Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools

University at Buffalo's new National Artificial Intelligence Institute for Exceptional Education

June 02, 2023 Brian Graham Season 1 Episode 35
Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools
University at Buffalo's new National Artificial Intelligence Institute for Exceptional Education
Show Notes Chapter Markers

In this episode, we interviewed the leadership team of the new National Artificial Intelligence Institute for Exceptional Education right here at the University at Buffalo. 

Joining the podcast from UB were: Dr. Venu Govindaraju - Institute Director,  Dr. JinJun Xiong - Co-Director, and Scientific Director of the institute, and Dr. Ranga Setlur - Institute Managing Director.   

The University at Buffalo won a 20 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences with the intent to close the gap between the number of children in the United States needing Speech Language services (3.4 million) and the number of Speech Language Pathologists (SLP's)  (60,000) available to treat the needs.

Towards this end, the Institute proposes to develop two novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions:

      (1) the AI Screener to enable universal early screening for all children, and
      (2) the AI Orchestrator to work with SLPs and other teachers to provide individualized interventions for children with their formal Individualized Education Program (IEP).

 In developing these solutions, the Institute will advance foundational AI technologies, enhance their understanding of children’s speech and language development, serve as a nexus point for all special education stakeholders, and represent a fundamental paradigm shift in how Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) serve children in need of ability-based speech and language services.  Furthermore, the institute would like to focus their work with children starting at the age of 3 and as old as 10.

  For more information visit his website at:
https://www.buffalo.edu/ai4exceptionaled.html

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Introductions
Leadership Team
What is the AI Institute?
National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences
AI Screener and AI Orchestrator
Partners
Final Thoughts