2.3 Access & Accessibility

Access

Any technology presents issues of equitable access related to cost. Even tools that are free often offer a more feature-rich or advanced version at a cost. When allowing or encouraging students to use AI tools, it’s important to be aware that many students may not be able to afford access to certain tools or to premium licenses. When designing assignments or activities, ensure that this won’t unfairly advantage students who are able to access the paid versions of these tools.

Accessibility

Another important consideration when adopting any new tool for teaching is the accessibility of the tool. This means ensuring that every learner is able to access and use the tool.

Basic AODA standards require web-based tools to allow for keyboard navigation and for assistive technology compatibility. A review of the accessibility of AI interfaces conducted by Langara College suggests that many AI tools are not in compliance with AODA requirements or present other accessibility barriers. When evaluating a new technology, like Generative AI, review its documentation for information about built-in accessibility features to ensure that they comply with these basic requirements.

It is important to recognize that even technologies compliant with AODA standards may still present barriers to access for some learners. You may need to provide an alternative tool or an alternate way of completing an activity to ensure all students are able to participate.

For more information, see Western’s Policy on Accessibility and the Accessibility Western site .