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From Practitioner to Professional: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Disability Models
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Education
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1716124
Abstract
The landscape of disability advocacy and policy has evolved considerably over recent decades yet prevailing theoretical frameworks have struggled to adequately address the multi-dimensional, intersectional, and systemic nature of lived disability experiences. The transition from practitioner-level engagement to fully realized professional praxis requires the deliberate integration of innovative conceptual tools, among which artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning represent a transformative frontier. This paper develops a comprehensive theoretical framework for inclusive disability models that centres AI as a structural mechanism for advancing equity, agency, and systemic accessibility. Drawing upon a review of disability studies literature, critical AI ethics scholarship, and human rights jurisprudence, the paper identifies four persistent gaps in existing frameworks: the fragmentation between impairment and societal exclusion, the neglect of strength-based and resilience-centred perspectives, the underrepresentation of intersectional identity, and the failure to engage with technological developments as sites of both risk and possibility. In response, the paper proposes four interrelated theoretical models: the Holistic Inclusion Model 2.0, the Resilience and Potential Model with AI Insights, the Ecosystem Model Enhanced by AI, and the Transformative Justice Model through AI Advocacy. Each model is theoretically grounded and positioned within current scholarly debates. The paper concludes by articulating a research agenda for empirical testing of these frameworks through participatory, community-based methodologies.
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence, Disability Models, Holistic Inclusion, Transformative Justice, Assistive Technology, Resilience, Intersectionality, Human Rights.
References
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[3] Degener, T. (2016). Disability in a human rights context. Laws, 5(3), 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws5030035
[4] El Morr, C., Kundi, B., Mobeen, F., Taleghani, S., El-Lahib, Y., & Gorman, R. (2024). AI and disability: A systematic scoping review. Health Informatics Journal, 30(3), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/14604582241285743
[5] Fernandez-Batanero, J. M., Montenegro-Rueda, M., Fernandez-Cerero, J., & Garcia-Martinez, I. (2022). Assistive technology for the inclusion of students with disabilities: A systematic review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70(5), 1911–1930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10127-7
[6] Newman-Griffis, D., Rauchberg, J. S., Alharbi, R., Hickman, L., & Hochheiser, H. (2023). Definition drives design: Disability models and mechanisms of bias in AI technologies. First Monday, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v28i1.12903
[7] Oliver, M. (2013). The social model of disability: Thirty years on. Disability & Society, 28(7), 1024–1026. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2013.818773
[8] Shakespeare, T. (2006). Disability rights and wrongs. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203640456
[9] Smith, E. M., Graham, D., Morgan, C., & MacLachlan, M. (2023). Artificial intelligence and assistive technology: Risks, rewards, challenges, and opportunities. Assistive Technology, 35(5), 375–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2023.2259247
[10] Zdravkova, K., Krasniqi, V., Dalipi, F., & Ferati, M. (2022). Cutting-edge communication and learning assistive technologies for disabled children: An artificial intelligence perspective. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 5, 970430. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2022
How to cite this paper
@article{1716124,
author = {Dr. Rajpawan, Anuradha Thakur},
title = {From Practitioner to Professional: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Disability Models},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {9},
number = {10},
pages = {1013-1021},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1716124.pdf},
abstract = {The landscape of disability advocacy and policy has evolved considerably over recent decades yet prevailing theoretical frameworks have struggled to adequately address the multi-dimensional, intersectional, and systemic nature of lived disability experiences. The transition from practitioner-level engagement to fully realized professional praxis requires the deliberate integration of innovative conceptual tools, among which artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning represent a transformative frontier. This paper develops a comprehensive theoretical framework for inclusive disability models that centres AI as a structural mechanism for advancing equity, agency, and systemic accessibility. Drawing upon a review of disability studies literature, critical AI ethics scholarship, and human rights jurisprudence, the paper identifies four persistent gaps in existing frameworks: the fragmentation between impairment and societal exclusion, the neglect of strength-based and resilience-centred perspectives, the underrepresentation of intersectional identity, and the failure to engage with technological developments as sites of both risk and possibility. In response, the paper proposes four interrelated theoretical models: the Holistic Inclusion Model 2.0, the Resilience and Potential Model with AI Insights, the Ecosystem Model Enhanced by AI, and the Transformative Justice Model through AI Advocacy. Each model is theoretically grounded and positioned within current scholarly debates. The paper concludes by articulating a research agenda for empirical testing of these frameworks through participatory, community-based methodologies.},
keywords = {Artificial Intelligence, Disability Models, Holistic Inclusion, Transformative Justice, Assistive Technology, Resilience, Intersectionality, Human Rights.},
month = {April},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1716124}
}