Negotiating assistive technologies and AI in inclusive education: professional agency in neurodivergent contexts

Abstract

Introduction – Digital assistive technologies and AI-based systems are increasingly introduced in inclusive classrooms serving students with neurodevelopmental differences. Yet their implementation depends on how teachers interpret, evaluate, and regulate these tools within professional practice. This study examines teachers’ knowledge, perceptions, and professional reasoning regarding traditional assistive technologies and emerging AI-based systems. Methods – A qualitative study was conducted using seven semi-structured focus groups with 46 elementary and middle school teachers (classroom and specialized). Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis using a hybrid inductive-deductive approach, with attention to interactional dynamics. Results – Five interrelated themes emerged. Teachers showed heterogeneous and sometimes ambiguous conceptualizations of assistive and AI-based systems. Traditional tools were largely framed as individualized accommodations, whereas AI-based systems generated uncertainty and negotiation. Adoption was described as conditional upon pedagogical fit, professional control, institutional feasibility, and ethical accountability. Concerns centered on data governance, responsibility for decision-making, and equity risks. Discussion – Implementation operated as a process of conditional integration: technologies gained legitimacy only when aligned with inclusive commitments, professional agency, and governance clarity. Sustainable integration depends less on technological expansion than on teachers’ informed professional judgment.