Éducation Sentimentale of Game Playing ASD Kids

Abstract

Conference presentation: https://youtu.be/Xt91gRukjNY. The paper presents a pilot project developed in 2016 by lecturers and students from the Digital Humanities program at New Bulgarian University. The project focuses on the design of a practically oriented technological solution for introducing 6-7 years old participants with Autism Spectrum Disorders to the emotional alphabet. We present a multisensory educational game as a didactic solution which helps ASD kids to build a bridge between specific details of each universal emotion and its symbolic value as a whole. The game is designed to detect three of the seven universal emotions (based on Paul Ekman’s theory) and derives from Violeta Boyanova’s long-term therapy experience with PECS pedagogy. Lozanov’s TENDER SUGGESTION also plays a crucial role in the introduction of musical background (Vivaldi) for the game.