Envisioning Tomorrow for All Learners: AI Revolutionizing Education
Keynote Panel
This engaging keynote panel discussion will demystify the world of AI and showcase its practical applications in special education. Learn about the history of AI, and discover how AI-powered tools are enhancing teaching, learning, and assessment for students with disabilities. Learn about the latest research on AI in special education and hear real-world examples of how AI is transforming classrooms and improving student outcomes. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about the future of AI in special education and how we can harness its power to create more inclusive and effective learning environments.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
James “Jamie” D. Basham, Ph.D.
Dr. Lisa Dieker
Eleazar “Trey” Vasquez III, Ph.D.
About the Speakers
James “Jamie” D. Basham, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. His work is focused on developing future-ready learning environments that are equitable, beneficial, and meaningful for all learners. His research focused on the implementation of UDL, AI, STEM education, learner-centered design, innovation, and technology in human learning. He has received and managed over $27 million in federally and privately funded research and technical assistance projects, including the Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL). He is well-published, has given hundreds of talks, and serves on various national and international boards for journals, companies, and education organizations. Most recently he served on the technical work group for the current U.S. National Educational Technology Plan (NETP).
Dr. Lisa Dieker, is the Williamson Family Distinguished Professor of Special Education in the School of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Kansas (KU). She serves as the Director of a Center in the Assessment and Achievement Institute called FLITE (flexible learning through innovations in teaching and education). Dr. Dieker’s research focuses on harnessing the power of teachers working across disciplines in inclusive settings, with her work focusing on teacher education, special education, and innovative uses of technology. She currently directs a U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Stepping Up grant to create a data tagging tool and to harvest resources to support STEM coaches working with special education teachers. She is also a research co-PI on a project with a public charter school to create an AI agent to support students with disabilities in STEM. She collaboratively created the mixed reality simulator, TeachLivE™, today commercialized by Mursion. She has managed over 60 grants from state, local, national, international, and foundation sources amounting to more than $25 million. She is well-published, has given hundreds of talks, and holds six patents in simulation and education.
Eleazar “Trey” Vasquez III, Ph.D., is Director of the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute and Professor for the Exceptional Education Program in the College of Community Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida. He also holds affiliate faculty status with Lockheed Martin UCF academy, SREAL synthetic reality lab, and the Learning Science Cluster at UCF. He earned his Ph.D. from Utah State University and was a resource math teacher, technology coordinator, and school psychologist prior to becoming a professor. Dr. Vasquez’s research focuses on the evaluation of technology on academic and behavioral outcomes for traditionally marginalized populations with executive functioning deficits. His research has been supported with over $82 million from the National Science Foundation U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and Office of Special Education Programs.
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