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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

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.

Details

Title
Fostering Inclusion: A Virtual Reality Experience to Raise Awareness of Dyslexia-Related Barriers in University Settings
Author
Alcalde-Llergo, José Manuel 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Aparicio-Martínez, Pilar 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Zingoni, Andrea 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Pinzi, Sara 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Yeguas-Bolívar, Enrique 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Computer Science, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; Department of Economics, Engineering, Business and Society, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; [email protected] 
 Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Pharmacology, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; [email protected] 
 Department of Economics, Engineering, Business and Society, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; [email protected] 
 Vicerectorate for Equality and Inclusion, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; [email protected] 
 Department of Computer Science, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain 
First page
829
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20799292
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3176377296
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.