aiEDU at SXSU EDU: More inclusive AI Education
AUSTIN, Texas – At SXSW EDU 2025, aiEDU: The AI Education Project took part in a critical conversation on how AI education can be made more inclusive for all learners, including neurodivergent students and those with disabilities.
The panel, “Community-Driven Approaches to Inclusive AI Education,” explored how special education teachers, neurodiversity advocates, and learning science experts can ensure AI literacy is accessible to different types of learners.
The discussion, held on Tuesday, March 4, at the Austin Convention Center, featured:
Alex Kotran, CEO of aiEDU
Maya Israel, Associate Professor of CS Education, University of Florida
John Marble, Founder, Pivot Neurodiversity and co-author, Neurodiversity for Dummies.
With Lindsay E. Jones, CEO, Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), moderating
Key Takeaways from the Conversation:
✅ AI’s potential for personalized learning – Panelists explored how AI can be leveraged to tailor instruction for neurodivergent students, making learning more effective and engaging.
✅ Bridging accessibility gaps – Experts discussed UDL (Universal Design for Learning) can help educators and school district leaders remove barriers to education for students with disabilities.
✅ Empowering educators – The conversation underscored the need for teacher training and AI literacy programs to ensure all students benefit from these new technologies.
“AI is reshaping education, and we must ensure that every student, regardless of their learning style or needs, has the opportunity to build AI literacy and AI readiness,” said Alex Kotran, CEO of aiEDU. “This panel helped bring forward important ideas about how to ensure the promise and potential of AI for every type of learner.”
Kotran added: “In order to make sure the next generation of AI tools are truly effective for all learners we need to make sure the entire education ecosystem is involved. Community organizations, schools, parents, and even students should all be welcomed to contribute and lead the effort to figure out how to best use AI to improve learning outcomes.”
Missed the Panel? Here’s What You Should Know
Learn more about CAST’s work and there work to make education engaging, accessible and inclusive here.
Read more about John Marble and Pivot Neurodiversity’s work here.
Check out the University of Florida’s Creative Technology Resource Lab, where Dr. Israel serves as diretor.
