DEVELOPMENT OF SERIOUS GAMES USING AUTOMATA THEORY AS SUPPORT IN TEACHING PEOPLE WITH COGNITIVE DISABILITIES

In this article, it is presented our experience in the use of the automata theory in the development of serious videogames oriented to people with special necessities. Serious videogames were developed to be used in virtual platforms in order to ease the learning of basic concepts about the management and attending of tiny business for people with disability for understanding. The serious videogames were created using finite state machines in order to represent the special use cases in the operation and management of a tiny business. The logic of the finite state machines are stored in arrays considering the variables: events, states and calendars. The serious videogames permit to the students that they decide several strategies of resolve defined problems. The videogames are used to evaluate the degree of acceptance of the selected solution by of the student, and they suggest methods to improve the manner of to do the assigned tasks. Besides, the students obtain of the videogame, samples of gratitude instead of money, when they use available tools in correct manner. However, a tiny quantity of money is accredit to their virtual wallets in order to help in the buy of food (represented by quantity of live) and transportation (represented by scenes of mobility in a virtual city). Other experiences are described. These experiences include the analysis of the topics considered to generate the motivational environment of the serious videogames. Four important concepts are described. These concepts have relation with the treat to the clients, the timely use of business resources, the time used to do the assigned tasks and the necessity of solicit help of other institutions, business and other people. The objective of this work is to use new technology tools in order to teach to the people with disability of understanding about the essential elements of the world of the commerce. The serious videogames consider three stages. The first stage is specially oriented to develop the memory of the students. The purpose of the second stage is improve the understanding of the students. Finally, the last stage is used to obtain of the students a acceptable grade of collaboration in the work and tasks to be performed in tiny business. Many conclusions are exposed, and results of the use of serious videogames with several students group are presented. New threads are suggested to start investigations in the use and develop of serious videogames in order to they can be incorporated to virtual e-learning classrooms.