BANNER

To complete this template please follow the directions in red text. When you are done you can delete the red text to finish your portfolio.

Title:

Replace the "Course number and Name" with your course number and name, for example "Science 101: Introduction to Science"
Select three words that describe your overall course design project. (delete this paragraph after you have completed this.)

Course number: Intro to use AI for Alternate Format Creation

Reflection on Instructional Change:

In my next assignment, I'm taking a two-pronged approach to explore GenAI's capabilities and potential limitations. For the AI-inclusive portion, I'll experiment with GenAI, using various formats (poems, scripts, news articles) and voices (formal, casual, character-specific) to see how they influence the output.

For the AI-resistant component, I'll analyze the generated content to identify patterns or biases. This might involve comparing the outputs to human-generated works on the same topics or looking for inconsistencies in factual information. By understanding GenAI's strengths and weaknesses, I can plan a follow-up assignment that requires students to go beyond the AI's capabilities. This could involve tasks like evaluating the factual accuracy, critically analyzing the creative choices made by GenAI, or even rewriting the content in a different style or with a different perspective.

By combining AI-inclusive exploration with AI-resistant analysis, I hope to gain valuable insights for future assignments. This will allow me to leverage GenAI's strengths while also ensuring students develop critical thinking skills and independent judgment.

Given the environment I'm working in at ATL, for revising the existing course, I would use GenAI to ensure the following exist after my revision:

Multiple format delivery: I would utilize GenAI to create alternative formats for lecture content beyond just words. I would assess and, if needed, generate transcripts with key points highlighted, captioned explainer videos summarizing the lecture, or even AI-powered note-taking tools that capture the main ideas and allow students to personalize their notes.

I would also integrate AI-powered real-time captioning for our students with auditory impairments. This way, I will ensure they have equal access to the designed materials.

By providing alternative formats and incorporating accessibility features, I would ensure that by using GenAI, we created a more inclusive learning environment. When all students have access to the information presented in lectures, regardless of their learning styles or abilities, it makes a level playing field and promotes equal opportunities for success.

Clear and Accessible Language: My biggest takeaway was the importance of using clear and accessible language when creating GenAI prompts. This means avoiding jargon, keeping sentences concise, and employing plain language principles. This ensures that AI-generated content is understandable for all students, regardless of their reading comprehension level or learning style. Where I work at ATL the accessibility is a must. And we should follow our UDL guidelines; that's why accessible language attracted me the most.

Multiple Format Options: The course highlighted the value of prompting the AI to generate content in various formats. For example, I can create prompts that instruct the AI to generate text transcripts alongside audio announcements or closed captions for video messages. This allows students with diverse learning preferences and potential accessibility needs to engage with the information in the format that best suits them. One of my jobs at ATL to ensure our disabled students have equal access to materials is to test the contents uploaded to Canvas, including videos and captioned and transcribed texts. Multiple format options in GenAI are fascinating!

Integration with AT Tools: I discovered the potential for integrating GenAI prompts with existing AT tools. Imagine prompting the AI to generate content that can be easily converted into audio descriptions for visuals or translated into multiple languages for students with limited English proficiency. This opens doors for creating inclusive course communications that cater to a wider range of learners.

Accessible Course Syllabi: I plan to leverage GenAI by crafting prompts to generate accessible course syllabi. This means using clear prompts to ensure the syllabus is well-structured, using alternative text descriptions for images, and avoiding relying solely on color coding for important information. Additionally, I learned that I could explore prompting AI to generate the syllabus in multiple formats, such as digital documents with screen reader compatibility. This AI functionality is beneficial for blind or low-vision students using our ATL services.

Personalized Learning Resources: I'm excited to explore using AI to personalize learning resources for students with disabilities or specific needs. By incorporating details from student accessibility plans into the prompts, I can generate tailored materials like adapted assignments or alternative testing formats. This personalized approach can empower students with disabilities to participate fully in the course and achieve their learning goals.

These techniques will save me time and allow me to focus on more complex aspects of the course's disability implementation requirements. Furthermore, using clear language and multiple formats will ensure that all students have equal access to all educational materials.

Evidence of Instructional Change

evidence of instructional change
Image 1 Alt text added to this image as showing a table and formulas that has been given to ATL and we need to convert them to work and making it accessible for screen readers.	Image 2 Alt text added to this image as showing the options of MathPix AI in converting documents included PDF, Notes, Snips.	Image 3 Alt text added to show the outcomes of using AI in creating alternate format of a given picture. In this section all table and formulas in the picture converted to tables and formulas that are accessible by screen readers.

