Classroom Integration
This section provides high-level recommendations for effectively incorporating AI into K–12 classrooms. While these guidelines offer a strategic overview, more detailed resources and best-practice case studies can be found in the resources by our Classroom Integration Subgroup.
Table of Contents
Guiding Principles for K-12 AI Integration
Education-First Approach
- Align with Curriculum: Select AI tools based on specific learning goals and standards.
- Close Gaps: Provide devices, internet access, and targeted support so every student can use AI resources.
- Accessibility and Learner Empowerment: Choose AI tools that adhere to accessibility standards, support Universal Design for Learning, and promote learner agency (e.g., text-to-speech, translation) to support diverse learning needs and enhance workflow (e.g., connect to/speak with multiple platforms)
Responsible & Ethical Use
- Explicit Ethics Lessons: Embed bias awareness, data privacy, and responsible use into digital citizenship or computer science curricula.
- Vetting AI Tools: Collaborations between admin, IT, and educators should target the evaluation of vendors’ data-handling policies and adherence to accessibility requirements (e.g., WCAG 3.0, VPAT) to ensure tools are accessible. Ensure student information is protected and free from discriminatory practices as well as explicit teaching of impactful, effective prompting.
- Transparent Communication: Inform students and families about how AI data is collected and used, and allow opportunities to opt out or ask questions. Provide guidance on how to access accessibility features.
Accountability & Alignment
- Standards Compliance: Integrate AI tools that meet state and district academic standards, verifying content accuracy, developmental appropriateness, and adherence to accessibility laws and guidelines (WCAG 3.0, Section 508).
- Policy Integration: Update existing Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) and academic integrity guidelines to reflect AI advancements.
- Regular Audits: Schedule routine reviews of AI usage and outcomes at your schools/district to evaluate effectiveness, and including ongoing legal and ethical compliance as needed and/or when possible.
Engaging & Empowering Learning
- Active Learning Designs: Structure AI-related tasks around exploration, creation, collaboration, and problem-solving (e.g., student-led projects or AI-assisted debates).
- Teacher Autonomy: Let educators choose how to integrate AI into their lessons, providing professional development and coaching for confident implementation.
- Digital Citizenship: Update lessons on online safety, responsible data sharing, and respectful communication to reflect new AI capabilities and challenges.
- AI and Digital Fluency: Take steps to ensure that teachers and students have the understanding needed to integrate AI tools most effectively to maximize student learning outcomes.
Continuous Feedback & Improvement
- Formative Monitoring and Feedback: Use AI-driven assessments or analytics to identify student needs early, including the State of Florida’s early warning indicators identified in Early Warning System for at-risk students, then combine these insights with teacher judgment for targeted interventions.
- Stakeholder Feedback Loops: Conduct regular surveys or listening sessions with students, parents, teachers, and administrators to gauge AI’s real-world impact.
- Ongoing Policy Updates: Revise guidelines as technology evolves, addressing new ethical, legal, accessibility, or instructional challenges.
Leveraging AI for Learners with Disabilities
Like all guidance related to AI integration, it is critical to begin with existing policies and legal protections when it comes to learners with disabilities (e.g., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA, 2004] and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973). Both general education and special education teachers must make sure they are following students’ Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and/or 504 plans including the accommodations, goals, and assistive technology (AT) supports outlined within those. Additionally, In January 2024, the U.S. The Department of Education released Assistive Technology (AT) Guidance to provide administrators, educators, and families tools to help avoid misconceptions regarding AT, and provide examples of the use of AT devices and services for children with disabilities.
It is important to note that research supported instructional practices such as the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), High Leverage Practices for learners with disabilities (HLPs) and accessibility are already established practices within special education and foster positive learning outcomes for all students, including those with disabilities.
In addition to the affordances of AI for teaching and learning for all learners, the use of instruction that leverages AI has the potential to support learners with disabilities, as related to IEPs goals, 504 plans, accommodation, and assistive technology needs. A growing body of research suggests that AI-powered tools can support personalization and adaptations that can support teaching and learning for students with disabilities. For example, adaptive learning platforms can dynamically adjust constructs such as reading levels, pacing, and complexity of content based on students’ individual needs and progress. This is particularly beneficial for students with disabilities who may require varied levels of support.
* It is important to note that many AI-augmented tools have age restrictions (e.g., 13 years and above for most) and that when making decisions about AI usage for all learners, including those with disabilities, these age guidelines should be followed.
Maximize learning through support systems:
When proper data securities are in place, teachers can utilize IEP data (e.g., goals, behavior implementation plans) to establish progress monitoring and evaluation of the efficacy of academic and/or behavioral supports to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
- AI systems can provide comprehensive real-time assessment and feedback that can identify learning gaps and offer personalized remediation. AI can analyze student performance data to suggest tailor instructional materials and activities. This aligns with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which emphasizes flexible and adaptive learning environments (e.g. Ludia, an AI chatbot designed to provide instructional support such as choice boards, self-assessments, and other classroom routines to facilitate learner independence)
- Teachers are able to use AI outputs to make data-informed decisions faster and more accurately than ever before.
- The application of AI-powered tools leveraged by students creates independence by increasing ease in workflow (e.g. visual schedules)
Maximize learning through Accessible & Assistive Technologies:
When considering the use of accessible and/or assistive technologies powered by AI, making information and the operation of the user interface understandable must meet the third principle of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Specifically, guideline 3.1.5 indicates that when text requires reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level, supplemental content that does not require a reading ability more advanced than this level must be provided (World Wide Web Consortium, 2024). Ensuring accessibility in technology design is not just a matter of convenience but a necessity for teaching and learning for all students, especially students with disabilities.
