HCD methodologies and simulation for visual rehabilitator’s education in oMERO project

Abstract

Objectives:The presented work arises in the context of designing for individuals with visual impairment, specifically we refer to a target group of children from two to seven years of age. The study was conducted with the contribution of the XXX research group within the XXX project funded by the European Community (2020-2023), with the aim of creating a specific curriculum for training the profession of a visual rehabilitator for children. In this perspective, the paper shows a practical case study carried out through the simulation technique at XXX.The approach that would be applied to this course is innovative, as it involves the immersive and experiential participation of students and the adoption of the most advanced training technologies in the field of simulation.In order to proceed with the implementation of the experiment, the contribution of multiple figures, such as expert designers, doctors, ophthalmologists, psychologists, and visual rehabilitators, was planned, creating a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary study. The ultimate goal is to provide students with standardized criteria for assessing and intervening appropriately within the living spaces of the child with visual impairment.Methods:The preliminary phase involved the simulation of a typical home environment for the considered target, specifically the set-up of a children's bedroom. The set-up of XXX is based on a movie set. Equipped with the most advanced technologies, it allows for the recording and creation of digital content (real-time recordings) and the configuration of environments, such as the arrangement and number of furnishings and the variation of ambient brightness, which are fundamental elements to ensure the autonomy of actions such as eating, playing, washing and orienting oneself, planned in each educational module.Specifically, the bedroom was set up with basic and standard elements, trying to recreate a real context in the most realistic way. The furniture included a bed, a bedside table, a small table for playing, a small chair, a bookshelf, a desk, various soft toys and games, two closets with sliding doors, and a desk chair.The entrance door and a window were also simulated in the room.The placement of the various elements within the room was designed based on the needs of visually impaired and blind children and the experimentation was divided into two moments characterized by two different setups. The first set-up involved a glaring light setting and the selection of objects that were difficult to distinguish, then the environment was modified through the use of contrasting elements, visual markers, and appropriate lighting through dimmable lights.Results:The experiment, which took place as part of the activities of TWP4 - Task 4.2 Lesson Plan Development: guides and plans for teachers supporting the localization of the curriculum, was carried out by a series of students from various European countries who participated in both paths (first the one with the impediments and then the simplified one) wearing specific glasses capable of simulating visual impairment.During the experimentation, we asked the students to complete some tasks, such as writing their names on a sheet of paper, turning off the light, searching for some object and taking it to other places in the room.At the end of each path, and then once the tasks had been completed, the participants had to fill in an accessibility evaluation form through which define the level of difficulty of the tasks and give suggestions for improving the existing set-up in terms of placement or choice of furniture, materials, lighting, color contrasts, pathways, and tactility.Through this experimentation, the data collected enabled the research team to understand possible modifications to be made to the environment and to identify elements that could make the experiment reproducible in various domestic settings, in order to define a protocol for adapting the spaces to the needs of the target audience.