Delivering Accessible Learning Experiences: Avallain’s Inclusive Design Approach

Posted on June 26, 2025July 2, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

As the European Accessibility Act (EAA) deadline approaches, organisations delivering digital education must take decisive steps to ensure inclusivity. At Avallain, we’ve built accessibility into the core of our technology, empowering publishers, institutions and teachers to reach every learner, regardless of ability or context.

Delivering Accessible Learning Experiences: Avallain’s Inclusive Design Approach

St. Gallen, June 2025—The European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force on 28th June 2025, and educational organisations across the EU are preparing to meet a new legal standard for digital inclusion. For those offering digital education, this moment brings both the challenge of ensuring compliance and the opportunity to enable broader, fairer participation by removing barriers to participation.

At Avallain, we believe the long-standing commitment to accessibility should be guided by more than regulations. It reflects the belief that digital education should empower all learners. Through expert partnerships, rigorous audits and accessibility-first product design, we aim to enable the educational sector to meet and exceed the expectations set by the EAA.

Accessibility by Design: Supporting Legal Compliance and Learner Success

The EAA harmonises European accessibility requirements for a wide range of digital services, including e-learning content and platforms. Digital education tools must meet recognised standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA.

Rather than viewing these requirements as a constraint, publishers and institutions can embrace them as a framework to deliver more inclusive, effective learning. Avallain’s accessibility strategy enables our partners to:

Reach broader audiences, including learners with disabilities and those using assistive technologies.
Increase platform usability and content clarity for all learners.
Build trust and credibility in competitive, regulated markets.

By integrating accessibility into every layer of our technology stack, we make compliance achievable and meaningful.

Avallain Author: Creating Accessible Content with Confidence

Avallain Author empowers education providers to develop digital content that meets the highest accessibility standards. Our built-in features allow content teams to create inclusive learning experiences at scale, without additional overhead.

Key capabilities include:

Keyboard and screen reader compatibility, enabling full navigation without a mouse.
AI-generated alt text for all visual elements, helping to support visually impaired learners.
AI-powered transcript and subtitle support for multimedia components.
Customisable layouts that adapt to various learning needs, such as high contrast and font scaling, are supported by Mercury Design Pack’s accessibility features.
Accessibility controls that inform content creators when media assets are compliant or have not met accessibility standards.
A dedicated Accessibility module within the Author Training & Certification course, guiding users through Avallain Author’s accessibility features and how to apply them effectively.

These comprehensive accessibility features ensure that content creators and academic staff can confidently publish content that aligns with WCAG 2.2 AA and is ready for any compliance audit.

Mercury Design Pack: Building Accessibility into Every Interaction

To guarantee accessibility at every touchpoint, Avallain’s Mercury Design Pack, the foundation of our user interface, has been purpose-built for inclusive learning journeys.

Its accessibility features include:

Strict adherence to WCAG 2.2 AA in every design element, from contrast ratios to focus states.
Component-level keyboard accessibility ensures seamless navigation across all interactive elements.
Scalable and readable typography, optimised for users with dyslexia and other reading differences.
Consistent UX behaviours help all learners feel confident and in control, especially those with cognitive challenges.

Critically for content creation, dozens of interactive activity types built with Mercury have already been audited and validated for accessibility. This allows publishers and authors to create rich, engaging learning experiences that are fully aligned with international accessibility standards without requiring any extra adaptation or technical overhead.

Avallain Magnet: Delivering Learning Without Barriers

Accessibility doesn’t stop at content. It must extend to the platforms where learning happens. Avallain Magnet, our out-of-the-box learning management system, ensures every user can engage confidently and independently.

With Avallain Magnet, schools and institutions benefit from:

Full screen reader support across teacher, learner and admin environments.
Colour and spacing customisation options, supporting neurodiverse learners and those with visual impairments.
Consistent keyboard navigation, allowing users to interact with the platform using only the keyboard.

These features are embedded by default, giving schools, institutions and teachers the peace of mind that their digital learning delivery is design-inclusive.

TeacherMatic: Helping Teachers Create Inclusive Materials Instantly

Accessibility must be effortless for individual educators. TeacherMatic, our AI toolkit designed for teachers, integrates accessibility best practices into every generator.

Whether users are creating quizzes, rubrics or complete lesson plans, TeacherMatic includes:

Inclusive activity design, incorporating Bloom’s taxonomy and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
Templates and content that consider learners with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences.
Time-saving tools so teachers don’t have to start from scratch and can instead focus on adapting materials for diverse needs.

By embedding inclusive defaults into content creation, TeacherMatic supports educators in safely delivering compliant, learner-centred instruction without the burden of technical know-how.

AI for Accessibility: The Mission of the Avallain Lab and Avallain Intelligence

Beyond compliance, Avallain invests in future-facing developments to expand what accessibility can mean in digital education. We explore how AI can actively support inclusion through our dedicated R&D arm, Avallain Lab, and our responsible AI framework, Avallain Intelligence.

This includes:

Collaborating with accessibility experts such as the Digital Accessibility Centre to evaluate and improve our products.
Embedding accessibility principles into our development cycles to ensure all innovations align with WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
Using AI responsibly to support content creation workflows, such as generating alt text, subtitles and transcripts to enhance media accessibility.

By integrating accessibility into every layer of our technology and development pipeline, we support industry stakeholders to meet evolving standards while staying focused on learner equity and inclusion.

Accessibility Is Everyone’s Future

As the EAA comes into force, accessibility has become a shared priority across the education landscape. For some, it’s a new legal requirement. For others, it’s a long-held value. For all, it’s an opportunity to create learning experiences that are fairer, broader and more impactful.

We believe in supporting publishers, schools, institutions, content creators and teachers in this journey to not just meet a legal standard but to set a new one. When learning is truly accessible, everyone benefits.

