Virtual OV offers an innovative solution to an important question within special education: how do we teach children to travel independently by public transport? For teacher Very, who works at KPO Special Education De Kameleon in Roosendaal, Virtual OV has brought much more than just practice in travel skills. The VR learning platform actually increases both the self-confidence and independence of her students. In this article, we share her experiences and discuss the impact of Virtual OV.
What is Virtual OV and how does it work?
Virtual OV is a learning platform in which students can simulate a complete public transport journey using a Virtual Reality headset. The tool guides them step by step through important aspects of traveling by public transport:
●Planning a train journey
● Checking in and out with an OV-chipkaart
● Transferring from bus to train
● Finding the right train and the right platform
Where a physical journey often causes too many stimuli or stress, Virtual OV offers a safe environment to practice. For students at De Kameleon, this is a crucial first step towards independence.
The Benefits of Virtual OV for Special Education
At KPO De Kameleon, a school focused on students with intellectual disabilities aged 4 to 18, the individual developmental potential of the children is central. Virtual OV fits this perfectly.
“Our students are often raised in a protected environment. Traveling by public transport is a completely new experience for them,” says Very. “With Virtual OV, they can first calmly get used to situations they might encounter on the way, without pressure and in a safe environment.”
Since the introduction of Virtual OV, 35 students at De Kameleon have already learned the basic skills of traveling. Although full independence is not yet achievable for every child, the progress is clearly visible. “Even small steps, such as understanding the check-in process, make a big difference,” says Very
'Our students are often raised in a protected environment’
Zelfvertrouwen: de grootste winst
The impact of Virtual OV goes beyond just travel skills; it also strengthens the students’ self-confidence. “Some children say: ‘Teacher, if I learn this, I can travel to work by train myself later. Then I won’t need the bus anymore,’” Very says proudly..
Although not all students will ultimately travel independently-for example, because they cannot read-the process of practicing with Virtual OV gives a sense of empowerment. “Sometimes you just have to try something,” says Very. “Then you discover what else is possible. Parents are often amazed at how much their child can learn”
Customization
KPO De Kameleon has access to one of the two Virtual OV sets made available by the West Brabant Region (RWB) for several months each year.
“The children were really disappointed when the headsets had to go to another location,” says Very. It would be great if we had a fixed number of headsets at each location so we could train more students at the same time. Training children with special learning needs can be quite intensive, as Very knows from her own experience. “Some students, for example, children who cannot read because they are visually impaired, or students with a motor impairment, need one-on-one support from their teacher.” Still, according to Very, the training is definitely worthwhile: “It’s wonderful to see how quickly some children pick it up in a playful way, especially those who already have gaming experience at home”
Virtual OV: Innovation and Future
In the future, a broader implementation of Virtual OV could be a huge step in improving independence within special education. The platform demonstrates that technology can be not only practical, but also contribute to students’ self-confidence and quality of life
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