Morgan County workshop will teach educators to use AI tools

Chapter 99 of the Council for Exceptional Children will host a Zoom workshop titled "Using AI to Assist Educators and Support Learners" on Jan. 27. The session, led by Shannon Smith, lead technologist for the Specific Learning Disabilities - SLD - Project, is aimed at educators, paraprofessionals, parents, retired teachers and students who work with or support learners with disabilities.

The workshop will focus on practical ways AI tools can assist instruction and learning supports for students with disabilities. Registration is free for council members and specified groups, while non-members pay a $15 fee. Teachers who register using their Illinois Educator Identification Number will be eligible to receive professional development credit, a key consideration for local educators tracking annual renewal requirements.

For Morgan County classrooms, the session represents a low-cost, scalable opportunity to add AI-assisted approaches to individualized instruction. Smaller districts and rural schools often face tight professional development budgets and staffing constraints; a $15 entry fee for non-members keeps access affordable while the virtual format reduces travel and substitute-teacher costs. Paraprofessionals and parents who attend can learn techniques to reinforce classroom strategies at home or during small-group instruction.

The workshop's emphasis on students with specific learning disabilities addresses a pressing local need. Educators in the county increasingly manage diverse classroom profiles, and practical tools that streamline differentiation can affect daily workloads and student outcomes. While the session centers on how AI can assist teaching and supports, educators should weigh classroom fit, accessibility, and data-privacy considerations when adopting new technologies.

Beyond immediate classroom application, the session ties into broader trends in education technology. School districts are experimenting with generative and adaptive tools to personalize instruction, and professional development that pairs technical know-how with special-education strategies can accelerate responsible adoption. For Morgan County districts, training that offers PD credit is also a cost-effective way to meet credentialing obligations while introducing new instructional methods.

Registration details, audience eligibility and the process for claiming Illinois professional development credit are available through the council's event sign-up. For local educators and families, the Jan. 27 workshop is a practical next step: it offers hands-on approaches to using AI tools today and helps prepare classrooms for the continuing integration of technology into special-education supports.