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Using assistive robots to promote inclusive education
Summary
Play Experience by Assistive Technology for play
Devices, services & contexts for play with children with disabilities
Name of Play Experience by AT
Using assistive robots to promote inclusive education
Type of project
Intervention
Finished research project
Ongoing research project
Summary
(~150 words: target group, aims, kind of activities, Play Experience by AT (devices, services and contexts) used, play experiences and results)
Both a physical and a virtual Lego robot were developed to support children's with neuromotor disabilities participation in academic activities requiring the manipulation of objects. Children controlled the robot through their Augmentative and Alternative Communication device thus allowing them to simultaneously perform the activities and communicate about them. Nine children with neuromotor disabilities, aged from 3 to 6 years old, used the Integrated Augmentative Manipulation and Comunication Assistive Technology (IAMCAT) at their classes to perform academic activities in the curricular areas of Mathematics, Language, and Science & Social Studies along with their peers. Nine regular teachers and nine special education teachers also participated in the study. Teachers considered the IAMCAT a valuable resource that can be integrated in regular classes and that is compatible with the teachers’ curricular planning and management. However they pointed out the need for proper training and for the presence of another teacher / teaching assistant in class.
Play Experience by Assistive technology
Low-tech, high-tech products, services and contexts for play
Description, intended use(s), intended target group(s), manufacturer/developer, reference
A Lego Mindstorms robot was built with a gripper to manipulate objects and a pen attached to allow for drawing on the robot's traveling surface. Robot command cells were incorporated into communication boards of the Augmentative and Alternative Communication software The Grid 2. Communication between the computer running The Grid 2 and the robot was done through BlueTooth. A virtual version of the system was also devised, children using the robot control cells integrated into The Grid 2 communication boards to control a virtual robot on a computer screen. The goal of the Integrated Augmentative Manipulation and Communication Assistive Technologies developed is to support children's with neuromotor disabilities participation in academic activities that require the manipulation of objects.
Context
The context of use
(home, school, rehab center or other environments)
Children used the Integrated Augmentative Manipulation and Communication Assistive Technology to participate in academic activities in their classrooms, along with their typically developing peers. The academic activities in the curricular areas of Mathematics, Language, and Science & Social Studies were prepared by the participants' teachers, taking into consideration their curricular planning and management.
Type of Play
Type of play in this play system
LUDI Classification of types of play
Cognitive Dimension
Practice
Symbolic
Constructive
Rule play (including videogames)
Social Dimension
Solitary
Parallel
Associative
Cooperative
Objectives
Objectives related to play according to ICF-CY
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Children & Youth Version (ICF-CY)
Play for the sake of play
Major life areas - d880 engagement in play
d8800 solitary play
d8801 onlooker play
d8802 parallel play
d8803 shared cooperative play
d8808 engagement in play, other specified
d8809 engagement in play, unspecified
Community social and civic life - d920 recreation and leisure time
d9200 play
Play-like activities
Therapeutic and educational objectives
b1 Mental functions
b2 Sensory functions and pain
b3 Voice and speech functions
b4 Functions of cardiovascular, hematological, immunological and respiratory systems
b5 Functions of digestive, metabolic and endocrine systems
b7 Neuromusculoskeletal and movement related functions
d1 Learning and applying knowledge (learning through symbolic play, learning through pretend play)
d2 General tasks and demands
d3 Communication
d4 Mobility
d7 Interpersonal interactions and relationships
Participant
Participant(s)
Number
1-5
5-10
10-20
>20
Chronological Age
0-3 years
3-6 years
6-12 years
12-18 years
Development Age
0-3 years
3-6 years
6-12 years
12-18 years
LUDI Categories of disabilities
Mental/intellectual impairments:
mild
moderate
severe
profound
Hearing impairments
Partially hearing impaired
Deaf
Visual impairments
Partially sighted
Blind
Communication disorders (speech and language disorders)
Physical impairments
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Multiple disabilities
Explanation
Explanation on the use of low-tech, high-tech devices, services or contexts
Explanation
No instruction, self-discovery of the participant/subject
Verbal instruction, language and communication fitting to chronological age
Verbal instruction, language and communication is adapted
Visual and/or verbal instruction with AAC (Aumentative and Alternative Communication)
Visual instruction with written language
Visual instruction with pictures or drawings
Modeling by therapist/researcher
Hand over hand: therapist/researcher leads the actions of the participant
Prompting: therapist/researcher touches the participant as a key for further actions
Guided discovery: therapist/researcher coaches the participant so s/he discovers how to use the assistive technology
Modeling by peer
Visual instruction by peer
Verbal instruction by peer
Involvement
Adult: therapist/educator/researcher
Parent or significant others
Peer with disabilities
Peer without disabilities
Role
Non-participatory observer
Participatory observer
Providing instruction
After the instruction, providing supervision during play
Evaluation
Evaluation of objectives and outcome measures
Description of outcome measure(s)
Observation by professional/researcher providing the play experience
Observation by other professional/researcher
Video analysis
Feedback from client/parents/professionals
(validated and reliable) outcome measures like tests, self-reports of client/system, questionnaires
Information about availability of outcome measure: publisher, website, contact person
Participants' teachers were interviewed before and after the intervention. A content analysis of the interviews was conducted.
Achievements
Summary of achieved effects
Teachers considered the IAMCAT a valuable resource that can be integrated in regular classes and that is compatible with the teachers’ curricular planning and management. However they pointed out the need for proper training and for the presence of another teacher / teaching assistant in class. Teachers considered that the project continuity would be more ensured with the virtual IAMCAT. Teachers referred more to the children's participation in the activities with the virtual robot and referred more to the impact on the group dynamics of the physical robot.
References
References to the intervention or research project
Contact Person
Pedro Encarnação, pme@ucp.pt
Website
www.uarpie.anditec.pt
Publication
Using assistive robots to promote inclusive education - first user trials P. Encarnação, K. Adams, A. Cook, M. Nunes da Ponte, A. Caiado, T. Leite, C. Nunes, J. Pereira, G. Piedade, M. Ribeiro, A. Martins, and M. Silva Proceedings of the RESNA 2015 Conference, Denver, US, June 10-14, 2015
Keywords
Keywords
Example: Robots, Virtual Games, Mobile Phone, Public Playground, Adapted Toys
Assistive robots, inclusive education
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