Abstract:

Digital transformation has been attributed to advanced Industry 4.0 technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which are disruptive and increasingly embedded in the different aspects of human activities because of its agency to analyze and learn from data towards optimizing task' performance and for making prescriptive informed decisions. In the early adoption of advanced technologies like AI to aid teaching and learning, the demographic of learners living with disabilities such as visual and hearing impairments are rarely included or afterthoughts as the potential end-users in Sub-Saharan Africa’s education sector. The lack of inclusion when designing learning management systems puts this demographic at a disadvantage of being able to access and participate in the education process. Artificial Intelligence as Assistive Technologies have a potential to support inclusion of learners living with disabilities who are left behind in the quest for Quality Education - Sustainable Development Goal 4. The objective of the paper is to identify the factors that should be considered in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an Assistive Technology to improve the experiences and inclusion of physically impaired learners in Sub-Saharan Africa from a unified acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) perspective. The goal of the paper is to highlight the meaningful application of AI in learning activities and to contribute towards the realization of Sustainable Development Goals 4, and partly 8, 9 and 10. The guiding question is: What enabling factors determine the application of Artificial Intelligence as an Assistive Learning Technology towards improving learning experiences of physically impaired learners in Sub-Saharan Africa? A review of scholarly publications between 2018 - 2023 was considered, as this period represents the pre- and post-COVID19 era that accelerated a rapid adoption of learning technologies as a workaround against global lockdown and social distancing measures. A set of inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to examine only eligible scholarly publications. Finds show that AI can be designed for educators to develop pedagogies using audio or visual prompt to facilitate interactions, stimulate engagement and meet the education needs of learners living with physical disabilities in SSA. For AI as an effective Assistive Learning Technology within the context of learners living with disabilities, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, user satisfaction, self-efficacy and gratification are some of the factors that influence the experiences and inclusion of physically impaired learners in Sub-Saharan Africa to participate and benefit from the education process. The contribution of the paper is that AI as an Assistive Learning Technology would enhance human-machine interaction through inclusion, access and participation of physically impaired learners in relevant education towards self-actualization and improved lived realities in SSA. Recommendations are that governments through their Ministries of Education, policymakers and relevant stakeholders need to formulate futuristic policies that will promote investments in, and usage of advanced technologies within the education sector. Empirical studies are required to assess the readiness of educational institutions in SSA to adopt AI, given the sociotechnical peculiarities and its impact on data gathering and digital infrastructure gaps.

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Assistive Technologies, Assistive Learning, Industry 4.0, Sub-Saharan Africa, living with disabilities.