Itaru Kitahara

視覚教示による学習支援のための大規模床面投影システム | Large-scale floor projection system to support learning through visual instruction

Research on visual information presentation systems and content design for learning support in school education has been active. In order to explore new possibilities for learning support activities, we have realized a large-scale video projection system that uses the floor of a gymnasium, one of the important places for children's learning, as a screen, and are engaged in research on content design for educational support activities using this system. In this paper, we describe the construction method of the large-scale floor projection system. We design a content (mopping guide) on the proposed system to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in learning to clean the floor, and verify the effectiveness of the large-scale floor projection system in supporting children's learning. The effectiveness of the system in supporting children's learning will be confirmed by comparing the results of cleaning effects before and after the teaching of the mop/guide.

jun-xie
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An Empathic Design Approach to an Augmented Gymnasium in a Special Needs School Setting

In this paper, we describe a case study of an empathic design approach for designing a technology-assisted teaching in a special needs school setting with involvement of teachers and their students. An advanced design platform with a large-scale spatial augmented and mixed reality system was installed in the gymnasium of the school to enhance the teachers' insights toward a solution. Through careful design consultations with the teachers in the platform, we designed a full-body interactive learning game for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which intends to keep their attention focused on the content provided for learning. A total of 5 researchers, 21 teachers, and 64 students were involved in the study. Three observations, three workshops, six meetings, and two feasibility studies were conducted with the participants in the case study. The game was evaluated in a viability testing in cooperation with 23 children (20 males and 3 females, mild/moderate ASD, 6-12 years-old). The result verified that 95.7 % of the children succeeded in implementing the task provided in the game, which indicated that the game has the potential to help them focus their attention on learning by introducing an element of fun. The case study strengthened the importance of an empathic design approach that relocates a design platform from researchers' environment to a special needs school setting for designing a technology-assisted teaching for children with ASD. The design approach helped the study participants learn more about the problems, needs, and strengths of the children, and provided an appropriate solution together with technology.

issey-takahashi
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FUTUREGYM: A gymnasium with interactive floor projection for children with special needs

Interpersonal interaction is one of the fundamental factors for successful inclusion in education for children with special needs, including children suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or intellectual disabilities (ID). In order to increase opportunities for interpersonal interactions among children, an interactive school gymnasium called FUTUREGYM, with a large-scale, interactive floor projection system in a school setting is proposed. As part of this study, high performance projectors (approximately 545-inch of total screen size) and tracking cameras mounted on the ceiling were installed in the gymnasium of a special needs school; these devices facilitated overlaying of individual visual aids for children with special needs. Visual aids help these children to be aware of social cues, a behavior that is considered important for the development of social interaction. Group activities to be conducted in FUTUREGYM were designed through careful consultations with teachers at the school: (1) Group running, called Circle-Run, provides an opportunity to experience a behavior that requires coordination with others, and (2) A group exergame, called Constellation Game, provides a situation to trigger helping behaviors by requiring them to be aware of other players' difficulties. The feasibility of these activities has been confirmed in this study through viability tests with the school's children with ASD and/or ID.

issey-takahashi
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Proposal of A Spacial Design for A Gymnasium Using Floor Projection

Social interaction supports are one of the fundamental factors to realize a successful inclusion in education for children with special needs, including those with Neurodevelopmental disorders. In order to develop their social interaction skills, we propose an interactive school gymnasium, called FUTUREGYM, with a large-scale interactive floor projection system. We installed high performance projectors and tracking cameras mounted on the ceiling of the gymnasium of a special needs school, providing interactive visual aids for students. We designed group activities to provoke voluntary wayfinding behavior and their social interaction: 1) A group run, called Circle-Run, promotes their cooperative running behaviors; 2) A group game, called Constellation Game, leads to the positive behaviors and stimulates helping behaviors; 3) A group stage, called Otsuka Olympic, helps enhancing motivation in sports events. We have confirmed the feasibility of the proposed environment throughout field studies with children with special needs.

issey-takahashi
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