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Some participants have raised the issue that it may need to be clarified from a legal and insurance point of view whether VR can be used with this target group without further ado (especially
when it comes to younger learners) and who ultimately decides this (school management, school authorities, psychologists, doctors, etc.). Does each individual app have to be analysed and
approved? There still seems to be a need for action and coordination between all relevant parties involved here.
France:
Necessity to adapt the pedagogical approach and contents to SEN students, for instance:
- Adapt texts to the learners’ level of understanding
- Adapt the form of the contents used: contrasts, type of font, size... (cf General reference frame of improvement of accessibility:https://www.numerique.gouv.fr/publications/rgaa-
accessibilite/)
- Possibly provide content in all three modalities: oral, text and sign language.
- Reduce the time of use of content according to possible eye strain.
For some SEN students, VR isolates them to place them in a context that facilitates their expression.
The use of screens for some students who cannot tolerate the VR headset is also to be taken into consideration.
Other areas for development:
- Soft skills (empathy, learning to better live together, communication, fighting prejudices, ...)
- Metacognition (through embodiment) in relation to learners' behaviours and attitudes in different situations.
- Foreign languages: English and more generally learning foreign languages is sometimes put aside, so VR could be an effective tool to help students master the first basics (Cf the FOXP2
portal which allows to connect families of children with disabilities around the world in order to facilitate language exchanges)
Ireland:
Promote and assess self-awareness through VR software, leads to leadership skills,
Useful for students with sensory issues
Can be used with students with partial sight loss where students need to see a task multiple times or visually isolate a part of the virtual environment
Could also be good for students with Autism or Asperger Syndrome,
Suitability is very much on an individual basis depending on the students’ condition and needs.
Baby step it would be the best approach for many SEN students. Firstly, make them familiar with the headsets and the basic feeling of VR and very gradually move towards the WBL VR
experience
As previously stated, SEN students may have extreme difficulties in engaging with VR-based learning, based upon the physical and sensory constraints of their differences. When teaching
SEN students through VR, the provision a comprehensive and explicit instruction around how the technology is used, what would be expected, etc. is essential to ensure the student is able
to maximise their potential. Likewise, providing for differences in level of function and universally designing content to make it accessible is a necessity if VR is to be integrated into an SEN
student population.
In the context of this slow introduction soft games or programs to build confidence in using VR would be very useful,
VR could also be used for Event preparation in the College, even to assist some students accessing their classrooms
VR Can also be used to prepare students for social inclusion. Even simple tasks such as accessing their lockers, accessing the canteen etc.
There are a variety of SEN students who could greatly benefit from the use of VR, although it is exceptionally difficult to identify a specific ‘diagnosis’ to which this advantage could be
attributed. Instead, focusing on individuals who learn most efficiently through experiential means, or already engage with digital means of learning more than others, is the most effective
way to determine the suitability of VR for a specific student.
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