BANGKOK, Thailand – The Ministry of Education is exploring cooperation with Meta to expand the use of artificial intelligence and assistive technologies for students with special educational needs. A key proposal involves testing these technologies in specialized schools to assess their effectiveness and suitability before considering wider adoption.
Deputy Education Minister Akaranun Khankittinan met with representatives of Meta Platforms and Facebook Thailand on October 20 to discuss AI literacy, digital education, and online safety. He proposed establishing a pilot program, or Sandbox, in schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), where teachers and students could evaluate AI-powered tools in real educational settings.
During the meeting, Meta presented an AI literacy curriculum developed with Chiang Mai University, covering practical applications and responsible technology use. Representatives also introduced the Digital Citizenship 101 program, which addresses online scams, and demonstrated smart glasses that can describe surroundings, assist with navigation, and translate languages. They also explored how these devices could support students with disabilities.
Akaranun stressed that schools must assess assistive technologies against students’ individual needs before introducing them into classrooms. The ministry plans to hold further discussions with OBEC and other relevant agencies to examine the proposed pilot program. (NNT)
