Floreo’s recently released passthrough feature opens up new possibilities for making immersive virtual reality experiences more accessible, flexible, and meaningful for learners with a wide range of abilities and support needs. We call this feature an “AAC Passthrough” because it was originally designed to support individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools to express themselves. But you don’t need to be an AAC user to benefit from this feature.
How it works: The AAC Passthrough is a Learner-specific setting that can be enabled in the Floreo Coach web app. Once enabled, a Learner remains immersed in the VR environment, but a designated area in front of them, such as their lap or desktop, remains visible. This allows Learners to see and use their AAC tools while interacting with the characters in the Floreo scene. Having trouble picturing how this works? Check out this video: Floreo's New AAC Integration.
(Currently, the AAC Passthrough feature in Floreo only works with the Quest 3S, Quest 3, and Quest Pro.)
Supporting Learners with movement and balance challenges: When we first introduced Floreo, one of our partners observed that students with significant movement disorders benefited from shorter VR experiences. This makes sense when you consider the challenges some individuals face in coordinating sensory information and motor responses to maintain their balance and sense of stability. When the real world is removed from their view, maintaining that sense of stability can become even more difficult. However, with the AAC Passthrough feature turned on, Learners can see part of their physical surroundings, including their legs and their hands. This visual connection to the real world may help them feel more grounded and comfortable as they engage in Floreo lessons.
Learning communicative gestures: Several Floreo lessons focus on practicing communicative gestures, such as using a hand motion to indicate “Come over here” or “Stop.” These lessons have always included a character in the scene who can demonstrate the gesture if needed, providing a visual model for the Learner to imitate. Now, with the AAC Passthrough, Learners can see their own hands as they form the gestures. This visual feedback may be beneficial in supporting their ability to learn and use new gestures. Try this with lessons such as Start the Gestures Game, Whose Turn is it to Push the Swing?, Stop & Go with the Giraffes, and Move Giraffe! It's Time to Swing.
Verbally fluent Learners benefit from visual cues too: Some language and social communication challenges are not immediately apparent. Even Learners who can engage in conversation may have difficulty recognizing or interpreting important information. For example, they may struggle with situational awareness (understanding what is happening around them), semantic organization (organizing and retrieving words and concepts), or social interaction skills (knowing how and when to respond to others in the environment). These individuals may benefit from written cues or choice cards as they navigate social situations. For example, consider Teen Talk: Join a Conversation with the AAC Passthrough enabled. A Learner could benefit from different sets of choice cards at specific points during the lesson.
With AAC Passthrough, these visual cues can support the Learner’s ability to engage with the characters in the virtual environment. In this way, the Coach can customize the cue cards to fit the Learner’s needs, providing support while promoting independence.
What began as a way to support AAC users has evolved into a versatile tool that opens up new possibilities for personalized teaching and learning in VR. Have you figured out a way the AAC Passthrough can work for you? Reach out and let us know!