This paper examines the integrated toy--both physical and virtual--as an essential resource for collaborative learning. This learning incorporates rehabilitation, training, and education. The data derived from two different cases. Pedagogical issues related to non-formal learning and open-ended features of design are discussed. Findings suggest that social, material, and expressive affordances constitute a base for an alterative interface to encourage children's play and learning.
Children with severe physical disabilities have limited possibilities for joyful experiences and interactive play. Physical training and therapy to improve such opportunities for these children is often enduring, tedious and boring through repetition-and this is often the case for both patient and the facilitator or therapist. The aim of the study reported in this paper was to explore how children with a severe physical disability could use an easily accessible robotic device that enabled control of projected images towards achieving joyful experiences and interactive play, so as to give opportunities for use as a supplement to traditional rehabilitation therapy sessions. The process involves the capturing of gesture data through an intuitive non-intrusive interface. The interface is invisible to the naked eye and offers a direct and immediate association between the child's physical feed-forward gesture and the physical reaction (feedback) of the robotic device. Results from multiple sessions with four children with severe physical disability suggest that the potential of non-intrusive interaction with a multimedia robotic device that is capable of giving synchronized physical response offers additional opportunities, and motivated non-formal potentials in therapy and learning to supplement the field.
The paper reports on an initial explorative study that inquired to the response of persons with profound and multiple disabilities in an interactive environment. Our goal was to explore the potentials of interactive environments for improving quality of life for people with special needs and those around them. In the study they were empowered within a volumetric non-invasive interface to actively experience gestural control of sonic events. Case studies exemplify the findings indicating a potential that can encourage social interaction and benefit user, carers, and family. Conclusions highlight evaluand significance to other interactive research such that when a state of flow is achieved both a new reality and state of consciousness are opportune.
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