Cognitive Offloading in the Age of Generative AI: What Does It Mean for Students With Learning Disabilities?
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| Title: | Cognitive Offloading in the Age of Generative AI: What Does It Mean for Students With Learning Disabilities? |
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| Authors: | Seung, Yerin (AUTHOR), Basham, James D. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Learning Disability Quarterly. Aug2026, Vol. 49 Issue 3, p121-133. 13p. |
| Subjects: | Generative artificial intelligence, Reading, Automatic speech recognition, Graphic arts, Self-efficacy, Executive function, Students with disabilities, Educational technology, Self-control, Decision making, Motivation (Psychology), Academic achievement, Short-term memory, Computer assisted instruction, Machine learning, Special education, Social support, Psychosocial factors, Learning disabilities, Cognition, Written communication |
| Abstract: | The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has introduced new opportunities to support students with learning disabilities (SWLDs) in educational settings. While interest in AI integration in classrooms continues to grow among educators and researchers, concerns persist regarding the potential to bypass essential cognitive processes and undermine learning when students are overreliant on GenAI. This conceptual review examines these tensions through the lens of cognitive offloading, the delegation of cognitive tasks to external tools. It synthesizes research on the cognitive challenges experienced by SWLDs, the benefits of GenAI as a compensatory aid, the risks of excessive cognitive offloading, and the cognitive and motivational factors that shape students' offloading decisions, culminating in an initial conceptual model. The review concludes with implications for future research and practice to support strategic cognitive offloading, highlighting the need to investigate how SWLDs make offloading decisions and how these decisions influence learning in GenAI-supported contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Learning Disability Quarterly is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has introduced new opportunities to support students with learning disabilities (SWLDs) in educational settings. While interest in AI integration in classrooms continues to grow among educators and researchers, concerns persist regarding the potential to bypass essential cognitive processes and undermine learning when students are overreliant on GenAI. This conceptual review examines these tensions through the lens of cognitive offloading, the delegation of cognitive tasks to external tools. It synthesizes research on the cognitive challenges experienced by SWLDs, the benefits of GenAI as a compensatory aid, the risks of excessive cognitive offloading, and the cognitive and motivational factors that shape students' offloading decisions, culminating in an initial conceptual model. The review concludes with implications for future research and practice to support strategic cognitive offloading, highlighting the need to investigate how SWLDs make offloading decisions and how these decisions influence learning in GenAI-supported contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 07319487 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/07319487261439132 |
