AI 101 and Its Potential Impact on Special Education Teams

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a fixture in our everyday lives, from personalized recommendations on streaming platforms to the voice assistants in our homes. But beyond convenience, AI is rapidly transforming entire industries—and education is no exception. For special education teams, in particular, AI holds tremendous promise to reduce staff burnout, streamline workflows, and ultimately improve outcomes for students.

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In a recent webinar led by Dr. Samuel Ortiz, Chief Clinical Officer at Marker Learning, participants took a deep dive into what AI really is, how it works, and how it stands to impact special education teams across five key areas.

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What Is AI, Really?

At its core, AI is software that uses large datasets to make predictions and recognize patterns. It powers everything from Netflix recommendations to GPS navigation. AI models "learn" by analyzing millions of examples, comparing predicted outcomes to actual ones, and adjusting over time. However, it's important to remember that AI lacks true comprehension—it relies on statistical correlations and can make mistakes or "hallucinate" outputs if fed limited or biased data. That's why it's critical to treat AI as a support tool for special education staff that should always be validated by trained professionals.

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Five Ways AI Will Transform Special Education

Dr. Ortiz outlined five major areas where AI is poised to reshape special education:

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• 1. Direct Instruction and Support Services
  AI can recommend customized instructional strategies, assist service providers like SLPs or OTs, and help monitor student progress more efficiently. In time, AI-driven curricula may become commonplace in both general and special education classrooms.
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• 2. Coordination and Collaboration
  Special education relies on effective communication between teachers, service providers, administrators, families, and students. AI can support this by translating documents, providing real-time progress updates, and making communication more accessible and inclusive.
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• 3. IEP Development
  While AI isn't ready to write full IEPs, it can already transcribe meeting notes, suggest goals and objectives, schedule meetings, and monitor program effectiveness. These supports save time while helping educators maintain compliance and personalization.
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• 4. Compliance and Case Management
  Case management is often one of the most time-consuming aspects of special education. AI tools can track evaluation timelines, organize caseloads, and flag documentation gaps—freeing up educators to focus more on high-impact tasks.
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• 5. Assessment Reports and Disability Identification
  AI can rapidly draft assessment reports by reviewing source documents, summarizing key findings, and maintaining consistent formatting. Evaluators retain clinical judgment, but AI can greatly reduce the administrative lift.

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Cautions and Considerations

As promising as AI is, Dr. Ortiz emphasized the importance of using it responsibly. Public AI tools, such as ChatGPT, generally do not meet FERPA or NDPA data privacy standards, and should not be used to determine eligibility for services or write interpretive conclusions. The best practice today is to use AI for factual summarization and drafting, with a qualified professional overseeing final interpretation.

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The Bottom Line

AI isn't a far-off concept—it's here, and it's already reshaping how special education teams work. With the right tools and safeguards in place, AI can reduce administrative burdens, improve communication, and support educators in delivering more efficient, effective, and equitable services.

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At Marker Learning, we're committed to responsible AI integration that empowers special education teams while protecting student privacy and clinical integrity.

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If you would like to learn more about how school districts are using Marker’s AI platform to reduce report writing time by over 50%, please reach out to stefan@markerlearning.com

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