are required at every stage. Promoting independence means prioritizing tools and strategies that reduce reliance on adult prompting and encourage students to take ownership of their ideas. At the same time, it is essential to validate alternative methods of writing. Composing with AAC, AI tools, or predictive text is no less legitimate than writing with a pencil or typing on a keyboard. Just as we accept spelling support for students with dyslexia or speech-to-text tools for those with fine motor challenges, we must understand and embrace the use of AI even those included in AAC systems not as a shortcut, but as a necessary scaffold that enables equitable participation in the writing process. When thoughtfully integrated into instruction, they can promote independence rather than diminish it or have an over reliance of a student's co-constructed support by a staff member.
AAC users may rely on partners to help generate language or navigate a device, or now, increasingly, use AI tools to support idea generation, vocabulary, and sentence structure. This isn’t cheating, it’s access. Their non-disabled peers also get support when they brainstorm with friends, use grammar checkers, ask for teacher feedback, or revise with the help of a rubric. These supports are part of good writing instruction. For students who use AAC, AI-enhanced co-authorship is simply a necessary scaffold to make participation in writing possible. Implementing the use of an AT tool such as AI can reduce cognitive and motor load, prompt metacognitive reflection, and, critically, offer content-area information to support students in making informed choices as they write. This aligns with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principle of providing multiple means of representation and expression, helping students access and engage with rigorous content in diverse ways (CAST, 2024). Fears of authorship from both AAC users, teachers and parents are valid concerns. However, we are not suggesting AI replace the writer, AI-enhanced co-authorship allows students to focus on idea development, sentence construction, and authorship, what writing instruction is truly about. Ultimately, the goal is not to reduce expectations, but to reimagine support structures so that every student can participate in authentic writing experiences. When used with intentionality, AI becomes not a shortcut, but a scaffold for equity, allowing students to engage in the writing process with agency. CONCLUSION Writing goes beyond transcription—whether through handwriting, typing, or dictation. It is the creation of meaning, a form of communication, and a vital avenue for academic participation and self-expression. Every student—regardless of their access needs—has the right to actively participate in learning how to construct written expression, as affirmed by the Communication Bill of Rights. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has reignited debates about academic integrity and authorship particularly for students with disabilities who need or use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). While tools such as ChatGPT and AI- supported AAC systems are often labeled as "cheating," this perspective overlooks a long history of resistance to educational innovation for students with disabilities. When the first reaction to a new tool is “No,” educators must pause and ask: Why not? If the objection is rooted in fear, unfamiliarity, or nostalgia for “how we’ve always done it,” then it may be time to challenge those assumptions. For students who use AAC, especially those who encounter barriers to their learning, AI may be the bridge to meaningful, co-constructed writing. That’s not cheating, that’s access. We will continue this conversation in the next issue where we will dive deeper into the idea of co-authorship and how AI as an
WORKING TOWARD INCLUSIVE WRITING INSTRUCTION
To support equitable access to writing for students who use AAC, we need to rethink what counts as "help" and recognize that writing is often a co-authored process, for all students.
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