This tutorial aims to help you understand how to use Augmented Reality (AR) in the realm of special education. We will introduce you to the basics of AR, how it applies to special education, and how to create an AR application that can be used in a learning context.
By the end of this tutorial, you will have a basic understanding of:
The only prerequisites for this tutorial are basic programming skills, particularly in JavaScript and HTML. Knowledge in AR libraries like A-Frame or AR.js would be beneficial but not necessary.
Concept of AR: AR stands for Augmented Reality. It is a technology that overlays computer-generated images on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.
AR in Special Education: AR can provide interactive, immersive experiences, making learning more engaging for special education students. AR tools can help these students grasp concepts easier and faster.
Creating an AR app: We'll create a simple AR application that displays a 3D model when a specific image (marker) is detected via the device's camera.
Installing A-Frame and AR.js libraries in your HTML file
<!-- Include A-Frame and AR.js libraries -->
<script src="https://aframe.io/releases/0.9.2/aframe.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://jeromeetienne.github.io/AR.js/aframe/build/aframe-ar.js"></script>
In the code above, we included the A-Frame and AR.js libraries from their respective CDNs. A-Frame allows us to define 3D models in HTML. AR.js will let us use AR in our web app.
Including an AR scene in your HTML
<body style='margin : 0px; overflow: hidden;'>
<a-scene embedded arjs>
<a-marker preset="hiro">
<a-box position='0 0.5 0' material='color: yellow;'></a-box>
</a-marker>
<a-entity camera></a-entity>
</a-scene>
</body>
In this code, we set up an AR scene inside the a-scene element. The a-marker element represents the marker that the camera will recognize, and the 3D model (a yellow box in this case) will show up on this marker.
We have covered the basics of AR and how it applies to special education. We have also created a simple AR application that displays a 3D model when a specific image is detected.
For further learning, you can explore more complex AR applications, different types of markers, and more 3D models. You can also look into other AR libraries and how to integrate them into your applications.
Exercise 1: Create an AR application that displays a different 3D model (e.g., a sphere or a cylinder).
Exercise 2: Create an AR application that uses a custom image as a marker instead of the 'hiro' preset.
Exercise 3: Create an AR application that displays a 3D model and plays an audio clip when the marker is detected.
Tips for further practice: Try to create AR applications that would be useful in a special education context. You could display 3D models of animals, shapes, or letters. You could also use audio to provide further information about the models.