OIBAI
you can read it as oy bye. Oibai is a Kazakh exclamation of surprise and sympathy.
An assistant that answers paraeducators' everyday classroom questions with guidance drawn from special education research.
Special education paraprofessionals now outnumber the special education teachers who supervise them (OSEP, 2025), and most enter the role with minimal preparation (Damiani et al., 2023; Massafra et al., 2020). OIBAI answers a paraeducator's question in plain language, drawing on published research and practice guidance, and shows the source with every answer.
Working prototype, 2026. Not in schools yet.
oibai.coDamiani, M. L., Woodfield, C. L., Elder, B. C., & Freedman, J. E. (2023). Professional development for paraprofessionals on inclusive practices using Disability Studies in Education. Journal of Special Education Preparation, 3(3), 16–27. https://doi.org/10.33043/JOSEP.3.3.6-27
Massafra, A., Gershwin, T., & Gosselin, K. (2020). Policy, preparation, and practice… Oh my! Current policy regarding the paraprofessional role and preparation for working with students with disabilities. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 31(3), 164–172. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207320920004
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. (2025, January 7). OSEP fast facts: Part B personnel (school year 2022–2023). https://sites.ed.gov/idea/osep-fast-facts-part-b-personnel-sy22-23/