Assessing the environmental quality of an adapted, play-based LEGO^® robotics program to achieve optimal outcomes for children with disabilities

Abstract

Purpose

This study assessed the environmental quality of an adapted, play-based LEGO^® robotics program for children and youth with disabilities to determine the degree to which the activity setting supports the therapeutic goals of the program.

Materials and methods

We measured the environmental qualities of a robotics program held at a paediatric rehabilitation hospital. We observed and coded video-recordings of the robotics program, specifically one session from each of five different rooms where the program took place. Using the 32-item Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings (MEQAS), we described the place- and opportunity-related qualities of these settings.

Results

Our observations revealed that, across all five settings, the environments support the therapeutic goals of the program, including providing opportunities for social interaction with peers and adults to a great extent. We also identified several environmental features of the robotics program that support optimal outcomes for children and youth with disabilities.

Conclusions

Our findings lend support for the value of examining environmental opportunities and affordances of play-based therapy within rehabilitation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Assessing the environmental opportunities and affordances of play-based activities using the Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings (MEQAS) is valuable for supporting positive outcomes in rehabilitation.

• The settings of an adapted LEGO^® robotics program offer children with disabilities opportunities to engage in social interactions with peers and adults, to learn a new skill, and to develop a sense of self-identity.

• Optimal therapeutic outcomes of an adapted LEGO^® robotics program can be supported by environmental features, including: large tables with sufficient space for two youth and one or two adult volunteers to interact at eye-level, arranged separately with enough space to invite movement between tables, in such a way that children may also interact across tables.

Keywords:

• Environment
• robotics
• play
• inclusion
• children
• youth
• disability
• inclusive STEM

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science through an Early Researcher Award to Sally Lindsay.