Augmented Reality to Teach Activities of Daily Living to Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Who Live Independently

Post-secondary educational opportunities continue to grow for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), with many providing options for independent living. This has increased the already high need to teach independent living skills to this population. Complex learning needs within this community of learners often necessitate unique teaching approaches. A single case, multiple probes across behaviors design was used to determine the effectiveness of an augmented reality (AR) video modeling system used on a mobile device as a learning approach. The goal of the study was to help participants living independently learn new skills and to determine the social acceptability of the system. Three individuals, ages 18 – 21, attending a post-secondary program on a large college campus, participated in the study. Results indicate that the AR video models were highly effective in teaching all participants new skills while also increasing their independence when completing new tasks. In addition, the AR video models were a socially acceptable means for students to learn and maintain the skills developed during the study.