Study of the possibilities of applying immersive experience of learning a foreign (English) language in the virtual reality worlds of children with disabilities

Abstract

Introduction. The use of "end-to-end" digital technologies to solve the problem of providing equal access to quality, in particular, foreign-language education, as one of the key goals of inclusive education, is one of the main problems of our time. However, in the absence of research interest of representatives of the academic community in this topic, the launch of the process of developing and approving such practices can be postponed for a long time. The purpose of this article is to determine the possibilities of using digital technologies in teaching children with special adaptive opportunities in a foreign (English) language. Materials and Methods. To achieve the goal, the following research methods were used: general scientific (dialectical, analysis and synthesis, comparison and analogy, annotation, scheduling and summarization), special (systemic, comparative analysis, etc.), research (analysis of Russian and international literature on the problem of research, results of experiments and practical activities of scientists and teachers, etc.). Results. The authors, firstly, have proven that neurotechnologies can act as an integral element of the educational instrumental complex, in particular, a teacher of foreign languages, in working with children with special adaptive capabilities; secondly, it is argued that by now the use of such technologies, in particular, immersive (virtual reality) in teaching both healthy children and children with special educational needs, is effective and subject to the key psychological and educational conditions recommended for implementing. Conclusions. The study has identified the possibilities of using digital technologies, namely virtual reality, in teaching a foreign (English) language to children with special educational needs. The effects produced by such technologies prove not only the possibility of using immersive experience of learning a foreign (English) language by children with special educational needs, but also the need for their integration into the pedagogical instrumental complex of inclusive foreign-language education, regardless of the level of education, the level of foreign language proficiency, teacher competence, teaching and learning facilities, etc.