
The University of Kansas and the University of Central Florida have been awarded $3.5 million to expand the Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL) into a national center. This expansion aims to enhance faculty capacity in utilizing AI and emerging technologies within special education programs.
Background on CIDDL
CIDDL was founded in 2020 with the goal of providing technical assistance, professional learning, and collaboration opportunities to educators. The center focuses on strengthening technology integration in educational programs.
AI in education is on the rise! The University of Kansas and UCF just secured $3.5M to expand their CIDDL Center, focusing on AI integration in special education.
Impact of the Expansion
The new funding will enable CIDDL to serve as the National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education Personnel and Leadership Preparation Programs. This expansion is expected to have a significant impact on the education sector by preparing future educators to effectively utilize AI and other innovative technologies.
The integration of AI in education has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn. This funding will enable us to take a significant leap forward in preparing educators for this new landscape.
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Partnerships and Collaborations
The University of Kansas is partnering with the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute at the University of Central Florida to lead CIDDL. Additionally, the center will collaborate with the Institute for Information Sciences at KU to ensure leadership in both education and computer science backgrounds.
Key takeaways
- Key Funding: $3.5 million
- Center Expansion: National Center for AI in Education
- Partnership: University of Kansas and University of Central Florida
Future Outlook
The expansion of CIDDL is anticipated to address real-world problems such as ensuring safety in AI systems used in education. The center will create a network of administrators, teachers, and researchers who are at the forefront of technological developments and their applications in education.
As the education sector continues to evolve, the expansion of CIDDL represents a significant step forward in preparing educators to leverage AI and emerging technologies. By empowering faculty and future educators, this initiative has the potential to transform the learning experience for students across the country.
For more information on how AI is revolutionizing education, visit our Learning Success website.
See what All Access gives your childIs your child struggling in school?
Get your free personalized learning roadmap
You describe what you see at home. We turn it into a plan you start this week.
- Answer 5 short questionnaires about what you already notice, 30–45 minutes at your own kitchen table
- Your child sits no test and gets no score: nothing to schedule, nothing for them to dread
- You do the answering, the AI does the writing, and a person reviews it before it reaches you
- Access all 40+ courses instantly: reading, math, focus, processing and more, with new ones added regularly
Why we use AI, plainly: it writes from a knowledge base our team maintains and audits. We work through it line by line and pull anything the evidence stops supporting. The roadmap you get on Tuesday reflects what we corrected on Monday, and a human still reads it before you do.
Your school district must evaluate your child free of charge if you ask in writing, whatever your income and whatever the outcome (US, 34 CFR 300.111 and 300.301(b)). That route takes time and answers a different question than you do. This one starts today, from what you already know.
Your answers stay yours. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not hand identifiable assessment data to outside AI companies to train their models.
A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.



