Integrating artificial intelligence in supporting students with disabilities in higher education: An integrative review

Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly enhance accessibility, inclusivity, and academic performance for students with disabilities. This review investigates how AI-driven assistive technologies can support students with disabilities in higher education. Using an integrative review methodology, this study synthesizes peer-reviewed research published between 2020 and 2024 to assess the impact of AI-powered assistive technologies on the academic performance, engagement, and accessibility of students with disabilities in higher education. Thematic synthesis was used to categorize and analyze the data from 27 papers, identifying five major themes: personalized learning, the benefits of AI-driven assistive technology, adoption challenges, institutional barriers, and best practices for AI implementation. The analysis identifies gaps in the current research, including the insufficient evaluation of underrepresented disabilities and the ethical considerations regarding AI usage.