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INCLUSIVE TEACHING WITH AI

Facilitators: Jen Norton & Randy Ziegenfuss

Accessibility and Cultural Responsiveness

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WELCOME & SESSION OVERVIEW

Goals:

Explore how AI can support identity-affirming, accessible teaching practices in higher education
Apply UDL principles to AI-enhanced course design
Critically examine bias in AI tools
Engage in hands-on redesign using AI + UDL

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FRAMING QUESTIONS

When has a student struggled—not because of ability, but because the design didn’t fit?

When have you seen a student light up because they could bring their full self?

Barriers aren’t in students. They’re in the design. AI can help us fix the fit—if we use it wisely.

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CAUTION—AI ISN’T NEUTRAL

AI reflects the data it’s trained on—often centering dominant cultures, norms, and worldviews
Risks:

Eurocentric or biased examples
Language simplification that erases nuance
"Neutral" outputs that reflect majority perspectives

Inclusive use of AI starts with critical questioning.

As faculty, we must interrogate not only how we use AI—but also what assumptions and worldviews are embedded in its responses.

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WHAT IS UDL?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
A framework for reducing barriers and designing for learner variability
3 Core Principles: Design for multiple means of

Engagement - curiosity & identity
Representation -varied formats
Action & Expression - varied outputs

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UDL + AI INTEGRATION

UDL Principle	Narrative	Higher Ed Example
Engagement	Design for curiosity and identity	Students choose health disparities relevant to their communities, explore with AI
Representation	Present content in varied formats	AI helps translate texts or generate analogies
Action & Expression	Let students show learning in multiple ways	Students make podcasts, videos, or digital exhibits

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HOW AI CAN SUPPORT UDL

UDL Principle	How AI Helps	Example Prompt
Engagement	Simulate perspectives, generate relevance	"List 5 ways this topic connects to native German speakers enthusiastic about fußball” (Physics Lesson)
Representation	Simplify, translate, visualize	"Explain quantum entanglement to a 15 year old"
Action & Expression	Offer multimodal options	"List 5 digital-based alternatives to a traditional essay"

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REDESIGN SPRINT INSTRUCTIONS

Choose a familiar assignment or activity from your own course
Identify a UDL principle to explore (Engagement, Representation, or Action & Expression)
Use AI prompts to:

Uncover hidden barriers
Reimagine design for access, identity, and justice

This isn’t about fixing the student. It’s about redesigning the fit.

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AI PROMPTS - ENGAGEMENT (U)

How could this assignment connect to students' identities?
What about:

First-gen, LGBTQ+, or ESL learners?
Students juggling parenting or work?
Local community or cultural lenses?

Prompt: "Generate 5 ways to increase relevance and identity connection"

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AI PROMPTS - REPRESENTATION (D)

What barriers prevent understanding?
What if a student is:

Visually impaired?
An ESL learner?

Prompt: “List 5 ways to present the content or instructions in this assignment across different formats or levels of complexity.”

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AI PROMPTS – ACTION & EXPRESSION (L)

What formats are assumed in your original assignment?
What other options could allow students to demonstrate mastery?
Prompt: “Generate 5 alternative ways students could demonstrate mastery of this assignment.”

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SHARE & REFLECT

Design Shift: What changed in your original assignment?
AI’s Role: What insight or pattern did AI reveal?
Human Element: What aspect of student humanity got more space?
Inclusion Impact: Who now feels more included or capable?

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KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR FACULTY

AI is a mirror, not a map: it reflects our questions, assumptions, and biases
Inclusive design with AI requires intention, criticality, and creativity
Start small. Stay curious. Lead with equity.

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THANK YOU!

Questions?

Connect with us:

Jen Norton – nortonj@moravian.edu

Randy Ziegenfuss – ziegenfussr@moravian.edu