Visit our Accessibility page to learn more about Avallain’s approach to accessibility in education and download our latest Accessibility Conformance Report.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Avallain and Educate Ventures Research Collaborate to Deliver Robust, Real-World Guidance on Ethical AI in Education

Posted on June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

‘From The Ground Up’ is a new report and research-based framework designed in line with Avallain Intelligence, our strategy for the responsible use of AI in education, and built with and for educators and institutions.

Avallain and Educate Ventures Research Collaborate to Deliver Robust, Real-World Guidance on Ethical AI in Education

St. Gallen, June 2025 – As generative AI transforms classrooms and educational workflows, clear, actionable ethical standards have never been more urgent. This is the challenge addressed in ‘From the Ground Up: Developing Standard Ethical Guidelines for AI Implementation in Education’, a new report developed by Educate Ventures Research in partnership with Avallain.

Drawing on extensive consultation with educators, multi-academy trusts, developers and policy specialists, the report introduces a practical framework of 12 ethical controls. These are designed to ensure that AI technologies align with educational values, enhance rather than replace human interaction and remain safe, fair and transparent in practice.

Unlike abstract policy statements, ‘From the Ground Up’ bases its guidance in classroom realities and product-level design. It offers publishers, institutions, content service providers and teachers a path forward that combines innovation with integrity.‘Since the beginning, we have believed that education technology must keep the human element at its core. This report reinforces that view by placing the experiences of teachers and learners at the centre of how we build, evaluate and implement AI. Our role is to ensure that innovation never comes at the cost of well-being, agency or trust, but instead strengthens the human connections that make learning meaningful.’ – Ursula Suter and Ignatz Heinz, Co-Founders of Avallain.

Download The Executive Version of The Report

A Framework Informed By The People It Serves

Developed over six months through research, case analysis, and structured stakeholder engagement, the report draws on input from multi-academy trust leaders, expert panels of educators, technologists and AI ethicists.

The result is a framework of 12 ethical controls:

Learning Outcome Alignment
User Agency Preservation
Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion
Critical Thinking Promotion
Transparent AI Limitations
Adaptive Human Interaction Balance
Impact Measurement Framework
Ethical Use Training and Awareness
Bias Detection and Fairness Assurance
Emotional Intelligence and Well-being Safeguards
Organisational Accountability & Governance
Age-Appropriate & Safe Implementation

Each control includes a definition, challenges, mitigation strategies, implementation guidance and relevance to all key education stakeholders. The result is a practical, structured set of tools, not just principles.

‘This report exemplifies our mission at Educate Ventures Research and Avallain: to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world educational technology. By working closely with teachers, school leaders and developers, we’ve created ethical controls that are both grounded in evidence and practical in use. Our goal is to ensure that AI in education is not only effective, but also transparent, fair and aligned with the human values that define great teaching.’ – Prof. Rose Luckin, CEO of Educate Ventures Research and Avallain Advisory Board Member.

Recommendations That Speak To Real-World Risks

Some of the report’s most relevant insights include:

User Agency Preservation
AI should support, not override, the decisions of teachers and the autonomy of learners. Design should prioritise flexibility and transparency, allowing human control and informed decision-making.

Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion
The report calls for continuous audits, bias detection and cultural representation in AI training data and outputs, with robust mechanisms for local adaptation.

Transparent AI Limitations
AI systems must explain what they can and cannot do. Visual cues, plain-language disclosures and in-context explanations all help users manage expectations.

Adaptive Human Interaction Balance
The rise of AI must not mean the erosion of dialogue. Thresholds for teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction should be built into implementation plans, not left to chance.

Impact Measurement Framework
The report calls for combining short-term performance data and long-term qualitative indicators to assess whether AI tools genuinely support learning.

Relevance Across The Education Ecosystem

For Publishers

The report’s recommendations align closely with educational publishers’ strategic goals. Whether using AI to accelerate content production, localise materials, or personalise resources, ethical deployment requires more than efficiency. It requires governance structures that protect against bias, uphold academic rigour and enable human review. Solutions like Avallain Author already embed editorial control into AI-supported workflows, ensuring quality and trust remain paramount.

For Schools And Institutions

From primary schools to higher and vocational education providers, the pressure to adopt AI is growing. The report provides practical guidance on how to do so responsibly. It outlines how to set up oversight mechanisms, train staff, communicate transparently with parents and evaluate long-term impact. For institutions already exploring AI for tutoring or assessment, the controls offer a roadmap to stay aligned with safeguarding, inclusion and pedagogy.

For Content Service Providers

Agencies supporting publishers and ministries with learning design, editorial production and localisation will find clear implications throughout the report. From building inclusive datasets to ensuring transparent output verification, ethical AI becomes a shared responsibility across the value chain. Avallain’s technology, driven by Avallain Intelligence, enables these partners to apply ethical filters and maintain editorial standards at scale.

For Teachers

Educators are frontline decision makers. They shape how AI is used in the classroom. The report explicitly calls for User Agency Preservation to be maintained, Ethical Use Training and Awareness to be prioritised and teacher feedback to guide AI evolution. Solutions within Avallain’s portfolio, such as TeacherMatic, are already embedding these principles by offering editable outputs, contextual prompts and transparency in how each suggestion is generated.

The Role Of Avallain Intelligence: Putting Ethical Controls Into Action

Avallain Intelligence is Avallain’s strategy for the ethical and safe implementation of AI in education and the applied framework that aims to integrate these 12 ethical controls. It adheres to principles such as transparency, fairness, accessibility and agency within the core infrastructure of Avallain’s digital solutions.

This includes:

Explainable interfaces that clarify how AI decisions are made.
Editable content outputs that preserve user control.
Cultural customisation features for inclusive learning contexts.
Bias Detection and Fairness Assurance systems with review mechanisms.
Built-in feedback loops to refine AI based on classroom realities.

Avallain Intelligence was developed to meet and exceed the expectations outlined in ‘From the Ground Up’. This means publishers, teachers, service providers and institutions using Avallain tools are not starting from scratch but are already working within an ecosystem designed for ethical AI.

