VL4ASD: Virtual Learning for People With Autistic Spectrum Disorders

We worked together with Michigan State University (MSU), Department of Counselling, Educational Psychology and Special Education, Dr. Yurgos Politis, and University College Dublin to produce a virtual world in which conversational skills training could take place targeted at young neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with ASD.

We were able to provide the training in four forms via a 3D world: slideshows, videos, questionnaires and chatbot characters / AI narrator characters.

The platform allowed for two methods of teaching:

Firstly, the more traditional delivery of training where each trainee and teacher could login to access the virtual world using an avatar (a 3D character)

Secondly, if the trainee wanted to learn alone, they could access the same virtual environment and use the AI-driven chatbots to improve their conversational skill sets.

One of the project outcomes was a research paper:
‘Involving People with Autism in Development of Virtual World for Provision of Skills Training’
International Journal of E-Learning and Distance Education, (Politis, Olivia, Olivia, & Sung, 2017)
https://www.ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/1032