Karen Gage provided an in-depth presentation on leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence to assist parents of children with special needs. Sharing her background as a parent of a child with learning disabilities and ADHD, and her experience in education technology, she highlighted the challenges parents face in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process. Gage noted that parents are often unprepared for the complexities involved, stating, “you go in as not an expert about education about special education about how any of this works.” She emphasized the lack of access to other children’s IEPs, which leaves parents uncertain about what can be requested or expected for their child.

Gage introduced a digital solution aimed at addressing these issues—a “virtual or digital IEP assistant.” This tool is designed to streamline the process of advocating for children with special needs. The advocacy toolkit includes two initial tools: a chatbot that answers questions about parental rights and Massachusetts special education procedures, and an automated IEP binder to help parents organize their child’s documents. The chatbot is equipped to handle specific legal terminology, procedural questions, and general inquiries about services and accommodations, while the automated IEP binder helps parents manage their documents by pulling information from their Gmail accounts.

The binder automatically categorizes and organizes communications and documents received from educators and specialists, creating a timeline of the child’s educational journey. This system alleviates the burden of manually organizing papers and facilitates collaboration with professional advocates by allowing for a more efficient records review process. The tool’s accuracy in document categorization was a point of discussion, with inquiries about potential errors and the utility of technology in improving communication and advocacy for children with special needs.

The meeting also delved into the chatbot’s capabilities, including its ability to communicate in different languages, such as Spanish, making it accessible for non-native English speakers. A new IEP form was being rolled out in schools, and the commission had developed a tool to help parents transition to this new format. This tool allows parents to transform their current IEP into the new format, facilitating better understanding and preparation for upcoming meetings.

Participants raised concerns about incorporating federal regulations into the new IEP tool, emphasizing that many aspects of IEPs are based on federal law rather than state law. A personal experience was recounted where a family had to take legal action because their child’s needs were not met by the school district. Including information about federal regulations within the tool could help families avoid misinformation about available or required services. The tool was clarified to be in a trial phase with ongoing free access for parents, with a fee structure anticipated to be implemented in the future.

Technical support options were discussed, with email support and a feedback mechanism within the application for reporting problems or suggesting improvements. Outreach strategies to promote the tool were also considered, including contacting local organizations involved in disability advocacy and potential media coverage.

Attention then shifted to updates from previous meetings and upcoming events, such as a representative from the Universal Access Group discussing their initiatives. The All Abilities Day event at Riv Beach on August 17th was highlighted, with participants expressing gratitude for the accessible wheelchairs that allowed them to enter the water. The event’s success, despite lower attendance, was seen as a foundation for future growth. The need for additional accessible equipment at local beaches was emphasized, along with effective publicizing of these resources through signage, local media, and transportation systems like the MBTA.

The commission also discussed legislative updates, including the “Save the Harbor” initiative and the long-term care bill awaiting the governor’s signature. Concerns regarding unauthorized parking in designated handicap spots on private properties were raised, focusing on the role of local law enforcement in addressing these issues.