The work of the Avallain Lab, our in-house academic and pedagogical hub, continuously informs these principles and ensures that every advancement is grounded in research, ethics and real classroom needs.

‘The insights and methodology that underpin this report reflect the foundational work of the Avallain Lab and our commitment to research-led development. By aligning ethical guidance with practical use cases, we ensure that Avallain Intelligence evolves in direct response to real pedagogical needs. This collaboration shows how rigorous academic frameworks can inform responsible AI design and help create tools that are not only innovative but also educationally sound and trustworthy.’ – Carles Vidal, Business Director of the Avallain Lab.

Download The Executive Version

This is a practical roadmap for anyone seeking to navigate the opportunities and risks of AI in education with clarity, confidence and care.

Whether you are a publisher exploring AI-powered content workflows, a school leader integrating new technologies into classrooms or a teacher looking for trusted guidance, ‘From the Ground Up’ offers research-based recommendations you can act on today.

Click here to download the executive version of the report to explore how the 12 ethical controls can help your organisation adopt AI responsibly, support educators, protect learners and remain committed to your educational mission.

About Educate Ventures Research

Educate Ventures Research (EVR) is an innovative boutique consultancy and training provider dedicated to helping education organisations leverage AI to unlock insights, enhance learning and drive positive outcomes and impact.

Its mission is to empower people to use AI safely to learn and thrive. EVR envisions a society in which intelligent, evidence-informed learning tools enable everyone to fulfil their potential, regardless of background, ability or context. Through its research, frameworks and partnerships, EVR continues to shape how AI can serve as a trusted companion in teaching and learning.

Find out more at educateventures.com

About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Thinking about the Edtech Echo Chamber

Posted on June 26, 2025July 2, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

Educational technology is often seen as a straightforward solution to teaching challenges. Yet, beneath the surface lies a complex dynamic. Who ultimately shapes educational technology? This piece explores the proximity between those who buy and sell edtech and the gap between these decision-makers and those who actually use it. This imbalance influences both innovation and pedagogy.

Thinking about the Edtech Echo Chamber

Author: Prof John Traxler, UNESCO Chair, Commonwealth of Learning Chair and Academic Director of the Avallain Lab

Since joining Avallain and whilst continuing to work as a university professor, I have been reflecting on the nature of the edtech environment. My perspective is not only very generalised, subjective and impressionistic. It also overlooks major disturbances, most obviously the global pandemic, the alleged ‘pivot’ to digital learning and the global explosion of artificial intelligence, with its haphazard adoption in education.

Specifically, I have been thinking about the small informal community of people within the organisations of the education sectors who design, develop and sell dedicated edtech systems and other people who buy, install and maintain such systems. On behalf of their respective organisations, they are engaged in transactions that are highly focused, highly technical, highly complex and highly responsible. The members of this informal community, both ‘buyers’ and ‘sellers’, must, by the nature of their enormous expertise, share very similar backgrounds, values, language, ideas and influential personalities in order to be effective. Their experience suggests that in their careers they can change from ‘sellers’ or ‘buyers’ and back again several times.

I suspect that they share a kind of groupthink that seems, certainly in their terms, to be productive, objective and transparent. By this, I mean that the buyers and sellers agree on what they should be discussing (and what not to discuss). This groupthink determines the direction of procurement and consequently focuses on making existing products and systems faster, bigger, cheaper, more secure, more attractive and more compliant, and builds on current perceived successes.

The User Community

There is, however, another informal community involved, on the periphery of the informal edtech buyers and sellers community, namely that of teachers, lecturers, learners and students.

My worry is that because of differences in values, language, ideas and influential personalities, any discourse with these communities of teachers, lecturers, learners or students is much less efficient and effective. It is often perceived as partly mutually incomprehensible, characterised by one community or the other using concepts, methods, tools, values and references not wholly or confidently understood by the other.

As an example, many organisations using educational technology are trying to address equity, inclusion and diversity in their provision and their ethos. They may also be trying to promote different models or strategies for teaching and learning. Whilst the communities of teachers and lecturers know whom to involve to advance these initiatives within their own work, moving upstream and being able to articulate their needs in technically meaningful ways seems generally much more difficult. There is a chasm between ‘academic’ departments, doing the teaching, and ‘service’ departments, running the digital technology.

Obviously, issues like staff retraining, interoperability and managerial nervousness further limit the scope for systemic, as opposed to incremental, change. So do the business models of educational organisations and, for example, of education and academic publishers.

Horizon Scanning

I did consultancy for the UK NHS, National Health Service, some years ago, helping to improve their edtech ‘horizon scanning’ capacity, and whilst it is possible to develop methods and tools for this, I now worry that the problem is the possible inability to break out of the groupthink, out of the accepted views, of the community in question. At the time, I expressed this slightly differently, saying it was easy to see innovations on the horizon coming straight at you, but the challenge was to spot the relevance of those on the horizon, appearing further off to the left or way off to the right. Again, there is a difference between ‘hard’ technical stuff on the horizon and ‘soft’ educational stuff.

There might be a connection between these observations about horizon scanning and other work on tools and methods to support brainstorming, which attempt to generate new ideas within a community as opposed to recognising ideas outside the community and on the horizon.

I might be equating the groupthink of various closed but informal groups with the ideas about paradigms, scientific or otherwise, but in a practical sense, I wondered how we promote the ‘paradigm shifts’ that bring about dramatic but benign or beneficial transformation. In short, where do new products come from?

Breaking the Edtech Echo Chamber

In conclusion, I am attempting to make a case that the people buying and selling educational technology often understand each other much better than they understand the people using it, and thus educational technology is driven by technology push (or technological determinism) rather than pedagogy pull.

I think this builds in some pedagogic conservatism. There might be other reasons or perspectives, but this gap remains a critical challenge.

