Teachers' Perspectives on Enhancing English Language Education in Bangladesh by Using AI Tools for Inclusive Learning for Students with Disabilities.

Abstract

In Bangladesh, learning a second language has always been a struggle for students, particularly those with special needs. However, the amalgamation of AI tools in teaching practices has made education accessible and an inclusive learning experience. The AI-driven platforms identify the needs of learners and personalize the learning materials based on them. Despite these advancements in AI technologies, there is limited research on the extent to which teachers working in special needs schools are aware of the usage of AI tools in English language teaching. Moreover, previous studies have shown that teachers are increasingly employing AI tools for teaching typical students, but not the students with special needs in Bangladesh. This research study explores teachers’ perceptions and willingness to incorporate AI tools for teaching English to speakers of other languages who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, and on the autism spectrum. This research study has used both online surveys and interviews to collect information regarding the perception and viewpoints of integrating AI tools to teach students with disabilities. The data is gathered from English language teachers residing in Chittagong and Dhaka. The findings indicate that although many teachers are aware of AI tools, they do not have enough knowledge to use them for teaching special needs students. Teachers have mixed responses regarding the usage of AI tools. Some were overjoyed and curious about their potential benefits, while some were hesitant to use them in a real-life classroom. The latter group was worried that if teachers became more reliant on AI, this could weaken the traditional teaching pedagogies.