Week 8

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    XR (Extended Reality) can change a student's life for the better and improve their quality of life. Extended Reality describes technologies that can shift your reality and immerse you in different situations and environments. Inside the term "extended reality," there is a spectrum of technologies that you would describe as XR. One of these is called augmented reality, which means you are not fully immersed within the technology world, but it more so brings digital aspects into the real world. An example of this could be something like an app that allows you to try on glasses, or as simple as a filter on a social media app. The second term on the spectrum of extended reality is virtual reality. Virtual reality means it completely replaces our reality and turns it into a digital "fake" reality, immersing the user in a completely different environment, unlike the one they are in, an example being VR headsets. Finally, the last term that fits under the umbrella of extended reality is mixed reality. This is when the two worlds of real and digital are blended together. An example could be if someone used projection mapping and projected it into a room. 

As mentioned in the first sentence, although extended reality can have its negatives, I believe it is a technology that can seriously improve a student's life, especially if they are struggling with a disability that impacts their day-to-day life, and may pose obstacles in performing specific tasks. For this week's blog post, I have selected two XR technologies, one AR and one VR, and I will explain how these can be used to enhance a student's learning experience. 

The AR technology I have found is called Smart Caption Glasses. Smart Caption Glasses are just like regular glasses; however, these glasses provide the user with live captions and transcribe speech as someone is actively speaking. These glasses would be a wonderful tool for a student who may be hard of hearing to have during a lesson if the teacher is up at the front teaching. This way, they can still actively participate and may not feel the frustration they normally would. Unfortunately, I believe there aren't many glasses created yet, as it was a more recent invention, as well as the fact that they are likely extremely expensive. Therefore, it may not be the easiest tool for a student to acquire at this moment; hopefully, they will become more accessible to everyone, as I believe it would truly benefit many students who struggle with hearing. 

For the VR technology tool, I have chosen the Xplorer Headset for classrooms and students. These are VR headsets built and created specifically for students to use in the classroom and to turn regular lessons into more engaging and fun activities. These headsets can be controlled by the teacher, and allow the teacher to monitor all of the students' activity. The headsets come with lessons and interactive games that encourage learning. Ranging from interactive 3D models to scenario-based roleplay, these headsets are guaranteed to keep every student engaged. This tool can be so wonderful to not only motivate every student to participate, but also for a student who may not be able to join things like field trips, due to safety, health, or mobility issues. Similar to the Smart Caption Glasses, this tool is another way for these students to feel that they have the same opportunities as every other student, regardless of disability.

Unfortunately, we are still at a stage with technology where these support tools are quite expensive, and it can be difficult to have access to them. I believe that every student should have the right to have access to these tools, especially if they would improve their learning opportunities and allow them to feel as though they are equal to their classmates.

Broderick, T. (2023, October 10). New Glasses Can Transcribe Speech in Real Time. Scientific American. 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-glasses-can-transcribe-speech-in-real-time/ 

Extended Reality and Accessibility | Online Teaching.

 (n.d.). https://onlineteaching.umich.edu/articles/extended-reality-and-accessibility/

Xplorer Headset | VR Headset | ClassVR. (2025, November 25). ClassVR.

https://www.classvr.com/vr-headsets/xplorer-headset/


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