The benefits of ChatGPT in special education
Chat generative pre-trained transformer, or ChatGPT, is an artificial intelligence program that can understand and respond to human text and prompts. It can be used for a variety of purposes from writing programming code, real estate listings, or even teacher lesson plans. Although some fear ChatGPT may interfere with the educational process, there are practical benefits which include providing support to students in special education.
The use of ChatGPT has been controversial, with many educators concerned that students will use it to simply generate their work in seconds. A recent article in the New York Times discussed how rampant cheating has become on college campuses and that the New York City Department of Education has banned the use of the program (Abramson, 2023). Although students could use ChatGPT to complete assignments easily, there are many ways this program can fit into the educational environment and enhance the learning experience for students with disabilities. Areas such as providing specialized learning opportunities, enhancing the learning experience, and supporting communication and language skills are a few of the benefits.
One advantage of ChatGPT in special education is its ability to deliver individualized learning experiences to students with varying needs and abilities. Traditional classrooms struggle to cater to the individual needs of students with learning disabilities. ChatGPT can adapt its teaching methods and content delivery based on each student’s learning pace, preferences, and strengths. By analyzing a student’s interactions and responses, ChatGPT can generate customized activities and provide explanations that cater to students’ unique learning styles. This personalized approach can increase comprehension and retention and lead to more effective student outcomes. (Lo, 2023)
Engaging students in the learning process can be a challenge. Many students with learning disabilities may struggle to connect with traditional teaching approaches. ChatGPT provides an interactive learning environment that captures students’ attention and maintains their interest. Through conversations, students can actively participate in the learning process and ask clarifying questions without judgment. This engagement improves their understanding of the content and boosts their confidence (Lo, 2023).
Additionally, ChatGPT can be used to support communication and language development. Students struggling with speech and language impairments can practice verbal communication with ChatGPT, receiving real-time feedback. ChatGPT encourages vocabulary development by introducing students to various reading-level appropriate words in context. Additionally, ChatGPT can provide further explanations and definitions for unfamiliar words (Kasneci, 2023).
References
Abramson, A. (2023). How to use ChatGPT as a learning tool. American Psychological Association, 54(4), 67–67.
Kasneci, E., Seßler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., … Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. https://doi.org/10.35542/osf.io/5er8f
Lo, C. K. (2023). What is the impact of ChatGPT on education? A rapid review of the literature. Education Sciences, 13(4), 410. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040410
For more information, contact Joel Fravel ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
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