A Study on the Possibility of Using 360-Degree Videos to Support Independent School Commuting for Children with Low Vision

Humans obtain most of their information about the external world through vision. One of the difficulties that arise when vision is impaired is mobility. For this reason, special needs education schools for children who are visually impaired provide early training in some skills necessary for orientation and mobility. Specifically, this training begins with understanding spatial concepts, forming body images, and developing the ability to comprehend the surrounding environment. It progresses through guided walking practice within the school building and its surroundings before advancing to field training involving roads and stations. However, field training often includes tasks that are difficult to repeatedly practice or review thoroughly, such as boarding and alighting buses and trains, crossing crosswalks, and checking traffic signals. As a result, teachers strongly desire the development of ICT-based learning systems that can serve as a preparatory step before transitioning safely and smoothly to field training on actual school commuting routes. In this study, we conducted foundational research for the developing a digital teaching material to support instruction for visually impaired elementary school students commuting schools, aiming to enable independent school commuting. To this end, we explored the possibility of using 360-degree videos in instructional settings. As a result, we identified the benefits of using 360-degree videos and obtained insights for future directions.