Applying artificial intelligence in career education for students with intellectual disabilities: The effects on career self-efficacy and learning flow

Career education for students with disabilities during their transition to adulthood is of utmost importance for their career planning and preparation. To implement effective career education for students with disabilities, it is necessary to use technology that provides new learning experiences. This study investigates the impact of an artificial intelligence-based career education program on the career self-efficacy and learning flow of 20 students with intellectual disabilities in a high school. Following the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model, the program was conducted over 6 weeks with 12 sessions, utilizing a pre-post single-group design. The results demonstrate significant improvements in career self-efficacy and learning flow among students with intellectual disabilities in the experimental group. These findings underscore the effectiveness of the artificial intelligence-enabled program in promoting active learning, fostering self-understanding, facilitating career exploration, and enabling effective career path planning for these students. Based on these results, the study presents discussions and recommendations for the development and implementation of artificial intelligence-based career education programs for students with intellectual disabilities.