Professional Education & Research
Virtual reality for
virtuoso learning
By Cathy Lau
文：劉靜萍
An innovative virtual reality (VR) programme developed by researchers at CityU is being used to help
severely intellectually disabled (SID) students overcome learning challenges.
This VR programme, funded by the Quality Education Fund (QEF), helps
to strengthen pre-learning abilities and promote self-awareness through
learning scenarios that focus on repeated training.
The programme, called “Interactive Sensory Programme for Affective
Learning” (InSPAL), also decreases behavioural tendencies that can often
interfere with learning and social interaction, according to Professor
Horace Ip Ho-shing of CityU.
14 二O一五年五月
專業教育與研究
impairments. In addition, Cornwall School
has opened an InSPAL resource facility
Professor Ip, Director of the Centre for
students learn about cause and effect by raising
Innovative Applications of Internet and
their hands to ‘touch’ virtual colourful balloons
Multimedia Technologies (AIMtech Centre) and
that then burst and transform into a teddy bear,”
In another development, a new VR psycho-
Vice-President (Student Affairs) at CityU, has
he adds.
educational programme for autistic children
developed InSPAL over the past three years
centre that other organisations can access.
was launched in January 2015. The new
with his research team in collaboration with
The training has had a significant impact on
programme, which has also been funded
the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong–
behaviour and learning, says Professor Ip. The
by QEF, targets the behavioural problems
Cornwall School.
students increased their interest in learning and
of autistic children and aims to help them
strengthened their levels of concentration, as
better integrate into mainstream classroom
“InSPAL is a unique psycho-educational
revealed by students raising their hands more
and society.
programme,” Professor Ip explains. “It creatively
frequently in class.
combines virtual reality technologies, 3D
More than 100 autistic students from schools
motion capture and devices that release scents,
“These actions show that the students wanted
all over Hong Kong participated in the
bubbles and artificial snow under the principles
to communicate with the teachers and make
training. Professor Ip says he hopes that the
of psychotherapy and relevant pedagogy.”
requests or ask questions,” he says.
different learning scenarios will help the
During the initial stages of developing InSPAL,
The initial training sessions involved eight
different facial expressions and emotions,
Professor Ip and his research team first set
classes of SID students scheduled over an
and for giving appropriate responses in
about observing the students’ sensory abilities
18-month period. Before the sessions, each
social interactions.
and physical functions, and setting core
class went through a preparation programme
learning objectives. They then developed eight
that allowed the SID students to get
“Two experts from the fields of child
learning scenarios and identified four learning
accustomed to wearing 3D viewing glasses.
psychology and autism have joined us for
domains: safety awareness (Safety at Home
Then they went through 32 training sessions to
this programme. We hope that the students
and Safety at School); cause and effect (Touch
experience four scenarios of two of the learning
can take what they have learned in the
to Change and Coloured Balloon Sculpture);
domains.
programme to mainstream classrooms.
students to acquire skills for recognising
balance and coordination (Magic Carpet
This will not only help children with autism
and Walk across the Water); and sensational
Professor Ip said that after the programme
to socialise into mainstream society, it will
experience (Four Seasons and Swimming with
was launched, local centres for senior citizens
also assist teachers in dealing with autistic
Fishes).
showed an interest in using the system to help
students in inclusive classrooms,” Professor
train older members of society with mobility
Ip says.
In one of the learning activities, the students
watch animated footage of a flowing river in
virtual reality using 3D glasses. “Students learn
how to balance and coordinate their bodies
by virtually moving across the water towards
a sandy beach, stepping on a series of stones,”
Professor Ip explains. “In another activity, the
“The students increased their interest in
learning and strengthened their levels of
concentration.”
May 2015 15
Professional Education & Research
智障學生的「虛擬」互動良師
城大的研究人員研發了一套創新的虛擬
實境學習系統，幫助有嚴重智障的學生
克服學習困難。
這套虛擬實境學習系統名為「互動『智境』
學習計劃」
（InSPAL），透過以反覆訓練為
重心的學習情境，幫助有嚴重智障的學生
增強預學能力、提高自我意識。InSPAL獲
得香港政府優質教育基金的資助。
InSPAL 是由城大副校長（學生事務）兼多
媒體及互聯網技術創新應用中心（AIMtech
Centre）主任葉豪盛教授領導的城大研究團
隊與香港心理衛生會－臻和學校（臻和學
校）在過去三年合作研發的。據葉教授介
紹，InSPAL亦能減輕常會干擾學習及人際
互動的行為傾向。
葉教授解釋說：「InSPAL是一套獨特的心
理學習系統。這套系統別具新意，將虛擬
實境技術、3D動作識別，以及能夠釋出香
味、氣泡和人造雪的裝置，熔於一爐，採
納了心理治療的原理及相關教學法。」
在研發InSPAL的初期，葉教授及其研究團
隊首先觀察學生的感官能力與身體功能，
設定核心學習目標。然後，研究團隊開發
出八個學習情境，確定了四個學習領域：
安全意識（家居安全、校園安全）；因果關
係（觸碰引致改變、彩色氣球雕塑）；平衡
與協調（魔毯飛行、踏石過河）；感知體驗
（四季、與魚同游）。
在其中一項學習活動裏，學生佩戴3D眼鏡
觀看虛擬實境的河流動畫片。葉教授介紹
說：「學生踩著一連串虛擬的石頭過河，
向對岸的沙灘走去，藉此學習平衡和協調
身體的方法。在另一個活動中，學生伸手
『觸碰』虛擬的彩色氣球，氣球隨之爆
裂，變成小熊，學生由此學習因果關係。」
葉教授說，這些訓練對學生的行為與學習
影響很大。學生在課堂上增加了舉手的次
數，表明他們的學習興趣增強了，注意力
更為集中。
他說：「舉手顯示學生希望與老師交流，提
出要求，或者發問。」
依照計劃，在為期18個月的初期訓練階
段，有八個班別的嚴重智障學生參與。每
個班別開始訓練前，先接受一個預備訓練，
使學生習慣於佩戴3D眼鏡，然後接受32堂
課的訓練，體驗兩個學習領域的四種學習
情境。
葉教授說，這套學習系統推出之後，多家
本地長者服務中心表示有興趣使用，以助
訓練行動不便的長者。臻和學校亦開設了
一個裝有InSPAL設施的資源中心，供其他
機構使用。
此外，一套專為自閉症兒童開發的新心理學
教育系統已在2015年1月推出。這套系統亦
獲得優質教育基金的資助，主要針對自閉症
兒童的行為問題，設法幫助他們融入主流
課堂與社會。
全港學校約有逾百名自閉症兒童參加了訓
練。葉教授說，他希望不同的學習情境會
幫助學生獲得技能，在與人交往時能夠辨
別不同的面部表情及不同的情感，作出適
當回應。
葉教授說：「我們的研究團隊新增了兩名兒
童心理學及自閉症專家。我們期待，學生能
夠把從這套系統中學到的技能帶回主流課
堂。這不但可以幫助患有自閉症的兒童融入
主流社會，也可以幫助教師在共融課堂中與
自閉症學生相處。」
Professor Horace Ip Ho-shing
葉豪盛教授
16 二O一五年五月