CAST is excited to collaborate with Francesca Raffi, Associate Professor of English Language and Translation at the University of Macerata, and her team on the Universally Inclusive Technologies to Practice English (UNITE) project—an initiative that explores the role of AI-powered chatbots in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education.
Funded by the Italian Ministry of Culture, the UNITE project has been underway since 2022, aiming to develop evidence-based teaching and learning materials that encourage the use of chatbots in Italian university courses. More importantly, this work prioritizes inclusive education, ensuring that AI tools can serve as autonomous learning aids for all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.
One of UNITE’s groundbreaking contributions is the development of a chatbot inclusivity checklist, inspired by Universal Design for Learning principles. This checklist is designed to assess how well chatbots support diverse learners, fostering accessibility and engagement. As CAST continues to advocate for inclusive education in the emerging AI field, we are honored to lend our expertise to this effort.
Please continue to check back on the development of this checklist in the coming months!
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