The future of educational technology depends on breaking down silos and aligning the expertise of buyers and sellers with the lived needs of educators and learners. Together, fostering shared language and values will empower all stakeholders to participate in shaping tools that genuinely enhance education.

¹ Perhaps this current piece could be reworked to address these two issues but I think both have served to reinforce existing attitudes and values, and that pronouncements of systemic transformation may be premature or overstated or misleading.

² But clearly this can only be impressions and could never be based on anything purporting to be ‘scientific’ or ‘objective’.

³ I think in fact I am saying this community articulates and represents a ‘paradigm’ as defined by Thomas S. Kuhn in his 1974 short paper Second Thoughts on Paradigms (available online at https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq/media/lectures/10/10_2019_02_17!07_45_06_PM.pdf), albeit a modest one compared to Darwinian evolution, heliocentric astronomy or even object-oriented programming.

⁴ There is also a factor understood in requirements engineering about the human incapacity to answer questions about the future; ask customers or users what they would like in the future and they will reply, what they already have but faster. This too builds in conservatism. Fortunately, there are various better techniques to elicit future requirements from customers or users.

⁵ Characterised on one side by fairly generalised, abstract and social ideas and values and on the other by specific, concrete and technical ideas and values, though it is difficult for this characterisation to be objective and neutral.

⁶ It could be the grand ‘connectivist’ conceptions of the early ideologically driven MOOCs or merely flipped learning, self-directed learning, critical digital literacy, project-based learning, situated learning and so on.

⁷ Which might explain why most universities and colleges seem stuck in the digital technology of the 1990s, namely the VLE/LMS and the networked desktop computer, in spite of the ubiquity of social media and personal technologies.

⁸ Defined here as the ability of different hardware and software systems with different roles within a complex organisation to work together.

⁹ ‘Horizon scanning’ is the activity of intercepting and interpreting ideas that are emergent, unformed, unclear and then seeing their practical relevance ahead of colleagues and competitors. There are various methods and for the NHS we attempted to synthesise and validate a method from those already in government departments, universities and corporations.

¹⁰ Thinking of Teflon and Post-Its.

About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

International House World Organisation to Roll Out TeacherMatic Across Global Network

Posted on May 7, 2025May 7, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

After a successful pilot across International House schools, TeacherMatic has been officially adopted as IHWO’s preferred AI toolkit for teachers. Built for real-world classroom needs and developed with a strong ethical foundation through Avallain Intelligence, the platform will now be made available to the entire IH network.

International House World Organisation to Roll Out TeacherMatic Across Global Network

London, 7 May 2025 – After months of hands-on piloting with teachers in its network, International House World Organisation (IHWO) has chosen the TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition as its preferred AI toolset for language educators. IHWO is facilitating access to the platform for their affiliate schools through an exclusive offer, providing their teaching teams with AI support that is safe, ethical, intuitive and designed specifically for language education.

Successful Pilot Confirms Teacher Confidence and Classroom Value

The decision follows a carefully structured pilot involving multiple IH schools, during which teachers used TeacherMatic to generate lesson plans, grammar tasks, vocabulary activities, discussion prompts and more.

‘We are thrilled to partner with TeacherMatic to bring their cutting-edge AI generators to the schools in our organisation. This collaboration is about giving our schools access to the latest AI technology, enabling educators to innovate, save time, focus on what matters most and support students’ growth and success.’ – Shaun Wilden, Digital Innovation Advisor, IHWO.

Building on a Foundation of Innovation in Teacher Development

This latest development builds on a wider collaboration between IHWO and Avallain that began when IHWO selected Avallain Magnet alongside Avallain Author to create and deliver high-quality digital teacher training programmes.

With this foundation in place, the adoption of the TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition extends the collaboration into the day-to-day reality of the language classroom, offering teachers practical, time-saving AI tools designed to meet the specific needs of language educators.

This expansion reflects a shared commitment to equipping teachers and teacher educators with tools that are not only powerful and efficient but also designed with care, pedagogy and ethics in mind.

A Toolset Tailored for Language Teaching

The TeacherMatic’s Language Teaching Edition was developed specifically for language educators, offering powerful, CEFR-aligned AI generators designed for practical, everyday use. Whether planning a lesson or enhancing a sequence with differentiated tasks, TeacherMatic provides a reliable AI partner built with pedagogical depth and classroom flexibility in mind.

‘TeacherMatic is a great example of what happens when AI is developed with teachers in mind, not to replace their expertise, but to amplify it. We’re proud to see IH World lead the way in showing how responsible, curriculum-aligned AI can benefit teaching practice at scale.’ – Ian Johnstone, VP Partnerships, Avallain.

‘We built the Language Teaching Edition of TeacherMatic to solve real problems language teachers face every day, finding time to plan, adapting for different levels and contexts and meeting high standards with limited resources. IH World’s decision to adopt the platform across its global network is a strong endorsement of that mission. We’re excited to support more teachers through this collaboration.’ – Peter Kilcoyne, Managing Director, TeacherMatic.

Grounded in Ethics: Avallain Intelligence and Responsible AI

Setting the foundation of TeacherMatic is Avallain Intelligence, the responsible AI strategy that guides all development across Avallain products to ensure that AI enhances productivity while upholding the principles of ethics and safety. AI should serve as a tool to support educators, not replace them, preserving the human element at the heart of learning.

As AI becomes more embedded in education, institutions face critical questions about pedagogy, assessment and data use. Thoughtfully-designed, context-specific AI tools such as TeacherMatic, shaped through real teacher feedback, offer a path to confident, ethical innovation in the classroom.

Looking Ahead: Live Demonstrations at the IH Directors Conference 2025

With the IH Directors Conference (8th — 10th May 2025) taking place, this announcement comes at a key moment for school leaders across the IH network. Avallain will be on-site throughout the event, offering live demonstrations of the TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition and engaging directly with IH directors on how AI can support their strategic goals for teaching quality and staff development.

