Control of virtual environments for young people with learning difficulties

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this research is to identify the requirements for the selection or development of usable virtual environment (VE) interface devices for young people with learning difficulties. Method: A user-centred design methodology was employed, to produce a design specification for usable VE interface devices. Details of the users' cognitive, physical and perceptual abilities were obtained through observation and normative assessment tests. Conclusions: A review of computer interface technology, including virtual reality and assistive devices, was conducted. As there were no devices identified that met all the requirements of the design specification, it was concluded that there is a need for the design and development of new concepts. Future research will involve concept and prototype development and user-based evaluation of the prototypes.

Systematic Evaluation of Current Control Devices Used by People with Intellectual Disabilities in Non-Immersive Virtual Environments

“…An evaluation 13 of a prototype two handed device that combined both navigation and interaction found that young people with intellectual disabilities were confused about which action caused interaction, which navigation. The present study found that the mouse was easy to understand and use for interaction supporting the findings 13 that for interaction the mouse was quicker to use than a button on her prototype two handed device. This suggests that in having to meet the cognitive requirements of this particular user group, the functions of navigation and interaction should be provided by two separate devices.…”

“…They therefore find the devices difficult to control. 11 With problems like these, users can become frustrated and demotivated and fail to benefit from the advantages of using VE. This study set out to systematically document the performance of users with the currently recommended devices using a methodology established in an earlier study.…”

An interface to virtual environments for people who are blind using Wii technology ‐ mental models and navigation

“…The modifications were carried out by the system design engineer (Battersby, 2007;, who conducted the evaluations together with a Computer Science Masters degree student who is blind (subject A). This iterative design process was in line with user-centred design methodology (e.g., Lannen et al, 2002;Battersby et al, 2004). Early design iterations highlighted the need for initial orientation and calibration.…”

Los estudiantes universitarios ante la inclusión de sus compañeros con discapacidad: indicadores basados en la teoría de la acción razonada para los estudios de economía y empresa en la Universidad de A Coruña = University students facing inclusión

“…Los estudios de control percibido por parte de los jóvenes, se dirigen hacia diversos campos que son objeto especial de atención en estas edades, algunos se relacionan con la salud: McCaul et al (1993), otros con seguridad: White et al (2008), Nemme et al (2010), los usos de internet: Pelling y White (2009), etc. Se han realizado también estudios sobre el control percibido por las personas con discapacidad, como los de Paul et al (2006), Lannen et al (2002) sobre jóvenes con dificultades de aprendizaje en entornos virtuales y el de Mueller et al (2006) sobre jóvenes con Síndrome de Tourette, en el contexto universitario.…”