Addressing the Void of AI Policies in Education for Students With Specific Learning Disabilities

Authors

Mikyung Shin, Illinois State University
Fatmana Deniz, California State University, Northridge
Latesha Watson, Temple University
Cynthia Dieterich, Baldwin Wallace University
Kathy B. Ewoldt, University of Texas at San Antonio
Friggita Johnson, Claflin University
Jennifer E. Kong, Chapman UniversityFollow
Sung Hee Lee, California State University, Fullerton
April Whitehurst, Winston-Salem State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-18-2026

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) policies in U.S. education and propose actionable recommendations through large language model–based topic modeling and Delphi surveys. Out of 12 policy documents released between 2015 and 2025, only two documents (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2024; W.A. v. Clarksville/Montgomery County School System, 2024) specifically addressed learning disabilities. Policy documents addressing topics such as AI-driven risk assessment, data protection, legal risk management, and ethical guidelines covering other disabilities and general AI in education policy were provided as baselines that could be discussed and validated through the following Delphi surveys involving 17 experts from diverse stakeholder groups. A total of 36 policy items across five thematic categories of inclusive and personalized learning (11 items), ethics, equity, and inclusion (nine items), student empowerment and AI literacy (six items), assessment and research (six items), and educator preparation (four items) were proposed. Based on experts’ ranking of the top 10 policy items important for students, the most essential policy suggestions include student empowerment and AI literacy.

Comments

This article was originally published in Learning Disability Quarterly in 2026. https://doi.org/10.1177/07319487251412879

Recommended Citation

Shin, M., Deniz, F., Watson, L., Dieterich, C., Ewoldt, K. B., Johnson, F., Kong, J. E., Lee, S. H., & Whitehurst, A. (2026). Addressing the Void of AI Policies in Education for Students With Specific Learning Disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/07319487251412879

Peer Reviewed

1

Copyright

Hammill Institute on Disabilities

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License