3.10 Special Education Teachers' Perceptions and Readiness for Generative AI Use (Kwok)

2026

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools has created both significant opportunities and notable challenges across K–12 education. In special education settings in particular, generative AI holds considerable promise for supporting teachers in delivering personalized instruction, designing accommodations, differentiating learning materials, streamlining lesson planning, and reducing administrative burden. Despite this promise, serious concerns persist regarding ethics, student data privacy, accuracy and hallucination of AI-generated content, accessibility, overreliance, and responsible instructional integration. These concerns are especially acute in special education, where teachers serve students with disabilities who have legally protected rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This project pursues two primary goals: (a) to conduct a systematic review of existing literature and measurement tools related to teachers' perceptions, adoption, and use of AI technologies in education, with particular attention to instruments applicable to special education; and (b) to develop and validate a new scale — the Perceptions of Generative AI in Special Education (PGAI-SE) scale — that assesses special education teachers' perceptions, readiness, ethical concerns, self-efficacy, and intended use of generative AI in their teaching practice.

Performing Research or Evaluation

Education & Early Intervention, Other - Assistive Technology

Professionals and Para-Professionals

None

National, International

N/A