Special education teachers spend a great deal of time making learning accessible. That can mean adapting a reading passage, preparing a clearer task sequence, developing individualized goals, or finding a way for a student to show what they understand. The right support depends on the learner, the task, and what you want the student to achieve.
AI tools can help with parts of that preparation. They can generate draft resources, suggest scaffolds, organize information, and offer alternative ways to present content. Some assistive tools also use AI technologies for functions such as reading text aloud.
The tools below are worth considering for different parts of special education work. “Best” here depends on the job you need done. I would choose a tool around a specific barrier or planning need, then check whether it helps the student participate more effectively.
AI Tools for Special Education Teachers at a Glance
| Tool | Main use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude | Flexible planning and resource drafting | Turn a lengthy assignment into a clear sequence |
| MagicSchool | Teacher tools, including IEP drafting and text adaptation | Develop a draft goal or adapt classroom language |
| Brisk Teaching | Adapt resources and draft support documents | Change a text’s reading level or prepare a planning draft |
| Diffit | Differentiated reading materials and activities | Provide accessible background reading for a shared topic |
| Eduaide | Editable instructional materials and scaffolds | Create organizers, practice tasks, and guiding questions |
| SchoolAI | IEP drafting and teacher-designed learning Spaces | Prepare a planning draft or guided practice activity |
| Goblin Tools | Task breakdown and organization | Turn a project into smaller, reviewable steps |
| Microsoft Immersive Reader | Reading accessibility, including read-aloud features | Adjust text presentation and listen while reading |
1. AI Chatbots: ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude
ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can help teachers draft instructions, adapt text, generate examples, and develop possible supports for a task.
The most useful prompts describe an observable need. “The student understands the topic but has difficulty starting a written response” gives you a clearer basis for planning than a diagnosis alone.
You might request a planning organizer, a model of the first step, or a checklist students can use independently. Review whether the support preserves the skill you want them to practise.
Sample prompt:
Adapt the assignment below for a Grade 6 learner who can explain ideas orally but needs support planning a written response.
Keep the learning goal unchanged. Provide a short set of instructions, a planning organizer, and a checklist for reviewing the response. Include optional sentence starters, but do not supply the argument or evidence.
Use age-appropriate language. Identify any information you need from me before making further suggestions.
Use school-approved services and avoid entering identifiable student records, assessment reports, or sensitive information into an unapproved account.
2. MagicSchool
MagicSchool includes an IEP Generator for drafting individualized education documents, alongside tools for lesson planning and adapting text.
For teachers working on individualized planning, the drafting function could help organize information they have already gathered. Its Text Rewriter can also help prepare more accessible versions of classroom materials.
I would treat a generated goal as a proposal to examine with the team. Check its connection to the learner’s current performance, how progress would be observed, and whether the suggested support is appropriate. An AI draft does not establish that a plan is suitable or complete.
3. Brisk Teaching
Brisk Teaching offers tools for adapting instruction and templates for documents including IEPs, 504 plans, and MTSS plans. Its reading-level and translation features provide another route for adapting existing resources.
A possible use is taking a class article and preparing a version with clearer language while retaining the central concepts. You could also use a planning template to organize a draft before collaborative review.
The document names reflect particular education systems. Use your own school’s required format and terminology. For adapted texts, compare the output with the original to ensure that essential information remains.
4. Diffit
Diffit supports the creation of differentiated reading resources and activities. Its guidance includes using passages at different reading levels before bringing students together around a common discussion.
This can be useful when decoding or language demands make a background text difficult to access. Students might read adapted materials and then contribute to the same discussion about a scientific or historical question.
Keep the purpose of the activity in view. If you are assessing understanding of a science concept, accessible background reading may support participation. If you are assessing independent reading, changing the text changes the evidence you collect.
5. Eduaide
Eduaide provides an editable workspace for creating resources such as worksheets and graphic organizers. Its differentiation features include adding scaffolds, adjusting reading level, and changing question formats.
For special education teachers, this offers several ways to prepare support around a shared lesson. You might create an organizer for comparing two ideas, draft a sequence of guiding questions, or prepare additional practice for a particular step.
Start small. A student who needs help organizing information may benefit from one clear organizer. Adding multiple prompts and visual elements could make the task harder to navigate. Review the resource with the learner’s actual needs in mind.
6. SchoolAI
SchoolAI offers an IEP drafting tool and teacher-designed student Spaces. These serve different purposes: one supports document preparation, while the other provides an interactive learning environment.
A Space could be used for guided practice, with instructions intended to encourage explanation and offer hints. Teachers can review interactions through the platform’s monitoring features.
Test the activity before sharing it. Check the quality of its feedback and whether it supplies answers too readily. Use interaction records alongside classroom observations and student work when deciding what support to offer next. Check school approval and student-access requirements before student-facing use.
7. Goblin Tools
Goblin Tools is a collection of small tools designed largely around tasks that can feel overwhelming. Magic ToDo breaks a task into smaller steps, with an adjustable setting that influences the amount of detail.
For a teacher, this could help prepare a draft checklist for a project. “Prepare a short presentation” might become a sequence involving choosing a topic, collecting information, selecting key points, and rehearsing.
Edit the sequence with the student. Remove irrelevant steps, adjust the wording, and decide where support is needed. The tool suggests a breakdown; it does not know the learner’s skills, classroom routines, or available time.
8. Microsoft Immersive Reader
Microsoft Immersive Reader is an accessibility option available within several Microsoft products. Features vary by application and can include reading text aloud, adjusting text display, translation, and reading-focus tools.
It serves a different purpose from a generative AI chatbot: it helps students access text that is already available. For example, a learner could listen to a passage while following the words on screen.
Try the settings with the student and identify which ones help. Also distinguish everyday access from assessment conditions: read-aloud support may fit some tasks, while others are designed to examine independent decoding.
Choosing a Tool Around the Learner
Begin with a specific question: what is preventing participation or progress in this task? Then choose one support, try it, and gather evidence about its usefulness.
For document drafting, consider MagicSchool, Brisk, or SchoolAI. For materials, explore Diffit, Eduaide, or a chatbot. For task organization, try Goblin Tools. For reading access, check what Immersive Reader already offers in your school’s software.
Check current account requirements, costs, and school approval before introducing a tool. Most importantly, involve the learner. A support is useful when it helps that student engage with the work, communicate understanding, or act with greater independence.
