Why most AI training leaves part of the room behind.
Most AI classes assume everyone can see the screen, hear the trainer and keep up with a fast demo. Here is what changes when you plan for the whole cohort from the start.
By Timothy Haines. Updated .
The usual class is built for a single type of learner
A typical AI class runs on a shared screen. The trainer types a prompt, the answer appears, and everyone is asked to try it. That works for a learner who can see the screen, hear the trainer, read quickly and keep pace.
It does not work for a blind learner who cannot see what was typed. It does not work for a Deaf learner if there are no captions. It is hard for a learner who needs more time, or who loses the thread when three things happen at once. Those learners are often the ones a workforce program most wants to reach.
Plan for access first, not after
Accessibility is easier to build in than to add later. Before the first class, we ask the program lead what the cohort needs. Learners can tell us too, at any time, and no one has to explain a diagnosis.
Then the class is built around those answers instead of a standard slide deck.
Three habits that change the room
- Describe every slide out loud. If something is on the screen, say what it is. A learner who cannot see the slide still follows along.
- Put every prompt in the chat as text. Learners copy it instead of reading it off a screen. It works with a screen reader, and it is there to come back to later.
- Start on the free plans. No learner should have to pay to keep up. A prompt that works on a free plan works for everyone in the room.
Tie it to real work
The class should be about getting hired and doing the job: shaping a resume to a real job post, practicing interview answers, tightening a LinkedIn profile, and getting hands-on time with the tools employers use. Learners bring their own goals, and the prompts are written so they can reuse them after the class.
If you run a program
You can ask any trainer three questions before you book: How do you describe what is on screen? Where do the prompts go? Do learners need a paid account? The answers tell you a lot about who the class was built for.
You can read how we teach, or book a 30-minute call about your cohort.