Adapting Education with Robot-Assisted Instruction: St. Catherine Academy - MOVIA Robotics

Objective

St. Catherine Academy, a non-profit private special education school in Fairfield, CT, faced a common challenge in special education: how to adapt the learning environment and teaching techniques to the needs of students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These students experience high levels of stress and anxiety because they don’t often fit into traditional educational modalities. The St. Catherine educators wanted to create a safe and inclusive space that could accommodate the different ways students with autism express themselves and soothe themselves. The academy sought innovative ways to adapt the curriculum and enhance student engagement, aiming to foster the agency and independence that students deserve.

Strategy

Our approach centered on students diagnosed with ASD, each coming from varied socio-economic backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities. Recognizing the unique needs of each student, we proposed implementing MOVIA’s Robot-Assisted Instruction (RAI) system. This technology-based solution was chosen for its potential to foster patient, non-judgmental learning experiences that focus on student competencies rather than behaviors that could be perceived as problematic.

The strategy was to integrate the RAI system into the academy’s existing curriculum, supporting key areas such as academics, daily living activities, vocational skills, and social interaction. By creating interactions that eliminated difficult power dynamics and sensory overstimulation that drive anxiety, we aimed to create an engaging learning environment that could lead to improved social interactions between students with autism and their teachers and peers.

Implementation & Creativity

In November 2020, St. Catherine Academy began implementing MOVIA’s RAI system. The implementation process was designed to be user-friendly and adaptable to each student’s needs:

1. Session Structure: Each RAI session lasted approximately 15 minutes and followed a consistent format:
   • Greeting
   • Warm-up activity
   • 5-7 main activities
   • Farewell
2. Personalized Activities: The activities were tailored to each student’s abilities and interests. For example:
   • Engaging games were used to draw students to the tablet
   • Academic activities included money values, alphabet exercises, and simple math problems
   • Spelling games where students pulled correct letters into circles to spell words
   • Role-play scenarios focusing on practicing skills like “How to Greet” and “Non-Verbal Communication” with the robot
3. Gradual Integration: The RAI system was introduced gradually, allowing students to become comfortable with the robot at their own pace.
4. Consistent Application: The academy worked consistently with students, integrating the RAI sessions into their regular schedules.

This creative approach allowed for a seamless integration of technology into the existing curriculum, providing a novel and engaging way for students to practice and develop crucial skills.

Results & Evaluation

After just four months of implementing the RAI system, St. Catherine Academy observed notable changes in student interactions:

1. Improved Communication:
   • One student who previously only spoke in whispers was better able to process auditory stimulation and began speaking in a full-voice volume.
   • Increased vocalizations were observed across the group.
2. Enhanced Social Skills:
   • Students demonstrated more comfort with eye contact, both with the robot and in classroom settings.
   • They began to generalize skills practiced with the robot, such as greeting people and asking for help.
3. Increased Engagement:
   • Students showed trust and affinity for the robot, fully engaging with the lessons.
   • There was an increased duration of attention to activities, both with the robot and in the classroom.
4. Relationship Building:
   • Students established a positive relationship with the robot, evidenced by their smiles, spontaneous greetings, and consistent eye contact.
5. Progress Towards Independence:
   • The improvements in communication, social skills, and engagement all contribute to the overarching goal of fostering greater independence in the students’ environments.

Most Compelling Finding

The most striking outcome of this case study is the affinity students with ASD showed towards the robot, and how this engagement translated into real-world improvements. As the academy’s Director of Education, noted:

“In general, we have found that all our students with ASD are drawn to the robot. They fully engage with the lessons and are beginning to generalize behaviors such as how to make eye contact, greet people, and ask for help. The results we have seen so far are very promising!”

This finding suggests that Robot-Assisted Instruction is a powerful tool in special education settings, providing a bridge between technology-based learning and real-world skill application.