www.learningsummit.eu 31 Saturday 14th September, 13.00-14.15 Session 9: Metaverse and XR in Education Automated Lip Reading: Exploring the Potential for Accessibility Measures in XR Hrishikesh Mulay1, Sam Redfern2 and Eleni Mangina3 1. University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland 2. University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland 3. University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland Existing research indicates that immersive technology will significantly influence pedagogical practices in the coming years. Due to the visual nature of the XR (eXtended Reality) applications, the lack of auditory support systems and high dependence on physical gestures and movements makes immersive tech inaccessible for people with special needs. However, the increasing influence and rise of XR technologies have instigated an urgency to make XR environments accessible to the vulnerable segments of society. Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) participants often face social challenges such as illiteracy, unemployment, lack of growth in personal and professional life and social isolation. Recent advancements in machine learning have opened opportunities for performing automated lip reading (ALR), which could be used as an assistive tool by DHH people within the XR world. This work in progress aspires to contribute towards the implementation of ALR systems in XR educational environments and provide an ethically aligned design and standardization in its implementation, to enhance accessibility measures in immersive technologies. Exploring Metaverse-Enhanced Learning: Learning Design Practices in K-12 Education Sonia Andreou1, Stephanie Papalla2 and Andri Ioannou3 1. CYENS Centre of Excellence, Nicosia, Cyprus 2. CYENS Centre of Excellence, Nicosia, Cyprus 3. Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus Although the concept of Metaverse is not new, the topic has increasingly gained popularity due to its vast array of opportunities for innovation in education. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to further accelerating its adoption and the need for research around it (Alfiras et.al, 2023). The literature review seeks to synthesize work on learning design guiding the adoption and implementation of metaverse-enhanced learning in K-12 education. The review is framed around the Trinity of Learning Design (Wasson & Kirschner, 2020), which discusses Tools, Techniques, and Ingredients as the three intersecting aspects needed for an effective learning design. The framework above allows us to assess and document current metaverse-enriched learning experiences in K-12. Our study addresses two primary research questions: (1) What are the current goals and learning design practices in using metaverse technology in K-12 education? (2) What opportunities and barriers are inherent to adopting metaverse technology in K-12 education? By examining the extent to which learning design is articulated in existing literature, we aim to identify
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