Abstract:

The AHA (AdHd-Augmented) project is a pilot project funded by European Commission with the specific aim of developing an educational application to assist children diagnosed with an Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in improving their literacy skills. Specifically, the AHA application represents a highly-targeted digital solution that has been implemented integrating different existing technologies: 1) the WordsWorthLearning (WWL) Programme, a web-based literacy programme addressing reading and spelling skills, 2) the Web Health Application for Adhd Monitoring (WHAAM), developed for the behavioural monitoring of children with ADHD, and 3) Augmented Reality (AR) content. The basic idea is that AR can increase the effectiveness of an already valid literacy programme by further drawing ADHD children’s attention to task completion. The present contribution first introduces a description of the AHA application architecture with regard to its constituent components. The research design to assess the impact of the AHA application on children’s literacy performance and engagement with the tasks is also presented. In this context, a detailed description of the infographic of the stakeholders is provided to offer a snapshot of some relevant characteristics associated with ADHD among children attending Irish primary schools.

Keywords:

ADHD, Augmented Reality, Literacy Programme, Behavioural Monitoring, Reading and Spelling Difficulties.