Exploring Design, Technology, and AI Intervention for Dyslexic Learners
Updated: Jan 24
January 24, 2026
This week marks my exploration through my doctoral journey in instructional design, merging my passion for education, technology, and inclusive learning. With a background in instructional design and assistive technology, I've witnessed how thoughtfully crafted tools can transform learning experiences, especially for students with diverse thinking styles. Dyslexia has always intrigued me as it challenges conventional literacy systems and demands innovative, human-centered learning designs. My granddaughter's diagnosis of dyslexia in first grade has fueled my commitment to explore how technology, including AI, can revolutionize her learning experience.
Experimenting with Design Tools
To begin exploring the virtual design studio environment, I experimented with Prezi and Claude AI. I found that Prezi’s dynamic presentation features, such as zooming pathways and embedded multimedia, offer powerful ways to integrate audio explanations and videos, creating a multisensory learning experience that reduces the strain of reading.
Exploring Claude AI allowed me to brainstorm and generate design ideas. Claude’s ability to analyze and clarify learning objectives provided a valuable cognitive partner in the design process, an example of how AI can amplify creativity rather than replace it.
This exercise helped me reflect on Moggridge’s (2007) reminder that “design education relies on a project-based approach of ‘learning by doing." As I navigated Prezi’s design environment and collaborated with Claude AI to develop prototype content, I experienced learning as an active process of discovery, where design constraints and technological functional capabilities shaped my understanding. Reflecting on Moggridge's (2007) statement, "designers are both enabled and controlled by the constraints that they learn about and come to understand," highlights the dual role of constraints in design. I realized that to design effectively for dyslexic learners, I must first understand the contextual and cognitive constraints they encounter while reading or processing text.
Integrating Creative Confidence and Human-Centered Design
Kelley and Kelley (2013) emphasize that “a creative mindset can be a powerful force for looking beyond the status quo." This perspective resonates deeply with me as I consider how AI tools can be reframed, not as replacements for human teaching, but as empathetic companions that enable personalized, confidence-building learning paths. Like Doug’s MRI redesign for children, where “by thinking holistically about how children experienced and interacted with the technology, Doug helped transform the MRI suite into a kid’s adventure story” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013), I want to explore how digital reading interventions might reframe dyslexia support into empowering digital narratives.
A core inspiration from the Kelleys’ work is the idea of human factors, that effective design “is about deeply understanding human needs … motivations and core beliefs” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013). Translating this to the domain of AI for dyslexia means designing with, not just for, dyslexic learners. It means co-creating tools that recognize their cognitive diversity and celebrate their unique problem-solving strengths.
Growth, Mindset, and Future Direction
Perhaps the most powerful quote for me this week was: “One prerequisite for achieving creative confidence is the belief that your innovation skills and capabilities are not set in stone” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013). Developing interventions for diverse learners demands exactly this growth mindset, to continuously learn from users and refine design solutions. As Moggridge (2007) points out, “design problems are changing all the time," reminding us that innovation in educational technology is a moving target that requires ongoing curiosity and adaptation.
This initial dive into Prezi, Claude AI, and the foundational theories of design has reinforced that inclusive technology design isn’t just technical, but it’s profoundly human. Going forward, I plan to explore how various AI platforms can analyze individualized reading patterns to generate adaptive responses that nurture both skill development and learner confidence. In essence, I’m not just designing tools for dyslexic students. I’m co-designing possibilities for growth.
References
Kelley, T., & Kelley, D. (2013). Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential
Within Us All. New York, NY: Currency.
Moggridge, B. (2007). Designing Interactions (pp. 641–681). Cambridge, MA: MIT
Press.
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