UniVRsal Access

Broadening Participation in Informal STEM Learning for Autistic Learners and Others through Virtual Reality

Lead Staff:

Teon Edwards

Project Staff:

Jamie Larsen
Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki
Jodi Asbell-Clarke
Zac Alstad
Erin Bardar

Summary

For UniVRsal Access, EdGE is co-designing a STEM-based Virtual Reality (VR) game, Europa Prime, with learners who have sensory, attention, and/or social differences and researching how VR can be used to increase access to and broaden participation in informal STEM education, especially for neurodivergent learners.

During the first two years of the project, EdGE conducted extensive co-design with students at Landmark College, a post-secondary institute for learners with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning differences, as well as research on the preferences and performances of neurodivergent and neurotypical (by self-report) participants under a variety of sensory experiences and the game’s impact on participants curiosity about STEM.

Now the VR game Europa Prime is being developed in collaboration with the team at MXTreality, an XR development company, in preparation for both additional research and public distribution of the game and other learning assets.