Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

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Universities today need to make learning accessible for all types of learners. Technology tools can help personalize information by allowing students to access course content in a manner that meets their needs. For students with disabilities, technology can support reading and writing using print and digital materials. In Google Docs, Voice Typing allows students to verbally state their ideas while the tool types it out. For a struggling writer this method helps get their good ideas on paper without struggling with the actual keyboarding or handwriting. It also fills the daunting empty page as one begins an assignment.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act require public colleges that receive federal funds to transcribe materials for students who need this assistance. Today YouTube provides transcription on many videos that instructors may use for Open Educational Resources. This service saves many working hours to manually transcribe materials. Voice to text tools also write transcriptions as a person reads the materials. The result is more students who succeed in college and graduate ready to assume positions in society.

University students frequently work to help pay for college so time is a premium, so listening to readings while commuting is more efficient. Also some come to college as slow or struggling readers so having text read to them can make the difference between understanding and not reading the assigned text. While there are many free text to speech tools for educators, one tool that I like to include in my syllabus for students is the website Natural Readers. This tool allows the student to cut and paste text, or simply open documents including PDFs, docs, epubs, PPTs, and jpegs and have them read orally. It can even transpose the text into Dyslexic Font to assist dyslexic students. As with all digital text, you can also adjust the size of font by zooming in or out on your screen to assist those with vision challenges, adjust loudness for hearing challenges, and adjust speed to increase comprehension.

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At a time when recruiting and retaining students can be a challenge for universities and completing college work is for students, technology is providing personalized learning tools to make all students successful at learning. If you have other tools that you use with your students, please share them.
All the best as you plan your courses to meet individual needs in the most effective manner possible.