Project Summary
The AI for Assessment of Functional Limitations in Disability Services for Postsecondary Education Project will research the viability and effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) in assessing disability-related needs.
We will endeavour to develop a prototype system trained by disability experts (including those with lived experience and/or professionals in the field) to a) collect information about self-reported strengths and limitations in functioning; and b) produce recommendations for disability-related supports.
The overall research question is: Can AI successfully assess profiles of strengths and limitations in functioning to recommend meaningful supports in the context of disability services at post-secondary?
Significant ethical considerations must be carefully considered and navigated as part of this project to ensure that it does not trivialize or overgeneralize the complexities of disability-related needs. The proposed model will be co-designed and validated by students with disabilities and relevant experts will help bridge this critical gap in expertise.
This project is made possible with a high degree of interdisciplinary collaboration from various fields and input from persons with disabilities, both among students, expert service providers, and the research team members.
Funding
This project is supported by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF).
Project Team
Vukovic, Boris, Ph.D (PI)
Director, Accessibility Institute, and Adjunct research professor, Industrial Design, Carleton University
Komeili, Majid, Ph.D (Co-PI)
Assistant Professor, School of Computer Science, Carleton University
Aubrecht, Katie Ph.D (Co-ap)
Associate Professor, Sociology, St. Francis Xavier University
Chan, Adrian Ph.D (Co-ap)
Professor, Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University
Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin Ph.D OT Reg. (Ont.) (Co-ap)
Assistant Professor, Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto
Treviranus, Jutta Ph.D (Co-ap)
Professor, Faculty of Design, OCAD University
Collaborators
Connolly, Tara (Collaborator)
Assistant Director, Research & Development, Accessibility Institute, Carleton University
Fraser, Kathleen Ph.D (Collaborator)
Digital Technologies Research Centre, National Research Council Canada
O’Riordan, Darlene (Collaborator)
Learning Strategist/Disabilities Counsellor, Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology
Tanguay, Sonia M.Ed, RP (Collaborator)
Senior Disability Coordinator, Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities, Carleton University
Ethics
This project was reviewed and cleared by the Carleton University Research Ethics Board B, protocol #119314.
Contact
Please direct any inquiries to Project PI, Boris Vukovic and Co-PI, Majid Komeili.