Using AI as assistive technology

What is assistive technology

Assistive technology is any product or system that supports a disabled person to do something that otherwise might be difficult or impossible. Anyone/everyone can use some form of assistive technology, however, it is essential for some people. 

The use of assistive technology can be for a wide variety of reasons and purposes. Some common areas identified by students in higher education include:

• Assisting in understanding assignment briefs and rubrics, particularly in identifying expectations and interpreting hints or prompts
• Overcoming mental blocks, for example, translating thoughts into written words, or when experiencing brain fog and mind blanks
• To support with the reading and proofreading/editing stages
• Structuring writing, such as organising sentences and paragraphs effectively
• Finding an appropriate tone of voice and writing style
• Assisting with time management

In most cases, assistive technology that disabled students will have access to for their studies will have been provided to them via individuals Disabled Students' Allowances award

Despite the potential benefits of using assistive technology, some students are concerned about its use, particularly where Generative AI (GenAI) is involved. For some tools, it may not even be obvious that they include GenAI powered features. It is important to note that the use of assistive technology, including GenAI, is not academic misconduct in and of itself. It is about how it has been used, whether there are any specific instructions that it should not be used (e.g. in an assessment brief), and whether its use is declared appropriately (e.g. using the Acknowledge, Evidence, Describe coversheet). 

Guidance for using AI as assistive technology

The University is committed to supporting students in using necessary assistive technology for their studies. However, for reasons of academic validity and integrity, the use of all AI-enabled tools for assessment is subject to the specific rules set out in the individual module or assessment brief. Always read this before using any GenAI tools. 

The guidance below applies to all students, including those using assistive technology tools (such as grammar checkers or translation tools) funded via Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA).

We encourage you to use AI tools and assistive technology in ways that support your learning while meeting the requirements of the assessment as set out by your School.

Key Checkpoints for Assistive AI Use

To avoid accidental academic misconduct, please be mindful of the evolving capabilities of your approved / recommended tools:

• Feature Creep: Many assistive tools (e.g., Grammarly, language translators) are rapidly being updated to include Generative AI features (e.g., summarising, generating whole paragraphs, or advanced structural advice). Functionality that goes beyond basic spelling, grammar correction, or simple translation may put you at risk of academic misconduct and go against the assessment brief.
• Always Defer to the Brief: the specific instructions in the assessment brief are the initial authority. For example, if the brief states you can only use a tool for 'basic grammar and spelling checks', you must avoid using any generative, paraphrasing, or advanced content-creation features offered by that tool. If you are uncertain, discuss any questions with your module tutor. 
• Check Your Output: You must be able to confidently explain and defend all content and ideas submitted as your own original work. If the assistive tool produces phrasing, analysis, or content that you cannot fully attribute to your own knowledge and effort, its use may be considered inappropriate and could lead to an academic misconduct investigation. It is important to fact-check information in AI outputs using reliable sources.
• Acknowledge, Describe, Evidence: You must disclose how you have used Generative AI in your assessment using the template or process provided by your School. You may be asked to use the University’s ADE template, or to follow a School-specific process.
• Seek Clarification: If you are unsure whether a specific feature of your assistive tool is permissible for a given assessment, or how to declare this, you must seek clarification from your Module Leader before the submission deadline.

Top Tips

To help you plan for getting the most from the use of GenAI as assistive technology, consider the following top tips:

• Always read the assessment brief first, before using any GenAI tool
• Speak to your module tutor or other staff in your school if you are uncertain what you can and cannot use GenAI for
• Do make use of GenAI as assistive technology where it is appropriate to do so 
• Don’t use GenAI without acknowledging this in line with the processes in your programme or School
• Avoid using GenAI to rewrite significant sections of your work, for example full paragraphs. If using tools to help you to format and structure your work, or to make recommendations for changing phrases or individual sentences, it is important to ensure that it doesn’t start to reword or rewrite your text in a way that starts to change the meaning 
• You shouldn’t copy and paste anything from GenAI tools directly into your work. This could leave you at significant risk of academic misconduct 
• Never input any personal data into an AI tool. This includes things like name, age, address, or other personal or sensitive information - anything that could be used to identify someone. This includes information about you and other people. It is important to keep data security and ownership in mind when using AI.

You can find further resources and guidance on using GenAI in the StudySkills@Sheffield GenAI hub. 

Next steps

• How to use GenAI for assessment
• How to use GenAI for productivity
• How to use GenAI for essays and reports

Further Resources

• Disability and Dyslexia Support Service