Y. Lam ’24, a double major in art and psychology, who is also enrolled in the 4+1 Accelerated Master’s Program for Elementary Education, expressed gratitude for emerging technology’s role in assisting students with learning, emotional and behavioral disabilities.

“Creating a customized tour for students in need is essential,” said Lam. “Based on our observations of Centennial students, we have designed and developed a tour specifically suited for them, including audio descriptions to accompany the gallery pieces, tailored to their instructional level. Applying 360-degree technology, we can deliver an engaging and meaningful art tour that captivates our target audience and encourages interaction with the content.”

The team also utilizes Matterport, a software typically used by real estate companies, to add touchpoints and create virtual tours of the Lehigh University Art Galleries. This allows Centennial School students to choose how they want to receive information about the art pieces, whether auditorily or visually.

Sara Heintzelman, the school’s technology integration specialist, said the student team members had been extensively involved in all aspects of the project, from capturing footage to developing scaffolded questions and videos that assist Centennial School students in interpreting art.

“Team members have also taken responsibility for marketing and logo creation while gaining valuable firsthand experience observing how students with disabilities learn,” she added.

Although the ILC at Centennial School is the first of its kind on the East Coast, the team intends to share its content with other institutions as more immersive learning spaces are developed worldwide. They are creating software allowing users to access virtual tours on desktops, laptops and tablets, albeit with a slightly less immersive experience.