Muntinlupa Teachers Explore AI to Make Classrooms More Accessible

An accessibility workshop puts students’ communication and learning needs at the center of technology use.

For a nonverbal student, another way to express a need can make a difference in classroom participation. For a learner who is deaf or hard of hearing, captions can offer an additional way to follow a conversation.

These everyday situations shaped an “AI for Accessibility” workshop for Special Needs Education and general education teachers in Muntinlupa, held under PLDT and Smart’s #KonektedforInclusion program.

Conducted with ATRIEV, in partnership with The Birthright Educators Foundation Inc., the training introduced AI and assistive technology tools that participants could explore for their students, lessons and communication with families.

“Technology becomes more meaningful when it responds to real needs,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Engagement at PLDT and Smart.

Finding another way for students to communicate

For Mary Ann Dalo, a Special Needs Education teacher, the workshop connected directly with a challenge in her classroom.

“I have a student who is nonverbal and has difficulty communicating,” she said. “Speech Assistant could give that student another way to express themselves.”

Dalo also identified potential uses for Live Transcribe, which the release describes as converting speech into text in real time. She saw it as an additional support for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, particularly during interactions with people who may not know sign language.

The workshop introduced applications including Seeing AI, Speech Assistant AAC and Avaz AAC, encouraging teachers to consider which tools could respond to specific barriers their students encounter.

Making lessons easier to prepare and use

The discussions extended beyond communication support.

Preschool teacher Danielle Abrasaldo saw opportunities to create visual learning materials for young children. She also noted that reusable templates could help teachers avoid repeatedly drawing and photocopying the same materials.

For Jb Alexis Alambro, who works in early childhood education in Muntinlupa, NotebookLM offered possibilities for preparing visual materials. Alambro also considered using real-time captions during meetings with parents and families.

These examples connect accessibility with routine teaching work: preparing a lesson, explaining an activity or making a meeting easier to follow.

Including parents and fellow educators

Zenith Gofredo, from the DepEd Inclusive Learning Resource Center in Muntinlupa, said the workshop broadened her understanding of who could benefit from accessible technology.

“One of the things I learned is that AI is not only for people who are blind. It can also help anyone who is struggling and needs additional support,” she said.

Gofredo plans to share what she learned with fellow teachers and emphasized involving parents in the conversation.

Meanwhile, Kimberly Raye Fernandez of The Birthright Educators Foundation Inc. expressed interest in exploring Seeing AI further and introducing accessibility tools to students. Her aim includes helping learners understand how technology might support their classmates.

Testing tools before bringing them into lessons

Participants recognized that teachers need to understand the applications before introducing them in school. Their next steps include testing tools, identifying those relevant to their students and sharing their experiences with educators and parents.

The release describes these plans and potential uses; it does not report measured changes in student learning or participation.

The workshop’s practical lesson is to begin with the learner’s needs. A useful tool is one that helps address an actual barrier—and that teachers understand well enough to use thoughtfully.