDDL research

We, as a national center, aim to provide resources encouraging innovation across the field that supports, advances, and/or investigates the use of educational technology in higher education and birth through 21 learning environments. Check out this post to read more about Research within the CIDDL framework.

A boy playing video games with his headphones on


CIDDL Cizzles: How Can Video Games and Key Lime Pie Support Fractions Learning?

Author: Samantha Goldman; info@ciddl.org What might come to your mind when you’re eating a Key Lime Pie? CIDDL’s Christine Parsons and Dr. Ling Zhang bring contestant #1, Dr. Mattew Marino, …

September 2, 2021
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Engage in Conversation: How Does Social Justice Intersect Educational Technology?

Author: Samantha Goldman; info@ciddl.org How does research on social justice intersect educational technology? An earlier CIDDL Research and Practice Brief may give us some insights into this topic. In this …

August 17, 2021
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Micro-Credentials: Personalized Professional Development

Author: Samantha Goldman; info@ciddl.org In an earlier CIDDL Research and Practice Brief, we interviewed Dr. Richard Carter, an assistant professor at the University of Wyoming (UW), who researches the education …

July 28, 2021
Two women using sign language


Emerging Technology For Teaching And Learning Sign Language

Author: Samantha Goldman; info@ciddl.org In an earlier CIDDL Research and Practice Brief, we interviewed Dr. Lorna Quandt, who is an Assistant Professor in the Ph.D. in Educational Neuroscience (PEN) program at …

July 23, 2021
An image represents a man participating in professional learning networks


Building Effective Professional Learning Networks to Improve Engagement

Author: Ling Zhang; Richard A. Carter info@ciddl.org Extensive research suggests that effective professional development (PD) programs usually build on teachers’ previous knowledge, meet personal development needs, provide active learning opportunities, …

July 21, 2021

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