Unsri Launches EL-SIBERUNG, AI Platform to Boost Competencies of Teachers for Deaf Students

Sriwijaya University (Unsri) has introduced EL-SIBERUNG, an innovative AI-driven e-learning platform aimed at bolstering the competencies of special education teachers in Palembang, Indonesia, particularly those who teach deaf students. The platform, developed by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), officially launched on August 6, 2026, at SLB Negeri Pembina Palembang.

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This blend of technologies gives teachers more options to create and deliver learning materials.

The initiative is part of a community service program funded by the Directorate of Research and Community Service, Directorate General of Research and Development, under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Science, and Technology. Assoc. Prof. Anita Desi, the project's lead, explained that EL-SIBERUNG combines visual materials, video lessons, interactive media, and artificial intelligence. "This blend of technologies gives teachers more options to create and deliver learning materials," she stated.

The program, themed "Strengthening Teacher Competencies of KKG-PK Palembang Zone through the Development of EL-SIBERUNG as an AI-Based Deaf-Friendly E-Learning," is a collaborative effort involving Unsri, the Palembang Zone Working Group for Special Education Teachers (KKG-PK), and SLB Negeri Pembina Palembang. The launch was attended by key figures including the Dean of FMIPA Unsri, Prof. Hermansyah, and the head of SLB Negeri Pembina Palembang, Sri Warih Handayani.

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AI must help teachers create more adaptive, visual, interactive, and inclusive learning.

Anita emphasized that AI in education should be more than a technological symbol. "AI must help teachers create more adaptive, visual, interactive, and inclusive learning," she said. To achieve this, teachers participating in the program will receive training and ongoing support until September. They will learn to use e-learning tools, develop visual-based digital content, and leverage AI for inclusive teaching. "Teachers are the key actors in ensuring technology truly impacts the classroom. Digital platforms are just tools. Learning quality still depends heavily on teachers' ability to understand student needs," Anita asserted.

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Teachers are the key actors in ensuring technology truly impacts the classroom. Digital platforms are just tools. Learning quality still depends heavily on teachers' ability to understand student needs.

EL-SIBERUNG is also envisioned as a collaborative space for KKG-PK teachers in the Palembang Zone. Beyond accessing materials, it aims to foster knowledge sharing and best practices among teachers from various Special Schools (SLB). Participating schools include SLB Negeri Pembina Palembang, SLB Negeri Hayza Nur Ilmi, SLB YPAC, SLB Negeri Banyuasin, and SLB OPI Jakabaring. The collaboration between the university and special education institutions is crucial for EL-SIBERUNG's development, with Unsri providing academic and technological support, and the KKG-PK and participating schools offering practical classroom insights. Unsri hopes this partnership will continue post-program for sustainable use and integration into daily teaching practices. "The success of educational innovation is measured by how widely it opens learning opportunities for deaf students, not just by the sophistication of the technology," Anita concluded. The EL-SIBERUNG development project itself ran from June to September 2026.

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The success of educational innovation is measured by how widely it opens learning opportunities for deaf students, not just by the sophistication of the technology.