Beginnings: Preparing Autistic Students for the AI Workforce

该项目旨在通过接触自闭症STEM社区大学生等尚未开发的人群，解决人工智能（AI）新兴技术人才短缺的问题，为国家利益服务。自闭症患者通常对STEM表现出强烈的亲和力；然而，由于社会耻辱和歧视，他们的失业率高达80%。卡内基梅隆大学和宾夕法尼亚州立大学已经组建了一个专家团队，开发创新的教学材料和可扩展的工具，通过“边做边学”的体验来教授人工智能技术技能，通过以人工智能为重点的基于项目的学习来教授关键的团队协作和沟通技巧，并帮助自闭症社区大学生获得以人工智能为重点的暑期实习机会，增加他们进入人工智能职业的机会。该项目将采用基于优势的方法，提供策略和支持，使自闭症患者能够自信地、有能力地、以积极的自我意识参与到工作场所复杂而充满挑战的社会环境中。该项目的教学创新包括人为因素和用户界面设计，以支持人工智能主题专家、导师和教师学习教授自闭症学生。自闭症方面的特殊教育专家擅长教授沟通、社交和团队技能，他们将在项目导师的日常学习经验中为他们提供支持。在线培训将被用于接触更多的自闭症学生，并将在线课程材料提供给社区大学教师，以便在他们自己的学校开设这门课程。该项目不仅将通过为自闭症学生建立专门从事人工智能职业的创新途径来解决就业缺口，更重要的是，揭穿有害的刻板印象，改变影响他们就业的排他规范。该项目与由NSF TIP和EDU董事会资助的NSF ExLENT计划保持一致，因为它旨在为来自不同专业和教育背景的个人提供体验式学习机会，以增加他们对新兴技术领域职业道路的兴趣和机会。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The project aims to serve the national interest by addressing the shortage of talent in the emerging technology of artificial intelligence (AI) through reaching out to untapped populations, such as autistic STEM community college students. Autistic people often demonstrate a strong affinity for STEM; however, they suffer from an 80% unemployment rate due to social stigma and discrimination. Carnegie-Mellon University and Pennsylvania State University at University Park has assembled a team of experts to develop innovative pedagogical materials and scalable tools to teach AI technical skills through a "learning-by-doing" experience, teach crucial team collaboration and communication skills through AI-focused project-based learning, and facilitate autistic community college students to obtain AI-focused summer internships and increase their access to AI careers.The program will use a strengths-based approach to provide strategies and supports that allow individuals with autism to engage confidently, competently, and with a positive sense of self when navigating the complex and challenging social environment of the workplace. The project’s pedagogical innovations include the human factors and user interface design to support AI subject-matter experts, mentors, and teachers learning to teach autistic students. Special education experts in autism who specialize in teaching communication, social, and teaming skills will support project mentors in their day-to-day learning experiences. Online training will be employed to reach more autistic students and also make the online course materials available to community college teachers to offer this course at their own schools. This project will not only address the employment gap by establishing innovative pathways for autistic students to specialize in AI careers, but more importantly, debunk the harmful stereotypes and change the exclusionary norms that impact their employment. This project aligns with the NSF ExLENT Program, funded by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, as it seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds to increase their interest in, and their access to, career pathways in emerging technology fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.