A comparison of humanoid and non-humanoid robots in supporting the learning of pupils with severe intellectual disabilities

Previous research has shown that the humanoid NAO robot can enhance learning as well as improve communication in children with intellectual disabilities. However, most special needs schools cannot afford the humanoid NAO robot due to high costs. Could a cheaper nonhumanoid Lego Mindstorm robot be an alternative way of achieving the same learning objectives as the humanoid NAO robot? A single case study experimental ABAB design was used consisting of 16 sessions over 5 weeks: eight with the humanoid and eight with the non-humanoid robot. All sessions were video recorded and analysed for percentage engagement and percentage errors made by each of four students. For each student individually, these outcome measures were then compared between the two conditions. The teachers were interviewed at the end of the study. Three out of four students were significantly more engaged with the non-humanoid robot than the humanoid robot, whilst one student was found to be equally engaged with both robots. There was no significant difference between the two robots in terms of percentage errors for all four participants who managed to complete the study

Robots in special education: reasons for low uptake

Purpose: This paper identifies the main reasons for low uptake of robots in Special Education, obtained from an analysis of previous studies that used robots in the area, and from interviewing Special Education teachers about the topic. Design/methodology/approach: An analysis of 18 studies that used robots in Special Education was performed, and the conclusions were complemented and compared with the feedback from interviewing 13 Special Education teachers from Spain and UK about the reasons they believed caused the low uptake of robots in Special Education classrooms. Findings: Five main reasons why Special Education schools do not normally use robots in their classrooms were identified: the inability to acquire the system due to its price or availability; its difficulty of use; the low range of activities offered; the limited ways of interaction offered; and the inability to use different robots with the same software. Originality/value: Previous studies focused on exploring the advantages of using robots to help children with Autistic Spectrum Conditions and Learning Disabilities. This study takes a step further and looks into the reasons why, despite the benefits shown, robots are rarely used in real-life settings after the relevant study ends. The authors also present a potential solution to the issues found: involving end users in the design and development of new systems using a user-centred design approach for all the components, including methods of interaction, learning activities, and the most suitable type of robots

Socially Assistive Robotics ed educazione inclusiva: prospettive teoriche e applicazioni pratiche nella disabilità intellettiva

This contribution, examining the Socially Assistive Robotics (SAR), an emerging form of Assistive Technology that incorporates all robotic systems capable of providing assistance through social interaction (Feil-Seifer & Mataric, 2005), aims to initiate an organic reflection on the potential inherent in it, for the promotion of social skills of people with Intellectual Disabilities.Il presente contributo, prendendo in esame la Socially Assistive Robotics (SAR- in italiano Robotica Sociale Assistiva), una forma emergente di Tecnologia Assistita che ingloba tutti i sistemi robotici in grado di fornire assistenza attraverso l’interazione sociale (Feil-Seifer & Mataric, 2005), ha la finalità di avviare una riflessione organica sulle potenzialità in essa insite, per la promozione e lo sviluppo delle abilità sociali delle persone con Disabilità Intellettiva

Examining engagement and achievement in learners with individual needs through robotic-based teaching sessions

Research suggests that robotics can provide an engaging learning experience for learners with special educational needs. However, further work is required to explore the impact of robots within the classroom, particularly for learners with intellectual disabilities (ID). This paper seeks to further explore the potential effects of robots on such learners through examining engagement and goal achievement within teaching sessions. Eleven participants with ID were recruited from two countries to take part in the study using an ABAB design where the participants acted as their own controls. An appropriate learning goal for each participant was selected by the teacher and equivalent control sessions designed seeking to achieve the same learning goal but without the robot. Engagement, using eye‐gaze, learning goal achievement with and without help and goals not achieved provided the outcome measures from the sessions. This study found no significant difference between the robot and the control sessions for any of the outcome measures utilized suggesting robots are as effective as teaching tools as traditional methods. Through an increased sample size and a rigorously applied experimental protocol, this study provides new data and methodological considerations for further work based on the techniques applied in this study

Robôs Humanoides na Educação: Um Mapeamento Sistemático com Base na Produção Cientifica Nacional e Internacional

O presente artigo teve como objetivo investigar como se dá o uso de robôs humanoides no âmbito educacional. Para tanto, realizamos um Mapeamento Sistemático da Literatura a partir teses, dissertações e artigos científicos publicados no período compreendido entre os anos de 2009 e 2018 nas bases de dados da Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações – BDTD, por ser uma base de dados aberta, tendo o português como língua oficial. No contexto internacional, IEEE Xplore Digital Library e Education Resources Information Center - ERIC, por ser uma base de dados com foco em pesquisas e informações educacionais, tendo o inglês como língua oficial. Especificou-se os tipos de robôs humanoides, aspectos metodológicos, didáticos e curriculares. O resultado desta pesquisa produz fundamentação teórica para a investigação e inserção de novas tecnologias na escola, assim como uma análise mais precisa das interações e o impacto do uso de robôs humanoides na educação

On accessible Visual Programming Tools for children with Autism Spectrum Condition and additional learning disabilities

Visual Programming Tools (VPTs) provide a visual programming and execution environment, in addition to other visual resources and tools appropriate for creating visual programs for a particular domain. Several VPTs have been created for teaching children to program at an early age. Research on the use of these tools to teach programming, academic and non-academic skills has reported positive results. However, children with learning disabilities including those also diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) are left out of research in this area. Therefore, this research aims to contribute to existing knowledge in this area by exploring the accessibility of existing VPTs for this group of users and creating design tools and recommendations for the design of accessible VPTs for this target group. This research began with the evaluation of the accessibility of the most popular VPT, Scratch. A user evaluation was conducted with seven children with learning disabilities, five of them were also diagnosed with ASC; three special education needs teachers were also interviewed as part of the evaluation. Analysis of the findings from this evaluation showed that the children faced several difficulties while using Scratch to create stories; and also identified the causes of the difficulties. Accessibility heuristics were derived from the identified 'causes of difficulties' and were used to evaluate the accessibility of three additional VPTs. The findings of this second evaluation showed that the assessed VPTs have features similar to those of Scratch that caused accessibility difficulties to the target group. In creating tools and recommendations for designing accessible VPTs, the research focused on children with ASC (with learning disabilities) due to the match between their reported preferences and the features of VPTs. A method of creating personae to represent their requirements and goals was created and used to create three data-grounded personae. Experts were then interviewed to propose a set of recommendations for designing accessible VPTs for the target group. Therefore, this research contributed methods for conducting accessibility evaluation of VPTs for children with learning disabilities and for creating personae for children with ASC; a theoretical model for the use of VPTs by children with learning disabilities in a class setting to achieve a learning goal; findings on the accessibility of existing VPTs for children with learning disabilities; and recommendations for designing accessible VPTs for children with ASC