title: Audio Haptic Videogaming for Developing Wayfinding Skills in Learners Who are Blind.
abstract: Interactive digital technologies are currently being developed as a novel tool for education and skill development. Audiopolis is an audio and haptic based videogame designed for developing orientation and mobility (O&M) skills in people who are blind. We have evaluated the cognitive impact of videogame play on O&M skills by assessing performance on a series of behavioral tasks carried out in both indoor and outdoor virtual spaces. Our results demonstrate that the use of Audiopolis had a positive impact on the development and use of O&M skills in school-aged learners who are blind. The impact of audio and haptic information on learning is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Center for Advanced Research in Education (CARE), University of Chile Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Informatics, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Borba Campos
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Center for Advanced Research in Education (CARE), University of Chile Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Matías
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.affiliation: Dept. Ophthalmology Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Lotfi B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Merabet
keywords: Design; H.5.m. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI); Haptic and Audio Interfaces; Human Factors; Measurement; Miscellaneous; Mobility; Navigation; Orientation; People Who Are Blind