Exploration of Augmented Reality as an Assistive Device for Students with Dyslexia

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) is a rapidly emerging technology, and its potential has not yet been fully explored. As members of Team ART, we aim to explore the use of AR as an assistive device platform for people with dyslexia, with the hopes that we could take advantage of the seamless integration of reality and computer-generated images and the attractive novelty of this up and coming platform. We began our project by surveying experts and members of the dyslexia community to determine the most helpful features and user interface for an assistive device to provide real-time feedback to users with dyslexia. Then, we developed an application on the Microsoft HoloLens to analyze users' handwritten spelling of words to provide immediate feedback. We tested the application on 19 participants in grades two through six and found that all of them improved their spelling as a result of using our device. 64.2 percent of users perceived the device to as motivating, significantly greater than the percentage of users who disliked the device. There was no significant correlation between improvement in spelling accuracy and increased motivation in regards to our device. Our novel study demonstrates that with further improvement and implementation, our application can provide assistance not only to people with dyslexia, but also to children in general.