Climate Literacy in Education

Expanding Access and Agency in Special Education

A Reflective Analysis

Kari Matthies

Keywords: climate literacy, sustainability, environmental impact, environmental responsibility, environmental awareness, responsible digital citizenship, energy use, water use, data centers, resource use, thoughtful technology use, purposeful AI use, sustainable use of digital tools, Artificial Intelligence, technology’s role in the world, student responsibility, climate‑related decision‑making.

Abstract

Special Education teachers consistently balance high academic expectations with the responsibility to remove barriers that limit students’ access to grade‑level content. Students are also entitled to full participation in rigorous curriculum. This article details my work over the past two years to integrate Gemini, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tool, into my instructional practice. This reflection examines how intentional, teacher‑guided AI use can strengthen independence, agency, and inclusion while supporting culturally responsive practice and democratic participation. In doing so, I argue that supporting my students’ participation with AI is an ethical use of environmental resources.