When Two Students Asked Me: “Why Can’t We Use AI to Help Us Learn Better?”

This past week, two of my students, one in 6th grade and one in 7th, both in a self-contained bridge class for students with IEPs, asked me a simple but powerful question:

“Mr. Njoku, why can’t we use AI to help us learn better?”

It stopped me in my tracks.

These weren’t students in an advanced coding elective or a tech club. These were two bright, curious kids in a special education classroom, a space where far too often we underestimate what students can do, or what tools they should have access to.

And here they were, already thinking about how AI might help them grow.

AI Is Not Just for Gifted or General Ed Classrooms

Too often, when schools talk about “AI in education,” the conversation is about honors courses, STEM pathways, or new elective offerings for advanced learners.

But here’s the truth: AI may have some of its most transformative potential in the special education classroom, where differentiated learning, personalization, and scaffolding are already the norm.

What AI Can Offer Special Education Classrooms

When used with care, ethics, and thoughtful leadership, AI can:

• Personalize content to a student’s reading level, interests, and language needs—helping them access materials that might otherwise be out of reach.

• Support teachers in generating alternative assignments or assessments on the fly, giving students multiple ways to show understanding.

• Assist students in writing, organizing, or summarizing information—while still requiring them to think critically and engage deeply.

• Help students with processing delays or learning differences pace their learning in ways that honor their strengths and challenges.

And perhaps most importantly: AI can give students agency.

In my conversation with those two students this week, what struck me was this: They weren’t asking for AI to do the work for them. They wanted AI to help them be better learners.

They were asking for a tool to level the playing field.

The Role of Teachers and Leaders

Of course, AI is not a magic solution—and it should never replace the wisdom, care, and professional judgment of special educators.

But if we ignore AI completely, we do something worse: We deny our students opportunities to engage with the very tools that will shape their world.

As leaders, we must ensure that:

• Teachers are supported and trained to use AI ethically and effectively.

• Students with disabilities are given equal access to emerging tools—not left behind in digital exclusion.

• AI is used to promote agency, not dependence.

• Equity and justice stay at the center of all our decisions about technology.

A New Conversation

Those two students reminded me that our kids are already thinking about the future.

If we aren’t careful, we as adults will become the barrier between them and the tools that can help them grow.

Let’s make sure the conversation about AI in education includes our special education classrooms—because if we do this right, AI can be a powerful ally in helping every student, at every level, find their voice and unlock their potential.

The future is here.

And sometimes, it starts with a simple question from two brave and brilliant students:

“Why can’t we use AI to help us learn better?”

Prompt of the Day for Special Education Teachers:

“Act as a special education instructional coach. Suggest 3 practical ways I can start using AI tools (like ChatGPT) in my self-contained classroom to personalize learning for students with IEPs. Focus on accessibility, student voice, and agency.”

-Uche