This study was to arrange evidence-based practices for introducing 360 degree virtual reality video contents to the field of special education as a new instructional medium for community participation and adaptation of students with intellectual disab...
This study was to arrange evidence-based practices for introducing 360 degree virtual reality video contents to the field of special education as a new instructional medium for community participation and adaptation of students with intellectual disabilities. To do this, it is necessary to investigate the characteristics of development and to examine the production principles, effect, and social validity for allowing special education teachers to utilize the 360 degree virtual reality video as the instructional medium for the community simulation. To achieve the purpose of this study, Focus Group Interview(FGI) and comparative observations were employed, and social validity was verified.
FGI was conducted with seven special education teachers in Gyeonggi province who had 10 years or more teaching experience. Participants developed three times the features of 360 degree virtual reality video contents for the community simulation from October to November, 2017. We made contents for the community simulation from October 21, 2017 to October 30, 2017 by applying the features developed. We then applied the contents to the community simulation in social studies from November 16 to November 22, 2017, which was observed and compared. In order to compare the effects of the virtual reality video contents with those of 2D video contents which was based on the identical contents, operational definition and observation sheets were developed. It was possible to compare the degree of accomplishment toward objectives and the effect of task concentration, using the ones developed. 20 special education teachers in Gyeonggi province examined the social validity and reconfirmed the applicability of contents developed.
With the help of seven FGI participants, it was possible to develop making model of 360 degree virtual reality video contents and video shooting principles. After applying those to the field, it might conclude that they were an effective instructional medium which was applicable to the class with the students with intellectual disabilities for community adaptation.
The results were as follows;
First, making model of 360 degree virtual reality video contents for community simulation consisted of five categories, including analysis of learning activities, context setup, context factor analysis, storyboard writing, and video shooting.
Second, the video shooting principles for 360 degree virtual reality video contents was what considered when video shooting. and was composed of two categories like length of contents(size of shots) and height of camera(angle) with four sub-categories like size of shot, composition and angle, view point, and image options. Since special education teachers were not experts in video shooting techniques, these categories were reconstructed into four categories to help them understand like video length, composition and camera operation, viewpoint, and task presentation strategy.
Third, by observing and comparing the 360 degree virtual reality video contents and the existing video contents, the former was more effective than the latter on both the degree of accomplishment toward objectives and task concentration.
Fourth, with the social validity, 20 special education teachers highly rated social importance, social acceptance, and social meaning. The overall mean of the social validity was 97.4% and the value of 5-point scale was 4.87, which meant the social validity was relatively high.
This study explored the development characteristics of instructional medium for community simulation with the 360 degree virtual reality video contents, the effectiveness as a instructional medium, and social validity. As a results, it was found that the 360 degree virtual reality video contents were effective for the field as a instructional medium for community adaptation of the students with intellectual disabilities. Also, by deriving the natural language characteristics based on the freedom of viewpoint, interaction, and five senses of the 360 degree virtual reality video contents, even the possibilities as digital instructional media for Universal Design for Learning and individualization were verifiable.
Key words: community simulation, 360 degree virtual reality video, instructional media.