The Influence of Immersive Virtual Field Trips on Academic Vocabulary
Condition: Developmental Language Disorder; Language Disorders in Children
MeSH terms: Language Disorders; Language Development Disorders
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to investigate an immersive virtual field trip (iVFT) on topic
      specific academic vocabulary for students with developmental language disorder (DLD). DLD is
      the most common childhood learning disorder with a prevalence of 7.4%(1) and occurs in the
      absence of a known biomedical condition (e.g., hearing loss, autism, stroke, intellectual
      disability). DLD affects a person's academic and social function due to difficulty with using
      and understanding language.(2,3) Approximately half of students with DLD have a deficit in
      vocabulary that persists through highschool.(4) Once children fall behind in their language
      and vocabulary development, it is very difficult to catch up generally resulting in a wider
      gap as they progress through their school years. This deficit can have cascading social,
      mental health, occupational and financial consequences.(5) There is preliminary evidence that
      a virtual reality experience such as an immersive virtual field trip (iVFT) was beneficial
      for facilitating vocabulary and comprehension in general education(6-8) and within targeted
      populations of students including second language learners(9) and those with learning
      differences (e.g., autism,(10) attention deficit hyperactivity,(11,12) and dyslexia(13). The
      term "immersive" refers to a state of heightened sensation when viewing a simulated
      environment that is superimposed onto a screen with embedded multisensory input (e.g.,
      visual, auditory, proprioceptive).(14) The viewer looks through 3D goggles to block out the
      present environment resulting in a feeling of presence. These simulated experiences or
      destinations (e.g., space) are a type of VR referred to as an immersive virtual field trip
      (iVFT).

      To date, there is a lack of empirical evidence, explicitly targeting academic vocabulary
      growth for early grade school students with DLD. In addition, no study has reported on
      learning outcomes of students with DLD following a VR condition. Therefore, the primary study
      objective was to compare gains in academic vocabulary measures between a traditional book
      condition and an iVFT learning condition for young students with DLD.
    

Detailed description: 
      The purpose of this randomized control study is to investigate an immersive virtual field
      trip (iVFT) for learning academic vocabulary for students with developmental language
      disorder (DLD).

      The primary objective is to compare gains in topic specific vocabulary measures between a
      traditional book condition and an iVFT learning condition. Also, this study will compare
      perceptions of the study experience between the control and experimental groups.

      At study entry, 24 children between the ages of 6:0 to 8:12 years old with a developmental
      language disorder (DLD) will be randomized to equal groups of control book and experimental
      iVFT conditions.

      If satisfy the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a three-phase pre-enrollment process will
      ensue. In the first phase, the Student Language Scale (SLS) and Shaywitz Dyslexia screeners
      will be administered to determine likelihood of presence of a language disorder and
      functional impact on academic and social growth. In the second phase, the CELF-5 diagnostic
      language assessment will determine the presence of a DLD if a standard score equal or less
      than 75 is obtained. In the third phase, the PPVT-5 vocabulary assessment will be
      administered to provide additional information about general receptive vocabulary knowledge.
      Lastly, four topic specific vocabulary measures will provide a measure of baseline topic
      vocabulary knowledge.

      Consented and enrolled participants will be randomized into equal groups of control and
      experimental conditions. The control group will receive a pre-read book and the experimental
      group will be exposed to an immersive virtual field trip using 3D cardboard goggles and a
      smart phone. The content in the book and iVFT parallel one another. In both groups, audio and
      visual stimuli are presented. For all participants, a total of three 15-minute exposures will
      occur.

      Following the condition, the four-topic specific vocabulary measures will be repeated to
      report on vocabulary growth. The measures include:

        1. Divergent Naming (expressive): "Tell me the names of as many [topic] as you can think
           of, as quickly as possible, in one minute."

        2. Word Naming (expressive confrontational naming): State name of target image presented in
           isolation.

        3. Picture Identification (receptive): Identify target picture in field of ten.

        4. Word meaning recognition: Match the word with the written meaning. Lastly, all
           participants will rate experience their experience using an Intrinsic Motivation
           Inventory (IMI) with a 5-point Smile Likert Scale.

      The data analysis will include descriptive and inferential statistics to report within and
      between group gains in the four-topic specific vocabulary measures.
    

Intervention name(s): The information provided in the iVFT and control book parallel one another.
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): An immersive virtual fled trip (iVFT) is a form of virtual reality (VR). The term immersive refers to an experience where the senses become heightened through multisensory input (e.g., visual, auditory, proprioceptive). When adding peripherals such as a head-mounted device (HMD) (e.g., goggles with 3D-lenses), a mobile phone becomes a pseudo-theater providing a 360-degree view that mimics the real world. For example, one can experience a simulated rollercoaster or visit the moon that may otherwise be inaccessible in day-to-day life. Also, a VFT provides for context and aids in background knowledge that is a crucial aspect of learning.
Participants will receive three interventions sessions each last 15-minutes.
Other intervention name(s): Virtual Reality (VR)
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD); Specific Language Impairment (SLI); Vocabulary