Using social robots to create inclusive classroom experiences for children with mixed visual abilities

Abstract

Visually impaired children are increasingly educated in mainstream schools rather than special schools. However, even though being included with their sighted peers, previous research reveals concerns with classroom participation, lack of collaborative learning, reduced social engagement, and potential for isolation. My dissertation explores designing and building interactive social robots to promote inclusive classroom experiences and social engagement between children with mixed visual abilities. Social robots have the potential to foster engagement, participation, and collaboration due to their unique multi-sensory capabilities, actuators, and agency. Situated in a local mainstream school, I conducted extensive field work that involved engaging with the school community, including children, teachers, therapists, and parents through ethnographic observations, contextual inquiry, group interviews, and design activities. The identified challenges and opportunities will guide the design of social robots capable of supporting inclusive classroom experiences and sustaining long-term social engagement between mixed visual abilities pupils. I will explore opportunities for off-the-shelf and custom-built robots to address existing challenges by following a user-centred methodology to design prototype, and evaluate solution with the school community.