Call for Papers Building Inclusive Generative AI for Learners with Special Educational Needs

[Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community]

Deadline for abstract submissions: 2 February 2026
Deadline for full paper submissions: 1 June 2026

This special issue examines how GenAI can be designed, implemented, and governed to foster inclusive learning for individuals with Special Educational Needs (SEN) across diverse educational contexts, an area that remains largely overlooked in mainstream research on GenAI in education. It invites contributions that explore inclusion, accessibility, and ethical practice from the perspectives of teachers, learners, parents, and other stakeholders, focusing on areas such as pedagogical innovation, technology design, policy development, and governance to advance equity and inclusion in the evolving landscape of GenAI for education.

Learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) often face persistent barriers to participation and achievement across educational settings. These include academic challenges related to their learning needs, inflexible pedagogical approaches, inaccessible materials, and systemic inequalities, all of which continue to marginalise their educational experiences (Ofsted, 2021). Digital technologies, particularly assistive technologies, have long been shown to support learners with SEN by enhancing accessibility and engagement (Department for Education, 2025). With the rapid advancement of GenAI, new opportunities are emerging to further assist and empower these learners (Zhao, Cox, & Chen, 2025; Botchu et al., 2024). Nevertheless, significant challenges remain. Many AI systems are not designed inclusively, reflecting bias in training data, inaccessible interfaces, and limited awareness of diverse learner needs (Almufareh et al., 2024; Julien, 2024). Furthermore, educational policy, training for teachers and students, and institutional resources have struggled to keep pace with the rapid evolution of these technologies, creating additional barriers to their equitable and meaningful adoption (Zhao, Cox, Cai, 2024).

The United Nations’ Artificial Intelligence in Education report calls for the inclusive and equitable use of artificial intelligence in education (n.d). However, existing research continues to focus mainly on mainstream learners, often overlooking those with special educational needs (SEN). This oversight limits understanding of how GenAI may help to promote inclusion and accessibility in different educational contexts, or in some cases, inadvertently hinder them. The need to address this gap is pressing. The rapid evolution of GenAI technologies, if not developed and implemented with inclusivity and accessibility in mind, risks deepening existing digital divides or creating new ones.

This special issue aims to advance both scholarly and practical understanding of how GenAI can be used inclusively and equitably in education. It brings together theoretical discussions, empirical studies, systematic reviews, and inclusive technology design research that examine how GenAI can meaningfully support learners with SEN. In doing so, the issue contributes to the broader agenda of equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational AI, with an emphasis on developing innovation that is inclusive, ethical, and accessible.

Contributions are invited that address theoretical, empirical, design-based, or policy perspectives on inclusion and the use of GenAI to support learners with SEN. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

Topics for this call for papers include but are not restricted to:

• Experiences and perceptions of SEN learners, teachers, accessibility specialists, and parents in using GenAI for learning and teaching
• Inclusive and co-design approaches for developing and implementing GenAI tools
• Ethical, policy, and governance considerations in the inclusive adoption of GenAI tools
• Cross-cultural and international perspectives on inclusive uses of AI in education
• Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on AI accessibility
• Theoretical and critical perspectives on AI accessibility

Internationalisation

This special issue will represent a broad international evidence base, bringing together research on inclusive and accessible uses of Generative AI (GenAI) for learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) across diverse educational systems and socio-economic contexts. Contributions will be grounded in learning theories and inclusive design principles applied in practice, examining how GenAI can support accessibility, participation, and achievement for learners with SEN in different cultural and institutional settings. The findings will be of interest to a wide international audience, including researchers and educators across disciplines such as education, learning sciences, disability studies, and human–computer interaction, as well as policymakers, accessibility specialists, and technology developers working to advance inclusive and ethical applications of AI worldwide.

Inclusiveness:

This special issue seeks to advance the inclusivity of Generative AI in education. It focuses on generating insights into the experiences of marginalised learners, such as those with special educational needs (SEN) (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD, hearing or visual impairments, autism), as well as the educators, accessibility specialists, policymakers, and technology designers who support them. The issue will highlight pedagogical innovations, inclusive technology design, and critical discussions of policy and theoretical frameworks related to this urgent and underexplored area. It will also examine how GenAI can be harnessed to bridge existing digital divides and prevent the creation of new forms of educational disparity. Ultimately, the special issue aims to promote equitable participation and access in educational settings for all learners.

Innovation:

This special issue seeks to promote innovation in both pedagogical practice and technology design to better support marginalised learner groups, drawing on both established and emerging educational theories. It aims to attract research that introduces novel design and codesign approaches involving AI, examines innovative pedagogical applications of GenAI, and develops learning strategies and policy guidance grounded in the lived experiences of learners with SEN and the educators who support them. By centering these perspectives, the special issue contributes to the global advancement of scalable and inclusive applications of GenAI in education.

Submission and Inquiries

We invite contributions that address theoretical, empirical, design-based, or policy perspectives on inclusion and the use of Generative AI (GenAI) to support learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Abstracts should clearly demonstrate how the proposed paper fits the focus of the special section, employs rigorous methodology, offers innovation, makes a significant contribution to the field, and is relevant to an international audience. Full papers will undergo the standard peer-review process. Therefore, if you are invited to submit a full paper based on your abstract, this invitation should not be interpreted as an indication that the final paper will be accepted.

Abstracts should be approximately 250 words, clearly and concisely written, and generally include the following:

• A brief introduction (one or two sentences) outlining the research aims and educational context (e.g., undergraduate, secondary, primary, early childhood, or other relevant levels).
• For empirical studies, a concise summary of the data collection methodology.
• A summary of the key outcomes.
• Clear conclusions and implications in two or three sentences, highlighting the new insights offered, the unique and significant contribution to the field, and the relevance of the work to a diverse international audience.

Final manuscripts should be prepared following the BJET Guidelines for Authors and submitted via the BJET manuscript submission system see:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/14678535/homepage/ForAuthors.html

All submissions will go through the usual process of blind peer-review. The editors will select papers for the special issue on the basis of their academic merit, quality and overall coverage of the theme of the special section.

Important Dates:

• Abstract submission emailed to the guest editors: 2nd February 2026
• Deadline for full paper submission: 1st June 2026

Guest Editors:

Dr. Xin Zhao
The University of Manchester
United Kingdom

Prof. Zhongling Pi
Shaanxi Normal University
China

Dr. Arif Nurwidyantoro
Universitas Gadjah Mad
Indonesia

Prof. Wenli Chen
Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Singapore

Submit now

References

Almufareh, M. F., Kausar, S., Humayun, M., & Tehsin, S. (2024). A conceptual model for inclusive technology: advancing disability inclusion through artificial intelligence. Journal of Disability Research, 3(1), 20230060.

Botchu, B., Iyengar, K. P., & Botchu, R. (2024). Can ChatGPT empower people with dyslexia?. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 19(5), 2131-2132.

Department for Education. (2025, June 27). Thousands of children with SEND to benefit from assistive tech. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-ofchildren-with-send-to-benefit-from-assistive-tech

Julien, G. (2024). How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impacts Inclusive Education. Educational Research Reviews, 19(6), 95-103.

Ofsted. (2021, June 16). SEND: old issues, new issues, next steps. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-old-issues-new-issues-next-steps

United Nations. (n.d.). Artificial intelligence (AI). 

Zhao, X., Cox, A., & Chen, X. (2025). The use of generative AI by students with disabilities in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 66, 101014.

Zhao, X., Cox, A., & Cai, L. (2024). ChatGPT and the digitisation of writing. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1-9. https://www.un.org/en/globalissues/artificial-intelligence