NEWS
Academics Trained on Assistive Technologies and AI for Inclusive Education
The University of Bahrain held a workshop for academics on Thursday, 1 October 2026, titled “From Accessibility to Empowerment: Assistive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Inclusive Education.” The workshop was part of the training program to support students with disabilities and special needs, and was organized by the Unit for Teaching Excellence and Leadership (UTEL) at the University.
The workshop aimed to strengthen faculty members’ ability to use assistive technologies and AI applications to support inclusive education. It also sought to foster a flexible learning environment that responds to the diverse needs of students and helps remove barriers to accessing course content and taking part in academic activities.
Key themes included the main assistive technologies for students with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments and learning difficulties; AI applications that make learning easier and tailor course content to students’ varying needs; and the principles of digital accessibility and Universal Design for Learning.
Participants explored digital tools and technologies through hands-on, interactive sessions. These included Blackboard Ally, which improves access to course content and makes it available in multiple formats, as well as speech-to-text applications, translation tools, and other tools that support students’ independence and empower them to learn.
Practical activities and interactive discussions allowed participants to analyze real-world teaching challenges and propose solutions and adjustments that could be applied in their own courses, enhancing learning and participation opportunities for all students.
The workshop emphasized the importance of moving beyond making educational content accessible to genuinely empowering students, by giving them a range of learning options and tools suited to their needs and abilities, and contributing to a more inclusive and equitable university education.
Dr. Amal Mohammed Al Rayes, Director of UTEL at the University of Bahrain, and Dr. Raed Ebrahim Al Jowder, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the College of Engineering, co-led the workshop.
