November 3, 2026 — Dr. Kat Schrier, professor and Director of Games and Emerging Media, has received a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) planning grant to explore how artificial intelligence can help K-12 students with ADHD and other learning differences create their own digital games. 

The program supports collaboration among educators, technologists, parents, guardians, and researchers, addressing challenges in education and workforce development through innovative, evidence-based solutions. 

As principal investigator and the project’s lead technologist, Dr. Kat spent last summer collaborating with local K-12 educators, parents, and specialists to explore how AI could make digital game creation more accessible for students with ADHD. The initiative builds on her research on how game design and virtual reality can foster empathy, compassion, and other social-emotional skills. 

“We hope this will be a new creative tool for educators and parents to use to help youth’s imaginations come alive,” she said. “We want them to feel empowered as creators while building their design thinking and social-emotional skills.” 

 
Dr. Kat Schrier. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University. 

The proposed toolbox would use AI to help students visualize ideas, navigate the game design process, and customize the technology to their individual learning and accessibility needs. By offering adjustable settings and varying levels of guidance, the digital tool would give students greater flexibility as they develop their creative and technical skills. 

To inform the toolbox’s development, Dr. Kat assembled an interdisciplinary team with expertise in game creation, special education, STEM learning, social-emotional development, and ethical AI. She recruited gaming majors Patrick Murray ’28 and Paul Maitner ’27 to contribute to the planning process. 

The team held planning sessions and focus groups with educators and parents to identify challenges, shape the toolbox’s design, and gather feedback. Experts in AI, game development, special education, STEM education, AI ethics, and compassion research also provided guidance throughout the process. 

These discussions emphasized the importance of adaptable educational technology for students with ADHD. The proposed toolbox would allow students, educators, and parents to adjust game settings and support as students’ needs evolve. 

"By combining AI with accessible game design, we aim to expand opportunities for young people with diverse learning needs to explore technology, express their ideas, and develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics/STEM,” said Dr. Kat.  

The team also draws on UNICEF’s Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) framework and its guidance on AI and children. These resources provide a foundation for considering children’s rights and well-being throughout the design process. 

Planning grants like the NSF grant give researchers the opportunity to bring educators, families, and technology experts together early in the development process, helping ensure that diverse perspectives inform the work from the start. 

Learn more about the Games and Emerging Media program.