The SkillAIbility Framework: A Progressive Model for Inclusive Learning Factories Supporting Vulnerable Populations

This paper presents the SkillAIbility framework, an open model for designing inclusive learning factories that accommodate vulnerable populations including older adults, deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, people with disabilities, and under-skilled workers. The framework defines four progressive paradigms of human-technology interaction—(D) Inclusivity, (B) Symbiosis, (C) Augmentation, and (A) Empowerment—operating across three dimensions: control allocation (agency), cognitive load, and modality. These learner-centered paradigms intersect with four structural inclusion modes: Targeted Technology Insertion (I), Inclusive Innovation (II), Facilitation-Driven approaches (X), and Procedural Inclusion (∅), creating a flexible matrix for evaluating learning configurations. Practical applications in welding and assembly demonstrate how the framework operationalizes across operator roles, AI systems, trainer functions, and interface design. By integrating SEIPS 2.0 work system principles and providing explicit pathways from accessible entry points to full learner empowerment (D→B→C→A), the SkillAIbility framework offers learning factory designers a systematic, evidence-based approach to democratizing advanced manufacturing education while maintaining technical rigor and supporting diverse learner needs.