Resumen: This text introduces three different educational applications aimed at children
with atypical development. These applications are the result of joint
work carried out in collaboration between Universidad Pública de NavarraUPNA
(Spain) and Fachhochschule Würzburg-Schweinfurt-FHWS (Germany).
In all three cases, attempts have been made to contact potential end
users of the applications in connection with content development, but also
to have such users use and assess the new applications. The technologies
employed are not strictly the same in all cases, but basically what has been
used is ¿natural interaction¿, whether it be gesture- and/or posture-based
or natural speech; these developments are supported by different kinds of
devices (computers, tablets, projectors and screens).
To a greater or lesser extent, the three applications have
been tested, and in all cases the three lines of work have been confirmed. The
first of these is related to the use of remote sensors and natural interaction
(through Kinect) to work on social skills, performance of everyday tasks, and
postural education. The application is being implemented in a special education
school, and by an association of families with atypical development
children. The second line of work is related to music learning through music,
image and natural interaction (using tablets and/or interactive whiteboards).
In this case, and after several tests carried out in formal education (primary,
secondary, and special education) and non-formal special education, a decision
has been taken to pursue this line of work in primary schools (between
7 and 11 years of age) and in special education. Finally, in connection with
the third application, more focused on the autism spectrum, the response of children with general communication disorders to ¿speaking machines¿ has
been observed. This project has involved important difficulties, as dealing
with natural language is highly complex; however, some interesting lines of
work have been identified, such as combining natural language and body
language (using Kinect) as a combined project.