Sara Price

Informing design for tangible interaction: a case for children with learning difficulties

The advent of new technologies is expanding the possibilities for a richer, multi-sensory interaction to support children with learning difficulties in schools. However, little research has yet investigated how such innovative interaction can enhance the learning experience of these children. Effectively informing research and design of innovative educational, technological resources for children with learning difficulties requires relevant field study. Findings from a qualitative classroom study indicate the potential of tangible technologies to enhance these childrens experiences by providing a variety of modes of representation, and opportunities for collaboration, physical engagement and hands-on exploration. They also provide an effective foundation for investigating how tangible interaction can help to structure exploratory learning: a recommended but problematic approach for these children.

Let the play set come alive: Supporting playful learning through the digital augmentation of a traditional toy environment

The Augmented Knights Castle (AKC) comprises traditional play figures and scenery embedded with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to enhance user experience by triggering various forms of audio output. In this paper we present the results of a user study with over 100 children to evaluate the AKC in terms of playful learning, compared with an identical, non-augmented version. Findings suggest that children who played with the AKC remembered facts about the Middle Ages that were presented to them in the form of verbal commentaries, both immediately after the play session as well as in a post-test two months later.