The Cooperative Graduate School Accessibility through AI-based Assistive Technology (KATE - www.kate.kit.edu) is a new cooperative and interdisciplinary graduate school between the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Hochschule Karlsruhe (HKA). The program revolves around investigating state-of-the-art artificial intelligence methods in order to improve the autonomy and participation of persons with special needs. Different dissertation topics ranging from AI-based methods for text, audio, and multimedia document processing, AI methods for interactive training and assistance systems, to investigating the consequences and ethical, legal, social, and societal implications of AI systems for people with disabilities will be offered. The sponsored persons will work on a selected topic scientifically in depth within the framework of their doctorate and will receive an overall view of all relevant topics - including medical causes as well as their effects, the needs of the target groups, AI-based approaches, ethics, technology assessment, and societal aspects - through the exchange within the doctoral college for this purpose.