Open Doors to the Arts: Community-Engaged Immersive Learning for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders and Autism have limited exposure to the arts and community. Their disability-related behaviors such as their inability to focus for extended periods of time and social skills deficits often create barriers to accessing and navigating the arts. These students also struggle to make connections and lack background knowledge necessary to extend their curiosity for the arts. Current applications of VR in educational settings often include immersive content presented to students through individual headsets. This practitioner contribution project aims to use a shared immersive learning format to foster student interest in the arts through exposure to 360 degree immersive content in a space designed for groups of students to collectively experience content. Immersive content will be presented to the students via an Immersive Learning Center (ILC) where 360 degree content wraps around three walls of a room to create a shared learning experience. The 360 degree and 3D immersive content developed in partnership with a local university’s undergraduate students will allow K-12 students from the specialized school to access and deepen their connection to the arts while preparing them for successful participation in community-based art experiences. Ultimately, the content from the 360 library will be shared with schools around the world to help provide guided exposure and expand interest in the arts.