Attendees will be able to explore the full suite of over 20 AI-powered generators included in the Language Teaching Edition, each designed to address real classroom needs. These include:

Lesson Plan Generator: Create structured lesson plans based on your inputs, such as CEFR level, target skills and pedagogical approach.
Adapt Your Content: Transform your existing content to align with your desired CEFR level, target audience and desired length.
Feedback Generator: Provide constructive feedback on student submissions, based on an assignment brief and various grading options.
Dialogue Creator: Generate natural-sounding dialogues on a given topic or situation. This can be used as role-play in class or as an example of authentic communication.
Create a text: Quickly and easily generate text tailored to your chosen vocabulary or grammar, at your desired CEFR level.

All tools are fully customisable, allowing teachers to control tone, CEFR alignment and task type, as well as pedagogical models such as Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Lexical approach, Presentation – Practice – Production, Task-based learning and Test – Teach – Test. These features ensure materials are relevant, purposeful and appropriate for a wide range of teaching contexts.

The conference will also be an opportunity for IH leaders to learn how TeacherMatic, developed under the Avallain Intelligence framework, ensures transparency, ethical integration and institutional control, giving schools the confidence to innovate responsibly and with pedagogical integrity.

About International House World Organisation (IHWO)

International House World Organisation is a global network of over 135+ affiliated private language schools in more than 35+ countries. Since 1953, IHWO has been committed to delivering high-quality language education and teacher training, setting global standards for innovation and professionalism in the language teaching sector.

About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

Find out more at teachermatic.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Introducing Richmond Studio: Richmond’s Next-Generation Learning Platform, Powered by Avallain

Posted on May 7, 2025May 7, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

Richmond and Avallain have a long-standing partnership, collaborating to develop innovative e-learning content and deliver meaningful learning experiences through dynamic and intuitive platforms.

Richmond Expands Its Digital Ecosystem with the Launch of Richmond Studio, Powered by Avallain

St. Gallen, May 7, 2025— Richmond, part of the Santillana Group, provides an even more immersive and personalised experience for language teachers, managing staff and students with the launch of Richmond Studio.

Richmond Studio is the exclusive digital platform for both Richmond Solution and Richmond Pro — two comprehensive educational offerings from Richmond that support English Language Teaching (ELT) across K12 and Higher Education in Latin America. With over 750,000 students learning through Richmond Solution, Richmond has established itself as a regional leader in English language education. Richmond Pro, designed specifically for HigherEd, integrates Learning, Assessment, and Employability to equip students with the skills they need for academic and professional success. Richmond Studio brings both solutions to life through a powerful, customisable platform that centralises content, simplifies user experience, and fosters deeper engagement between teachers and students.

Avallain’s technology enables Richmond to create and deliver these effective online learning experiences. With Avallain Author, Richmond develops and manages multiple forms of ELT content, including interactive courses, eBooks, flipbooks, digital books (iRead), posters and multimedia-rich resources. All of these content types are also compatible with Richmond Studio. Teachers can tailor instruction and engage students more successfully.

Combined with Avallain’s custom development services, this integrated solution facilitates efficient content distribution and provides a scalable, adaptable foundation for Richmond’s platform. This ensures that Richmond can expand its offerings across Latin America while maintaining a consistent, engaging user experience. The launch of Richmond Studio marks the next step in Richmond’s strategy, building on its established collaboration with Avallain to enhance ELT content creation and delivery.

“Our longstanding partnership with Avallain is built on shared values of innovation, quality, and educational impact. We fully trust their technology to support the evolution of our digital ecosystem. The launch of Richmond Studio represents a pivotal step in our strategy to deliver more effective and engaging language learning experiences, and we are confident in its potential to transform classrooms throughout Latin America.” – Esdras Taylor, Richmond Global Managing Director.

Ethical AI in Education

Richmond has also benefitted from Avallain’s ethically developed AI solutions, in line with Avallain’s broader AI strategy, Avallain Intelligence.

Avallain Author provides both manual and AI-powered content creation. This includes auto-generated alt-text, keywords for images and transcripts and subtitles for video and audio files.

These and other AI features enhance the content creation process while ensuring the learning material is developed safely and responsibly. Teachers can deliver more impactful lessons without replacing human expertise, while students benefit from personalised yet safe learning experiences within Richmond Studio.

Looking to the future, Richmond Studio will soon introduce TeacherMatic, Avallain’s ready-to-go AI toolkit designed to reduce teachers’ workloads and enhance teaching by using generative AI to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets and quizzes.

Alexis Walter, Managing Director of Avallain, reinforces this commitment, stating, ‘Our long-standing relationship with Richmond has been built on trust and a shared commitment to delivering high-quality educational experiences. For over 20 years, we at Avallain have worked closely with publishers to deliver best-in-class solutions across the entire edtech value chain. As pioneers in edtech, we embrace AI responsibly through Avallain Intelligence, ensuring that AI enhances productivity while prioritising ethical practices. Crucially, the human element remains central.’

Richmond Studio. Teacher’s iRead Dashboard.

Advancing Digital Learning Together

With a collaboration spanning over a decade, Avallain has partnered with Richmond since the creation and launch of the Richmond Learning Platform (RLP), which has served as the foundation of Richmond Solution. RLP has provided a dynamic digital environment for English language learning across Latin America, delivering personalised learning paths, interactive tools, and real-time feedback — all within structures that are easy for teachers to set up and manage. Richmond Studio now represents the next step in this evolution: a more advanced and specialised platform designed to support Richmond’s strategic vision for both K12 and HigherEd through Richmond Solution and Richmond Pro.

One of the core strengths of Richmond Studio lies in its ability to generate meaningful evidence of student learning and measurable progress over time. Through integrated assessment tools, activity tracking, and advanced reporting features, educators gain actionable insights that support informed decision-making and personalised instruction. This data-driven approach ensures that teaching strategies are responsive and aligned with each student’s learning journey.

