Strategies for Accessibility and DEI Evaluation

  1. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluate the cost of the AI tool against its potential benefits and impact on student learning outcomes. Consider long-term costs and the value it adds to the course. Consider what an achievable cost to a student is.
  2. Accessibility and Inclusivity: Check if the AI tool is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. Consider its usability for diverse learning styles and needs.
    1. Accessibility Features: Assess the AI tool’s accessibility features, such as support for different languages, text-to-speech options, closed captioning, and adjustable font sizes. These features are essential for accommodating diverse learning needs.
    2. User Interface Design: Ensure that the AI tool’s user interface is designed with inclusivity in mind. It should be intuitive and easy to navigate for all students, including those with disabilities.
  3. Representation and Bias: Due to the inherent biases in much of the training data used by LLMs (Bender et al., 2021) most AI tools will have some bias. The following are some steps you might take to mitigate the associated risks:
    1. Transparency of Sources: Evaluate the degree to which the tool makes the sources of its training data known, and if the data is properly attributed n its results.
    2. Inclusive Content: Check if the AI tool offers content that reflects diverse cultures, experiences, and identities. It should cater to students from various backgrounds and not exclude or marginalize any group.
    3. Language and Communication: Verify that the AI tool can accurately understand and respond to diverse accents and communication styles to avoid excluding certain students.
    4. Cultural Sensitivity: Assess whether the AI tool demonstrates cultural sensitivity and avoids using content or examples that might be offensive or inappropriate for certain cultural groups.
  4. Alignment with DEI Initiatives: Ensure that the adoption of the AI tool aligns with the institution’s broader DEI initiatives and commitment to creating an inclusive learning environment.

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Optimizing AI in Higher Education: SUNY FACT² Guide, Second Edition Copyright © by Faculty Advisory Council On Teaching and Technology (FACT²) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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