How Can AI Help Students with Learning Disabilities?

Teachers, by their own admission, are still figuring out the best ways to use AI. While it is undoubtedly part of the future that their students will go on to inherit, ethical implementation can often be a minefield in itself. However, the opportunities for AI to help bridge the gap in accessibility – between those students who experience learning disabilities and those who do not – are promising. 

In fact, one meta-analysis found that students using AI-powered tutoring systems outperformed their peers in 92% of studies, with an effect size equivalent to moving from the 50th to the 75th percentile. It's not just a promising avenue; it's a critical one, considering that according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, 1 in 5 children in the U.S. have learning and attention issues.

Although sometimes it can be schools that actually stand in the way of advancing AI in education, without knowing how to implement such tools properly – applications for those with learning disabilities are exciting the establishment. 

How AI changes Assistive tech (AT)

Using technology to support students with learning disabilities has been around for decades, and assistive tech (AT) has historically included screen readers, speech-to-text software, and audiobooks, which have been long providing support for students with dyslexia and ADHD. Yet up until recently, AT tended to be mostly reactive, helping students cope – not to mention being expensive and also needing manual setup, often requiring specific hardware or licensing fees. 

AI changes that, by dynamically adjusting to students’ individual needs. There is real-time support, and, most crucially – customized learning paths. This is an upgrade from static support to responsive learning systems. What AI does best is pattern recognition and personalization, which both can make a huge difference for those with learning disabilities. Here’s how:  

Personalized Learning Plans

Most students with learning disabilities struggle or fail to engage with one-size-fits-all approaches. Traditional classroom models are often based around a fixed curriculum, making it hard to adapt to individual learning styles. It’s AI-driven learning platforms, such as Lexia or Carnegie Learning, which can assess a student’s strengths and weaknesses in real time, and then adjust the education content to mirror their individual pace.

For example, if a student with dyslexia struggles with reading comprehension but excels in auditory learning, AI can automatically switch to voice-based explanations or summarise key points in simpler language. And for those with ADHD, AI can break tasks down into smaller and more manageable steps - which can lessen cognitive overload. It’s about meeting students where they are rather than forcing them into a system that wasn’t built for them.

Speech and Language Support

Many students with dyslexia, speech impediments, or processing disorders benefit from text-to-speech (TTS) and speech-to-text (STT) tools. AI-powered apps like Otter.ai or Speechify take this a step further, offering real-time transcription, summarisation, and even AI-powered voice modulation for clearer pronunciation.

For students who struggle with written expression, AI-powered writing assistants can provide structure without doing the work for them – offering grammar suggestions, breaking down complex sentence structures, and even rephrasing ideas in clearer language. 

Improving Focus and Attention 

ADHD is one of the most common learning disabilities, affecting focus, memory, and executive function. AI can help manage attention in the following ways:

• AI-powered study apps like Study Buddy use gamification to encourage focus and prevent distractions. With progress tracking and rewards, such apps can help students stay engaged with tasks that could otherwise feel overwhelming. 
• Smart reminders and scheduling tools can predict when students are most productive and suggest optimal study times. AI can also track engagement patterns and nudge students towards study breaks or alternative scheduling that helps them become more efficient. 
• Adaptive learning interfaces can detect signs of disengagement (such as rapid scrolling or lack of interaction) and can adjust pacing accordingly. This means that instead of students being left to struggle in silence, AI systems can make suggestions or give encouragement helping the student to engage once again.  

Breaking Down Learning Barriers 

AI-powered tools can also help teachers create more inclusive learning environments. Real-time captioning tools, like Google’s Live Transcribe, help students with hearing impairments, while AI-generated subtitles make video content more accessible.

AI tutors like Khanmigo (Khan Academy’s AI-powered tutor) give step-by-step explanations, which helps students to go at their own pace without the pressure of keeping up with a classroom discussion. It means that students can spend as long as they need on certain concepts, before moving on.  

For teachers, AI can provide insights into learning patterns and mark where students are struggling before it becomes a bigger (and harder to tackle) issue. Instead of relying on standardized tests to measure progress, AI-driven analytics can keep track of real-time comprehension and flag where early interventions are required. This means students who are struggling will not have to wait until formal assessments to get the help they need. 

What’s Happening Right Now? 

The real opportunity is in using AI to help all students succeed in academic environments, celebrating (rather than sidelining) different ways of learning. At its best, AI can remake education into what it was always meant to be: a system that adapts to students, instead of forcing students to adapt to it. 

The U.S. National Science Foundation is backing this shift, funding AI research and development aimed at supporting students with learning disabilities. A key initiative is the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, based at the University of Buffalo. Known for its pioneering work in handwriting recognition (which helped the U.S. Postal Service save hundreds of millions of dollars by automating processing) the institute is now developing AI-powered tools to help children with speech and language difficulties.

In many ways, even the most impressive AI systems cannot replace the human connection that marks education so powerful. However, new AI tools can be a game changer for making learning more inclusive and responsive. It goes beyond making things more convenient for teachers – at its core, it’s about making education more accessible and equitable for everyone.