April 3, 2024
Picture a world where education transcends language barriers, caters to individual needs, and empowers every child regardless of ability. With the introduction of Artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of education, such a transformative vision can soon become a tangible reality.
AI-powered tools are already revolutionising a vast array of industries, from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and customer service. In the field of education, AI can democratize access to high-quality and personalized learning experiences for all students, regardless of background or location. It has the potential to create a more inclusive educational landscape, especially for differently-abled children.
Globally, millions of children face significant hurdles in accessing equal education. One in every 10 children worldwide equating to around 240 million, have some form of disability, and tragically, a significant portion lack access to inclusive educational opportunities. The educational disparity not only limits their current learning experiences but also severely curtails their future prospects. India is home to the world’s largest number of children with disabilities.
Estimated at over more than 10 million in number, children with disabilities lack access to education due to the complicated diverse linguistic landscape in India. The country is working towards solutions to these challenges and several startups have emerged to bridge this gap by leveraging AI to create accessible learning tools and platforms in various Indian languages.
Assistive Technologies and Personalising Learning
AI-driven tools play a pivotal role in enhancing educational accessibility. For example, the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi’s, Project Akshar employs text-to-speech software to transform textbooks and educational materials into audio formats, ensuring accessibility for visually impaired students nationwide. Text-to-speech software aids visually impaired students, while speech recognition technology empowers those facing motor challenges to interact with learning materials. AI-based virtual tutors offer personalised assistance, addressing specific learning deficiencies for children with disabilities.
AI algorithms today can analyse student data to discern unique learning styles and gauge strengths and areas for improvement. It facilitates the development of tailored learning plans, customising content, pacing, and instructional approaches to meet individual needs. For children with disabilities, it could entail adjusting lesson complexity, furnishing alternative learning resources (such as audio textbooks for visually impaired students), or integrating gamification elements to enhance engagement.
For example, Ekstep – a non-profit organisation, uses AI to create personalised learning paths for children in government schools. Their platform adapts to individual learning speeds and offers remedial lessons or enrichment activities based on a student’s performance.
Startups Tackling Multilingual Education with AI
Several Indian EdTech startups are actively tackling the challenge of multilingual education for children with disabilities.
- Enguru provides a personalised learning platform that adjusts to individual learning styles and speeds using AI, offering potential benefits for children with disabilities, despite their primary focus not being solely on multilingualism.
- Learnometer employs AI to create personalised learning experiences, which could be adapted to cater to the needs of children with disabilities by offering learning materials in various languages.
- Melorra Technologies specialises in developing assistive technologies for visually impaired children, notably with their “Buddy” product—a Braille learning device—being a valuable asset within a multilingual education framework.
Collectively, these startups contribute to the advancement of multilingual education for children with disabilities, showcasing innovative solutions emerging within the Indian EdTech sector.
The Challenges in Multilingual Education
Despite significant progress, several challenges persist in leveraging AI for educational enhancement:
- Accessibility and Affordability: It is crucial that these AI-powered solutions are accessible and affordable for all schools and families for their widespread adoption. It entails bridging the gap to make these technologies available to underprivileged communities, thus promoting equitable access to quality education.
- Data Privacy: With the integration of AI, safeguarding student data and ensuring its ethical use becomes crucial. Maintaining stringent data privacy measures is imperative to protect sensitive information and uphold trust within the educational ecosystem.
- Teacher Training: Educators need training to effectively integrate AI tools into their teaching practices and create a truly inclusive learning environment.
Several cutting-edge solutions are currently undergoing testing at MATH (Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Technology Hub) CoE, in partnership with T-Hub, under DST. MATH is dedicated to creating an ecosystem for entrepreneurs to harness AI-powered tools for tackling challenges in the education sector. It promotes expertise, collaboration, and innovation in AI/ML, serving as a hub for knowledge sharing, research, and development. MATH provides access to top-tier infrastructure, mentorship from industry leaders, funding opportunities, networking events, and collaborative spaces through COHORT and Accelerator programs, alongside workshops.
Indian startups are at the forefront of change in the educational space, leveraging AI to democratize access to education, empower differently-abled students, and bridge the digital divide in learning across India. These entrepreneurs realise that AI can bridge the language gap and empower children with disabilities in India and across the world to receive quality education in their native tongue.