Practice and Reflect Teaching and Learning with AI:

The AI ACUE course has significantly influenced how I approach assistive technology in the ATL. While I don’t teach in a traditional sense, I focus on making educational resources accessible to students of all abilities. This training has highlighted how AI can streamline accessibility tasks and improve the learning experience for students who rely on assistive technology, offering them greater independence and confidence in navigating academic material. At the same time, implementing AI has posed some challenges in ensuring that the tools meet accessibility standards and work seamlessly with screen readers and other adaptive technologies.

One of the greatest benefits of AI in my work is the increased efficiency in document conversion. Previously, manually converting complex documents—especially those with intricate layouts or mathematical formulas—was a time-intensive process. With AI tools like MathPix, I can now convert images containing text or mathematical content into Word documents that are compatible with screen readers. This not only saves time but ensures that students have more immediate access to materials they need in an accessible format. MathPix, for instance, has been instrumental in allowing me to convert images of text into structured documents that screen readers can interpret, greatly benefiting students who rely on auditory learning tools.

However, AI integration has brought its own challenges. One notable difficulty is ensuring that AI-converted materials meet the strict accessibility standards required for compatibility with screen readers and other adaptive technologies. While tools like MathPix are powerful, they occasionally miss elements like alt text for images or specific formatting that screen readers require to function smoothly. To address this, I double-check AI-generated documents to ensure they meet accessibility standards, adding any necessary formatting adjustments manually.

An example of AI’s impact on my work is the use of MathPix to convert mathematical images into accessible Word documents. This tool has allowed me to assist students with complex materials that would otherwise require lengthy manual conversion. With MathPix, students receive their materials faster, and the documents are more consistent in quality and readability. This has empowered students to engage with their coursework more independently, which is a key goal of assistive technology support.

In conclusion, the ACUE course has encouraged me to think creatively about using AI to improve document accessibility for students. While there are challenges in ensuring that AI tools meet the necessary standards for compatibility and usability, the benefits—particularly in efficiency and user empowerment—make AI an invaluable addition to my work in the ATL. This ongoing journey with AI is an exciting one, and I look forward to exploring new ways it can support students with diverse accessibility needs.

Course Syllabus I don't teach; that's why I don't have a syllabus. I work at Assistive Technology Lab

Course Syllabus and Schedule: In this section you will upload and create a link to a syllabus that reflects the impact of this Faculty Learning Community. ctl@csus.edu.

Staff Bio

Arash Borhany holds the position of Assistive Technology Analyst at California State University, Sacramento. In this role, he manages the Assistive Technology Lab and Disability Culture Center, including the Sensory room users and activities. In this role, he is responsible for and supervises the daily activities at the lab for all assistive technology tools/software and training needs, such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text platforms, license allocations, alternate formats, document conversion, etc. In addition, he is responsible for coordinating with the Department of Rehab representatives housed at ATL and serving Sac State students and staff members. During the last seven years, Arash held multiple positions at Sac State. Before the ATL position, Arash was the TRiO Coordinator assisting the department in running SSS TRiO federal program.

Staff bio
	Arash Borhany holds the position of Assistive Technology Analyst at California State University, Sacramento. In this role, he manages the Assistive Technology Lab and Disability Culture Center, including the Sensory room users and activities. In this role, he is responsible for and supervises the daily activities at the lab for all assistive technology tools/software and training needs, such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text platforms, license allocations, alternate formats, document conversion, etc. In addition, he is responsible for coordinating with the Department of Rehab representatives housed at ATL and serving Sac State students and staff members. During the last seven years, Arash held multiple positions at Sac State. Before the ATL position, Arash was the TRiO Coordinator assisting the department in running SSS TRiO federal program.

Funding
	This work was supported by: US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project TECH4Equity US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project STEM4Equity P031C210012 *Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the US Department of Education.

ONE MORE THING! Please check the Accessibility Score in each image and if the image/link has a green Accessibility Score icon , you are all set! If not, and it is red or orange, go back and click on each image, then click on the "image options" box that appears just above the image. The side panel will open and you can provide a brief but accurate description of the image in the Alt field as this will make this an accessible page. (Delete all the red text instructions after you are done.)