Avallain’s industry-leading authoring and platform solutions afford Richmond the flexibility to develop, adapt and distribute content efficiently. As a result, the company maintains the highest pedagogical and technological standards. Furthermore, Richmond Studio can deliver innovative, student-centric learning solutions that align with the latest educational needs.

This collaboration highlights Avallain’s ongoing commitment to working alongside leading education providers, continuously improving and supporting the creation of impactful online learning solutions that contribute to the future of education.

The launch of Richmond Studio represents a significant step forward in enhancing language learning for both teachers and students, providing a seamless, engaging and personalised experience. By combining Avallain’s technology with Richmond’s expertise in ELT content, this partnership is set to reshape language learning experiences in classrooms across Latin America and beyond.

About Richmond

Richmond, part of the Santillana Group, is a leading provider of English Language Teaching (ELT). With a strong foundation in academic excellence and a clear vision for innovation, Richmond offers a comprehensive suite of resources that support learners of all ages—from early education through to higher education.

At the heart of its offering is Richmond Solution, an advanced and comprehensive educational ecosystem designed to revolutionize English language teaching and learning across Latin America. Tailored to meet the diverse needs of students, educators, and institutions, Richmond Solution integrates high-quality content, innovative technology, and personalized support to foster effective and engaging language education.

Learn more about the platform: https://studio.richmondsolution.com/

Discover Richmond Solution: https://richmondsolution.com/en/

About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Primary MAT Connect Education Trust to Boost Pedagogical Impact and Teacher Well-Being with TeacherMatic’s AI Generators

Posted on April 29, 2025April 29, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

As the first Primary Multi-Academy Trust to adopt TeacherMatic, this collaboration aims to foster high-impact teaching and prioritise staff well-being across a network of schools.

Primary MAT Connect Education Trust to Boost Pedagogical Impact and Teacher Well-Being with TeacherMatic’s AI Generators

London, April 2025 – Connect Education Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust comprising seven schools and serving over 3,500 pupils, has partnered with TeacherMatic, the AI toolkit for teachers and part of the Avallain Group. The collaboration is designed to support teachers across the Trust by enhancing pedagogical practices, streamlining planning and reducing workload through responsible use of GenAI.

The organisation brings together a diverse group of primary and special schools across North London, with a focus on delivering high-quality education and fostering collaborative improvement. In the Trust’s last two Ofsted inspections, the schools secured Outstanding grades in every judgement area.

“Innovation is a key part of our success, but we recognise that the key to creating environments where young people can thrive is the connection between ideas, people and infrastructure. That is why we see this partnership as being much more than an edtech deployment,” said Androulla Nicou, Chief Executive Officer from Connect Education Trust.

“The TeacherMatic team have worked with us and listened to all of our feedback to ensure the platform integrates smoothly with how we work and is intuitive and effective for the people who use it.”

*Primary Students from Connect Education Trust. © Connect Education Trust*

Supporting Educators, Empowering Learners

Connect Education Trust’s decision to adopt TeacherMatic reflects four key objectives:

Pedagogical Impact: TeacherMatic will help Connect Education Trust educators generate structured, evidence-informed content and provide feedback that supports learner progress and independence.
Ease of Use: Its simple interface and broad accessibility will make onboarding straightforward for staff at every digital skill level.
Well-Being and Workload: By automating repetitive tasks, TeacherMatic frees up valuable time for the staff, reducing stress and promoting teacher well-being.
Expert Support: The TeacherMatic team has worked closely with the Trust throughout the setup process, ensuring tailored implementation and responsive support.

A First Among Primary MATs in Responsible AI Adoption

As the first Primary Multi-Academy Trust to integrate TeacherMatic, Connect Education Trust is setting a precedent for how primary MATs can meaningfully embrace AI in education. Their leadership demonstrates how AI can be responsibly integrated not only to increase efficiency but to strengthen pedagogy and support educator well-being at scale.

This adoption aligns with insights from Avallain’s recent online briefing, ‘Leading with Confidence: What MATs Need to Know About GenAI in Education’, which highlighted the need for strategic, ethical AI integration tailored to institutional needs.

“We’re proud to support Connect Education Trust in their journey towards more sustainable and impactful teaching,” said Peter Kilkoyne, Managing Director of TeacherMatic. “They are pioneers in showing how primary MATs can use AI not just to save time but to uplift both staff and students.”

Partnerships Built on Responsible Innovation

This collaboration is built on Avallain Intelligence, Avallain’s commitment to responsible AI. TeacherMatic embodies this approach, helping educators harness AI while upholding ethical standards, transparency, and control over data and intellectual property.

‘Our vision is to ensure that AI remains a tool for human-centred education,’ said Ursula Suter, Co-Founder of Avallain. ‘Connect Education Trust’s values align perfectly with ours by using technology to empower, not replace, educators.’

About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

Find out more at teachermatic.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Professor Rose Luckin, Avallain Advisory Board Member, Honoured at Bett Awards 2025

Posted on February 13, 2025February 17, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

Avallain congratulates Professor Rose Luckin, a member of the Avallain Advisory Board, on receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Bett Awards 2025.

Professor Rose Luckin, Avallain Advisory Board Member, Honoured at Bett Awards 2025

St. Gallen, February 6, 2025 – The Bett Awards 2025 celebrated excellence and creativity in education technology at Bett UK, one of the world’s leading edtech exhibitions. As part of the recognitions granted, Professor Rose Luckin, University College London and a valued Avallain Advisory Board member received the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Held annually in London, Bett brings together educators, innovators and industry leaders to showcase the latest advancements shaping the future of learning.

