Abstract:

This paper aims to investigate macro-areas of development psychology research, cognitive psychology and neuropsychology in learning disorders, using a holistic approach to a learning disorder known as evolutionary dyslexia. Dyslexics need to be more stimulated on the visual and perceptive level. Starting from this point of view, we want use the augmented reality as support for people with dyslexia, trying to understand whether the innovative and engaging applications of this AR technology can take on a constructivist value and can enhance specific abilities. Specifically, we propose a research project called ASB (Augmented SmartBook), it is based on a technology tool called SmartBook consisting of a tablet, an app, and QR code codes for augmented reality. The smartbook could have, also, a compensating value that can overcome the deficiency in reading and can, in turn, boost other skills, such as playful and creative ones. The goal is to prevent, but also to reduce, the effects of dyslexia during the complex learning process. The ASB (Augmented SmartBook project) addresses dyslexic children aged between 6 and 10, a particularly critical age group with regard to the learning of a large amount of information, in the specific transition from childhood to early elementary classes. It presents itself as an augmented reality device capable of re-storing stories, adventures, myths, legends, normally recited on textbooks, in digital augmented format with the support of QR codes. The project aims to investigate, also, the psychological and social aspects of building a device as a place of expression able to relate the student's self to the knowledge acquired by exploiting a type of multi-sensory experience. The advantage of ASB (Augmented SmartBook) is to integrate the most cognitive aspect that allows you to learn history, geography together with the play that would allow for more effective learning. The student, listening all the stories told by the smartbook app of the tablet, and exploring the environment through the system of augmented reality, he is the protagonist of active learning. Interactive learning could be able to stimulate, through story telling, imagination and creativity, by promoting meaning construction, self expression, personalization, and constant sharing of information with peers. Today, the application has been used with 3 subjects with developmental dyslexia belonging to the first elementary class. Our research hypothesis is to test if the use of augmented reality technology helps the learning of subjects with dyslexia. Learning is evaluated with an oral assessment questionnaire on one curriculum subject (Geography). Didactic content is ad hoc editing by student’s support teachers and is included in the smartbook application like multimedia content, with images, sounds, and videos. During the narration of the content, students are invited to explore the surrounding environment, to look for objects related to learning content (planisphere, geographic maps, objects of various nature) and while exploring the surrounding environment they learn new concepts. We apply the experimental design of a reference sample of a single case (ABAB), a research method that allows us to study the dyslexic subject for a long time. It consists of a succession of periods when treatment is not administered (Phase A) alternating with treatment periods (Phase B) in a continuous manner.

Keywords:

Augmented reality, learning technologies, developmental dyslexia.