The Use of Virtual Reality
in Occupational Training of
People with Learning Disabilities
in Occupational Training of
People with Learning Disabilities
Description of the Project
A systematic assessment of the feasibility of using virtual reality (VR) in occupational training of people with learning disabilities was performed in this two-year project. The programme of work was directed by Prof. David Rose and carried out by Dr Barbara Brooks, both from the Psychology Department, University of East London. We would particularly like to thank MENCAP for their assistance and financial support. We would also like to thank Lufton Manor College, Somerset, Red House College, Colchester, Harlow College, Harlow, Pinewood School, Ware, and all our participants
The project was divided into three phases: a laboratory based investigation of virtual training of people with learning disabilities; a questionnaire survey and small group follow-up of learning disability trainers to investigate their views of using virtual reality within vocational training: and an evaluation of a virtual reality based programme for catering training for people with learning disabilities leading to the National Vocational Qualification at Level 1.
The first study in the laboratory based phase of the project investigated whether people with learning disabilities were able to perform a task in a virtual environment and whether they enjoyed the experience. It also assessed whether they benefited from active participation in the virtual environment compared to passive observation, which might be akin to watching a video. The virtual environment was constructed using Superscape VRT software, run on a desktop computer and explored using an analogue joystick. The majority of the participants reported that they were able to use the virtual environment and enjoyed the experience. Active participants were found to remember more aspects of the environment involved in the task than passive participants
The second study in the laboratory-based phase of the project investigated whether any beneficial effects of virtual training on a simple sensori-motor task (a steadiness tester) would transfer to improved real task performance. The virtual version of the task was created using Superscape VRT software. A computer generated 3D simulation of the steadiness tester was run on a desktop computer. 3D Movement of the ring along the wire was controlled using a Polhemus FastTrak sensor and receiver. Practice in this simple virtual environment was shown to transfer to real task performance.
In the second phase of the project, questionnaires were distributed to trainers at MENCAP's three colleges and to MENCAP Pathway Employment trainers throughout the country. Forty-nine completed questionnaires were received. Trainers were presented with a comprehensive series of questions relating to their trainees and their training methods.
On the basis of the responses in these questionnaires, it was decided that a virtual kitchen with tasks based on NVQ Level 1 Catering would be the most useful virtual environment with which to assess the feasibility of using virtual reality in vocational training of people with learning disabilities. The virtual kitchen was constructed using Superscape VRT software and manipulated using the keyboard directions keys and a mouse. It was modelled on a real kitchen used by NVQ Level 1 Catering students at Red House, Colchester. Tasks in the kitchen were based on the NVQ Level 1 Catering syllabus. There were four food preparation and cooking tasks - meat (pork chops), fish (salmon steaks), vegetables (carrots), and fruit (apples). A further task involved recognising 12 potential hazards (e.g. a toaster with a frayed flex, a puddle on the floor) that were distributed around the virtual kitchen.
The final phase of the project was an evaluation of the effects of training in the virtual kitchen. Real task performance before and after virtual kitchen training, real kitchen training, workbook training and no training were compared in this evaluation. Participants benefited more from virtual training than from workbook training in the food preparation tasks but not in the hazard recognition task.
The results of the project provide empirical evidence that, for people with learning disabilities, active interactions with a virtual environment can produce better learning than passive observations of that environment and this learning can transfer to real world test situations. This suggests that the use of virtual representations of training situations should be a valuable addition to the conventional use of video recordings, especially as the majority of participants reported that they enjoyed interacting with the virtual environment. Its advantage to trainers will lie in its potentially being more efficient and, in particular, less demanding of staff time.
Further information about the project can be obtained from:
David Rose, (tel. +44 (0)20-8223-4500, e-mail F.D.Rose@uel.ac.uk
or
Barbara Brooks (tel. +44 (0)20-8223-4423, e-mail B.M.Brooks@uel.ac.uk.).
VR@UEL
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