‘These awards honour the most innovative, impactful and game-changing solutions in EdTech, and each finalist is pushing the boundaries to make education better worldwide.’ — Bett UK

A Leading Voice in Ethical AI for Education

Professor Rose Luckin has over 30 years of experience in research and development. She is widely recognised for her work on the design and evaluation of educational technology and AI. As an advisor to policymakers, author and speaker, her research has influenced global discussions on AI and learning.

Her essential role as a key advisor to Avallain has helped to shape the company’s approach to AI. Furthermore, she has contributed with her expertise to Avallain Intelligence, the group’s initiative for responsible AI integration across the education technology landscape, founded on the principles of ethics and safety.

Acknowledging Excellence in AI and EdTech

‘Given Professor Rose Luckin’s decades of research, her influential work in AI for education and her commitment to ethical AI, this award recognises her significant and lasting impact on education technology, which has driven innovation and meaningful advancements in learning.’ — Ursula Suter, Avallain, Executive Chairwoman and Co-Founder.

In her acceptance speech Professor Rose Luckin expressed her gratitude ‘This award means a huge amount to me. I’ve worked for many years to try and encourage educators to engage with Artificial Intelligence…It’s a real thrill to win such an award’

Avallain is honoured to collaborate with leading experts like Professor Rose Luckin, whose work continues to shape the future of education technology. With a shared commitment to ethical and research-driven innovation, Avallain remains dedicated to supporting educators and institutions in delivering meaningful and accessible learning experiences.

About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Avallain Reinforces its Commitment to Research-Driven Solutions with a Newly Commissioned GenAI Report

Posted on January 29, 2025March 13, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

How is GenAI being integrated into schools to enhance teaching and learning? ‘Teaching with GenAI: Insights on Productivity, Creativity, Quality and Safety’ delves into this critical question by exploring the opportunities GenAI offers, the challenges it poses and how it’s shaping the future of education.

Avallain Reinforces its Commitment to Research-Driven Solutions with a Newly Commissioned GenAI Report

St. Gallen, January 30, 2025 – Education technology pioneer Avallain introduces, Teaching with GenAI: Insights on Productivity, Creativity, Quality and Safety. This independent report, commissioned by the Avallain Group and produced by Oriel Square Ltd, is key research that provides valuable insights for educators and policymakers alike.

This timely and comprehensive report explores how generative AI is being integrated into schools to enhance teaching and learning outcomes and the critical opportunities and challenges it presents.

Professor Rose Luckin, of University College London and Founder of Educate Ventures Research, says the report is ‘an essential read for any education leader navigating the AI landscape.’

Download the Report

Navigating the Opportunities, Challenges and Risks of GenAI

The ‘Teaching with GenAI: Insights on Productivity, Creativity, Quality and Safety’ report provides detailed insights into how GenAI saves time and boosts efficiency, allowing educators to streamline workflows and dedicate more time to impactful teaching. It delves into the tools and training needed to create meaningful learning materials, providing practical advice for designing engaging and effective content. The report examines how GenAI fosters creativity and innovation in teaching practices, encouraging educators to reimagine their instructional approaches.

Beyond this, the report also stresses the importance of quality control in GenAI applications, identifying areas where oversight is essential to ensure high standards in AI-generated content. Critical advice is offered around data security and tackling inbuilt bias, helping educators and institutions confidently address these key concerns. More importantly, the report provides actionable recommendations on how schools and organisations can effectively integrate and apply GenAI to maximise its potential while ensuring ethical and responsible use.

As Professor John Traxler, Academic Director of the Avallain Lab, explains, ‘While schools and educators acknowledge the potential of GenAI tools to assist in key pedagogical tasks, they also express concerns about content accuracy, the risk of perpetuating biases and the impact of these tools on their evolving role in the classroom. This underscores the need to provide educators with GenAI solutions tailored to educational contexts and the critical analysis skills required to engage with these technologies safely and effectively.’

A Commitment to Research-Driven Solutions

The rapid rise of GenAI has introduced both unprecedented possibilities and complex challenges in the educational landscape. With a long history of developing educator-led technology, Avallain has always believed that research-driven approaches are essential to ensuring technology supports learning outcomes.

‘This report reflects our commitment to research-driven solutions that empower educators. By exploring the benefits, potential and challenges of GenAI through the experiences of teachers and specialists, we aim to provide valuable insights and actionable recommendations to the educational community. Together, we are navigating this transformative field to deliver technology that ethically and safely supports teachers and students.’ As Ignatz Heinz, President and Co-Founder of Avallain, highlights.

Over 50% of teachers in England use AI tools to reduce workload, and 40% use them to personalise learning content.

Avallain’s Approach to Ethical and Safe GenAI Integration

As GenAI enters classrooms, Avallain is doubling down on this commitment with these informative reports and its broader AI strategy, Avallain Intelligence, which aims to responsibly integrate AI across the entire edtech value chain. This initiative is built on the principle that ethical AI is essential—not only for achieving better outcomes, enhanced productivity and safe, innovative learner interactions but, more importantly, as a foundation for the reliable adoption of these tools in our societies, particularly in our educational systems.

Carles Vidal, Avallain Lab Business Director, explains further, ‘Avallain’s unwavering commitment to Ethical AI is reflected in a range of AI solutions designed in alignment with the Ethical Key Requirements, outlined in the EU’s Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. These guidelines uphold the principles of respect for human autonomy, prevention of harm, fairness and explicability.’

The newly commissioned report aligns with this AI strategy by exploring critical ethical, safe, and effective implementation considerations. It provides actionable recommendations for schools and educators to adopt these technologies while ensuring responsible use confidently.

Leveraging Insights to Drive GenAI in Education

Avallain strives to remain at the forefront of educational innovation, actively monitoring and analysing educators’ difficulties as they integrate generative AI into their teaching practices. With a particular focus on ethics and pedagogy, these insights shape the ongoing development of Avallain’s next generation of GenAI features implemented in our solutions. Explore the full report and gain a deeper understanding of how GenAI can enhance teaching and learning.

