A review of 16 studies finds large gains for students with disabilities using AI

Effects differed by outcome and group. Learning (ES 1.99) and cognitive outcomes (ES 1.92) improved most, and students with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities and ADHD did better than students with autism (ES 0.59). Social outcomes showed the smallest gain (ES 0.43). Interventions delivered by teachers (ES 1.60) and researchers (ES 1.58) outperformed those run by caregivers (ES 0.41).

The evidence is thin. Only one of the 16 studies was a randomized trial, 15 used pre-post designs, and none met What Works Clearinghouse standards without reservation. The authors say the results do not establish a causal effect, and prediction intervals were wide in most outcome domains.

The included studies covered a wide mix of AI tools: adaptive arithmetic practice, a cognitive retraining platform, ChatGPT-based reading and conversation exercises, a text-to-speech reader, wearable glasses giving emotion cues, facial-expression feedback games, a mental health chatbot and an AI-supported swimming simulation. Sample sizes ranged from 6 to 205 participants, aged 2 to 19.3 years. In the 12 studies reporting gender, 706 participants were 55.7% male and 44.3% female.

Settings were mostly schools, classrooms and computer labs (eight studies), with three studies in centers and one at home. Session length ran from 4 to 60 minutes and duration from 1 to 48 weeks, most often 3 to 12 weeks. Researchers delivered the interventions in nine studies, teachers in three and caregivers in two.

The authors judged methodological quality using What Works Clearinghouse standards: six studies met them with reservation, 10 did not, and none met them fully. Publication-bias checks, including Egger's regression (p = 0.346), found no sign of bias, and a random-effects model was used because of significant heterogeneity (Q = 171.212).

The authors recommend randomized trials, larger moderator analyses and better documentation of training and fidelity. They also suggest that social skills, particularly for students with autism, may need human mediators rather than automation alone.