transmedia learning

ΑN INNOVATIVE TRANSMEDIA-BASED GAME DEVELOPMENT METHOD FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

ΑN INNOVATIVE TRANSMEDIA-BASED GAME DEVELOPMENT METHOD FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Written by:
Polyxeni Kaimara, Department of Audio & Visual Arts-Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
Ioannis Deliyannis, Department of Audio & Visual Arts-Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
Andreas Oikonomou, School of Pedagogical & Technological Education, Thessaloniki, Greece
Emmanuel Fokides, Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece
George Miliotis, Department of Audio & Visual Arts-Ionian University, Corfu, Greece

Abstract: Education is the cornerstone for a society without discrimination as it promotes full personality development and enhances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. As a result of the “Education for all” policy, more children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) are included in neighbourhood schools regardless of their cognitive, physical or emotional condition. Inclusive education (IE) focuses on learning motivation and styles, different students’ learning pace, learning objectives, methods, personalized strategies, material, and content. The degree of independent living of both children with or without SEND is one of the main concerns of educators, parents, and therapists. Children with SEND often struggle to achieve independence because of their limitations in adaptive behaviour. Considering valid epistemological backgrounds, pedagogical frameworks and a range of intervention strategies focusing on those skills, the paper presents an innovate transmediabased game development method for inclusive education, combining traditional games, art-based production, and game development methodologies with cutting-edge technologies involving 360° videos, virtual, and augmented reality.

Keywords: augmented reality; special educational needs and/or disabilities; transmedia learning; virtual reality; 360 degrees interactive videos