Download your free copy

Register Now for Upcoming Live Report Briefings

As part of our commitment to supporting educators and institutions, look out for upcoming report briefings to explore key insights from the report, including practical and ethical steps for integrating GenAI effectively. This is an opportunity to engage in discussions about the future of AI in education.

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About Avallain

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

Find out more at teachermatic.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

TeacherMatic, part of the Avallain Group, Takes Gold for AI Innovation in Learning at the Learning Technologies Awards 2024

Posted on November 15, 2024January 30, 2025 by Miguel Rivera

Recognised for Transforming Education, TeacherMatic’s AI Innovations Reflect Avallain’s Commitment to Empowering Teachers and Enhancing Learning Outcomes.

TeacherMatic, part of the Avallain Group, Takes Gold for AI Innovation in Learning at the Learning Technologies Awards 2024

London, November 13, 2024 – TeacherMatic, part of the Avallain Group, has won gold in the category for ‘Most innovative new learning technologies product — UK’, at the Learning Technologies Awards 2024. This prestigious award recognises TeacherMatic’s unique use of AI to streamline lesson planning and to reduce the burden on teachers while enhancing student engagement and outcomes.

TeacherMatic’s AI-driven platform offers personalised, adaptive planning tools that empower teachers by streamlining administrative tasks and enabling more focus on student interaction and innovation. By integrating cutting-edge AI technology in an ethical and safe manner, TeacherMatic exemplifies Avallain’s dedication to educational excellence and impactful digital learning solutions. This latest accolade adds to Avallain’s distinguished record of over 15 major awards and other recognitions, such as the ISTE Seal in 2023, the SIIA CODiE Award in 2020 and the Bett Award in 2018.

“Winning gold at the Learning Technologies Awards 2024 demonstrates the commitment of our teams at TeacherMatic and Avallain to push the boundaries of AI and technology in education,” said Ignatz Heinz, President and Co-Founder of Avallain. “This recognition confirms our drive to make learning more accessible, impactful and human-centred for educators and learners alike.”

The Learning Technologies Awards are globally recognised for celebrating outstanding achievements in the field of digital learning. TeacherMatic’s success highlights the importance of scalable, intelligent solutions in shaping the future of education.

About Avallain

Avallain powers some of the most renowned educational brands including Oxford University Press, Cengage National Geographic Learning, Cambridge University Press, Santillana, Klett, and Cornelsen, reaching millions of learners worldwide. Avallain most recently raised 8M Euros from Round2 Capital Partners and is advised by i5invest. Through the Avallain Foundation, the technology is also made available to partners improving access to quality education.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic was formed in 2022 as Innovative Learning Technologies Limited and has developed a suite of generative AI tools for educators. TeacherMatic is a ready-to-go AI toolkit in an intuitive interface for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using over 90 AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets and quizzes. Developed by teachers, for teachers, TeacherMatic offers powerful and intuitive AI tools tailored to educators’ needs.

Free trials are available at teachermatic.com

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

PeopleCert collaborates with Avallain to create and deliver reliable, engaging test preparation content for LANGUAGECERT® portfolio

Posted on October 24, 2024November 15, 2024 by Miguel Rivera

LANGUAGECERT bespoke test preparation materials crafted with Avallain Author.

PeopleCert collaborates with Avallain to create and deliver reliable, engaging test preparation content for LANGUAGECERT® portfolio

Lustmühle, October 24, 2024 – Digital education supplier Avallain today announces PeopleCert as its latest client. PeopleCert will be using Avallain Author, an AI-powered content creation and management solution, to design and deliver high-quality test preparation content for its LANGUAGECERT English Language assessments.

The LANGUAGECERT portfolio is dedicated to the assessment and certification of language skills globally, and by leveraging Avallain Author, PeopleCert can scale its reliable, accessible and engaging test preparation content.

Avallain Author is an intuitive, AI-powered content creation solution that supports publishers, institutions and schools with world-class authoring features, editorial workflows and project management. The solution has more than 45 activity types – some of them specifically honed for language learning – and over 200 configuration options that allow clients to build bespoke language training content tailored to their specific needs.

“We’re proud to partner with a respected organisation and a global brand like LANGUAGECERT. It’s an honour to work with such a renowned provider of language assessments and to contribute to their growing list of test preparation resources. With our world-class content solutions and our technical support and training, we’re confident that we can help advance their outcomes even further,” says Ian Johnstone, Vice President Partnerships at Avallain.

Avallain not only prides itself on its technically sophisticated solutions, but also on exceeding client expectations.

‘We’re delighted to be using Avallain’s innovative content authoring tool to enable us to craft robust test preparation resources that will support our test-takers”, says Marios Molfetas, Chief Languages Officer at PeopleCert.

This new collaboration with PeopleCert demonstrates Avallain’s growing influence in the language learning sphere, being a trusted provider for market leaders in impactful digital educational content.

Learn more about Avallain Author here.

About Avallain

Avallain is on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. The company creates customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, Avallain strives to make education engaging, effective and inclusive. Find out more at www.avallain.com.

About PeopleCert

PeopleCert is the global leader in the development of best practice frameworks and certifications, enhancing organizational efficiency and individual careers. Our products, including ITIL®, PRINCE2®, DEVOPS INSTITUTE®, and LANGUAGECERT®, benefit millions worldwide, spanning 82% of Fortune 500 and 800 government organizations. Through innovation, security, and superior customer experience, PeopleCert empowers people and organisations to achieve their potential.

The LANGUAGECERT portfolio includes high-quality, internationally recognised language exams that enhance the career, education and life opportunities of individuals worldwide. Approved by the UK Home Office, LANGUAGECERT delivers reliable and high-quality SELT exams covering all visa type requirements to live, work or study in the UK, whereas our exams are accepted worldwide as evidence of English language proficiency, in an ever-growing number of universities and organisations in over 100 countries.

Find out more at www.peoplecert.org, www.languagecert.org

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com