Fostering Inclusion: A Virtual Reality Experience to Raise Awareness of Dyslexia-Related Barriers in University Settings

TL;DR

The paper presents a Unity-based VR empathy experience designed to raise awareness of dyslexia-related barriers in university settings. By simulating reading, orientation, and support challenges within a campus environment, the study investigates whether immersive, embodied participation can enhance understanding among non-dyslexic university members. Results from 32 participants indicate strong perceived usefulness and high engagement, supporting VR’s potential to foster inclusion, though limitations such as small sample size and headset accessibility are acknowledged. The work contributes to VR-based inclusion research and outlines a pathway for integrating empathy-driven interventions into higher education, including plans for standardized empathy assessment and broader educational applications under the VRAIlexia initiative.

Abstract

This work introduces the design, implementation, and validation of a virtual reality (VR) experience aimed at promoting the inclusion of individuals with dyslexia in university settings. Unlike traditional awareness methods, this immersive approach offers a novel way to foster empathy by allowing participants to experience firsthand the challenges faced by students with dyslexia. Specifically, the experience raises awareness by exposing non-dyslexic individuals to the difficulties commonly encountered by dyslexic students. In the virtual environment, participants explore a virtual campus with multiple buildings, navigating between them while completing tasks and simultaneously encountering barriers that simulate some of the challenges faced by individuals with dyslexia. These barriers include reading signs with shifting letters, following directional arrows that may point incorrectly, and dealing with a lack of assistance. The campus is a comprehensive model featuring both indoor and outdoor spaces and supporting various modes of locomotion. To validate the experience, more than 30 non-dyslexic participants from the university environment, mainly professors and students, evaluated it through ad hoc satisfaction surveys. The results indicated heightened awareness of the barriers encountered by students with dyslexia, with participants deeming the experience a valuable tool for increasing visibility and fostering understanding of dyslexic students.

Figures (6)

• Figure S3: Locomotion modes using the controllers. (a) Continuous locomotion. (b) Teleportation.
• Figure S4: Simulation of reading difficulties. (a) Letter movement. (b) Word swapping.
• Figure S5: Simulation of orientation barriers. (a) Scaled dimension of the virtual campus. (b) Help option providing right and wrong directions.
• Figure S7: Responses to the questions measuring the quality of the VR application. (a) Have you ever tried VR before the experience? (b) Did you experience nausea, loss of balance, or discomfort during the experience? (c) How much did the visual aspects of the environment engage you? (d) How compelling was your sense of moving around and interacting within the virtual environment?
• Figure S8: Responses to the questions measuring the effectiveness of the application in simulating barriers. (a) How challenging did you find navigating among the buildings? (b) How challenging did you find locating the classroom for the exam?