BRIEFJune 26, 2026

Innovative Support for Children with Disabilities: High- and Low-Tech Approaches in Guinea

CountryGuinea
Evaluation designRandomized controlled trial to test three interventions to support middle-school students with moderate auditory impairments: (1) no-tech front-row seating to improve access, (2) low-cost hearing aids to amplify speech, and (3) high-tech tablets with Whisper AI for real-time transcription.
EdTech componentsAndroid tablets equipped with Whisper AI, an AI-powered speech-to-text tool that supports students with auditory impairments. Whisper AI transcribes spoken language into real-time text, allowing students with hearing loss to follow classroom instruction by reading transcriptions on their tablets.
Target populationMiddle-school students with moderate auditory impairments
Main outcomFrench, Math, Student attendance
TeamJuan Baron (World Bank), Melissa Adelman (World Bank), Sophia M. D’Angelo (World Bank), Lauren Dahlin (World Bank) 
World Bank TTLJuan Baron