- AI-powered text-to-speech and speech-to-text software can improve accessibility for students with visual or auditory impairments (e.g. NaturalReader, Murf AI, Speechify).
- AI can be leveraged to develop personalized learning interfaces which adapt to a students’ specific needs and dynamically support learning by adjusting instruction (e.g., content difficulty).
- AI-powered tools can enhance screen readers and other assistive tools, making them more efficient and user-friendly.
- AI based tutoring systems identity areas of need quickly and more accurately (e.g. AI Braille tutoring)
Proceed with Support & Caution
When considering AI integration for learners with disabilities, especially as related to meeting IEP goals, accommodations, and/or assistive technology needs, it is important to remember that school districts have support personnel that can ensure procedural safeguards, technology supports (for teachers, students, and their families), and data privacy and security.
While many AI tools benefit teaching and learning, not all are created equal. Collaborative, inclusive technology ecosystems (CITES) at the district and school level are critical to ensure that all content, tools and resources are accessible and secure. When considering implementing AI in the classroom, think: 1. Is the tool designed to meet accessibility an assurance standards AND 2. How are students’ data (including disability related data) being collected, stored, or used to iterate the AI models? Want to learn more about accessibility standards, check out VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template).
Resources & Research to Support AI Integration for Learners with Disabilities
AI-Assisted Instructional Support Framework
“Augment, Not Replace” is the guiding mantra for AI in K–12 teaching. Here we provide one possible framework you might use with your teachers to support effective AI-Assisted Instructional Support:
- Teacher Agency & Respect
Empower educators to choose from district or school approved AI tools aligned with their teaching style and class needs. - Administrative Task Support
Allow AI to automate repetitive tasks, freeing teachers to focus on nuanced instruction. - Augmenting Instructional Delivery
Integrate AI platforms that offer real-time differentiation or immediate feedback in safe and effective ways with teacher oversight. - Holistic Student Support
Pair AI-based interventions with human follow-up and acknowledge the socio-emotional impact of AI-enhanced learning by encouraging teacher-student discussions.
Measuring Student Learning & Assessments
AI tools offer powerful opportunities to enhance student assessments, providing quick feedback and real-time insights that support differentiated instruction and inform targeted teaching strategies. However, balancing the efficiency of AI with human oversight is crucial to maintaining accuracy, equity, and the socio-emotional well-being of students. When thoughtfully integrated, AI can complement traditional assessments, offering a more holistic view of student learning while ensuring that human educators remain at the center of the evaluation process.
AI-enabled formative assessments, such as quizzes or automated reflections, provide immediate feedback to both students and teachers, helping to identify gaps in understanding and provide opportunities for extended learning. Tools like Socratic chatbots can enable students to explore concepts interactively, but it is essential to monitor these interactions to address potential misinformation or bias. Additionally, educators must recognize the socio-emotional impacts of AI-driven assessments, as automated feedback can affect student confidence or engagement. Gathering student input on their experiences with AI is vital to ensuring these tools are both effective and equitable.
Digital Citizenship in the Age of AI
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education and everyday life, the need for a robust digital citizenship curriculum has never been greater. By adapting existing frameworks to include an “AI lens,” schools can equip students with the skills and ethical grounding to engage responsibly with AI technologies. Incorporating AI awareness into Florida’s digital citizenship approaches allows educators to build on proven educational practices while addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by AI.
Recommendations for Adapting Existing Curriculum
Focus on Responsible Use
Key Topics to Address
Expand lessons on cyberbullying to include scenarios where AI amplifies harmful behavior (e.g., using AI to generate deep fakes).
Update plagiarism and copyright discussions to cover AI-assisted work (e.g., using generative AI for essays) and the ethical implications of misrepresenting AI-generated content as original.
Address AI-driven misinformation, teaching students to critically evaluate sources, cross-check facts, and recognize manipulative algorithms.
Immediate Actions Schools Can Take
Collaborate with media literacy organizations to integrate resources like Common Sense Education’s Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum or MIT RAISE’s AI Literacy Units.
Provide case studies or interactive scenarios that explore ethical dilemmas involving AI tools (check out our Resources!)
Integrate AI Awareness & Ethics Modules
Key Topics to Address
Highlight AI bias and its societal impacts, using tools like the MIT Media Lab’s Moral Machine with high school students to spark discussions about accountability.
Teach students about automation’s impact on jobs, including how AI technologies are already impacting our daily lives, emphasizing skills they can develop to adapt to a changing workforce.
Discuss ethical AI practices, including transparency, fairness, and the importance of human oversight.
Immediate Actions Schools Can Take
Partner with organizations like AI4K12 to access pre-designed lesson plans on AI awareness and accountability.
Data Literacy & Privacy Education
Key Topics to Address
Provide strategies for identifying phishing attempts, manipulative AI, and algorithms that prioritize engagement over accuracy.
Encourage students to question algorithmic recommendations and take ownership of their online privacy.
Immediate Actions Schools Can Take
Use resources like Google’s Be Internet Awesome curriculum to teach data privacy fundamentals or Minecraft’s AI Foundations to build foundational AI knowledge through interactive experiences.
Implement practical activities where students analyze their digital footprint or review terms of service agreements for popular AI apps.
Taking Action with Florida’s Existing Approaches
Current digital citizenship educational materials (such as these from Duval County) provide a strong foundation for addressing AI challenges. In addition, Miami-Dade County Public Schools hosts a website for parents that can serve as a great starting point for developing one for your district as well! By leveraging these resources and updating them to include AI-specific scenarios, schools can save time, maintain consistency, and build on proven frameworks. Districts can adapt topics such as online safety, ethical behavior, and digital etiquette to include AI, ensuring that students are prepared to navigate a digital world that increasingly relies on artificial intelligence.