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Developing inclusive e-learning and e-entertainment to effectively accommodate learning difficulties

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Abstract

The real-life training of people with learning difficulties is a highly challenging and demanding process that can be effectively improved with the deployment of special-purpose software instruments. This paper discusses the development and evaluation of two inclusive training applications and two games for people with learning difficulties. Namely, the four developed systems are: (a) a cashier training applications; (b) a sewing training applications; (c) an accessible pong game; and (d) an accessible action game. The main objective of the work was to investigate the hypothesis that computer games, as pleasant, motivating and highly engaging interactive experiences, can have a significant role on improving the training of people with learning difficulties, such as attention deficit disorder or Asperger syndrome. The obtained results are very positive and encouraging, and have led to the identification of new research directions, blending training and playing, via novel training techniques and purpose-specific game genres.

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Notes

  1. http://www.seriousgames.org/

  2. http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/parents/ld_basics/ld.asp

  3. http://www3.who.int/icf/icftemplate.cfm

  4. http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/resources/frames.asp?top.asp+http://www.smartkidswithld.org

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Acknowledgments

The King Pong and Access Invaders entertainment applications have been mainly developed in the context of the MICOLE project (IST-2003-511592 STP), partly funded by the Information Society Technologies Programme of the European Commission DG Information Society. The partners in the MICOLE consortium are: University of Tampere (Finland); University of Glasgow (UK); University of Metz (France); Uppsala University (Sweden), Lund University (Sweden); Royal Institute of Technology KTH (Sweden); Siauliai University (Lithuania); Institute of Computer Science FORTH (Greece); University of Linx (Austria); University of Pierre and Marie Curie (France); France Telecom (France); Reachin Technologies AB (Sweden). The cashier and sew-trainer training applications have been developed and are deployed under a sub-contract (2001) from the “Centre of Special Training”, of the “Therapeutic Clinic of Lifelong Diseases”, located at the city of Agios Nikolaos, Region of Crete.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Computer Science, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Anthony Savidis, Dimitris Grammenos & Constantine Stephanidis

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Constantine Stephanidis

Authors
  1. Anthony Savidis
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  2. Dimitris Grammenos
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  3. Constantine Stephanidis
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Correspondence to Constantine Stephanidis.

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Savidis, A., Grammenos, D. & Stephanidis, C. Developing inclusive e-learning and e-entertainment to effectively accommodate learning difficulties. Univ Access Inf Soc 5, 401–419 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-006-0059-3

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