Two public special schools, Jeongjin School in Guro District, Seoul, and HyeEun School in Seongnam City, Yongin Province, have been selected as recipients of a government initiative to test virtual reality-based exercise facilities, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said September 24th. (Image: Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism)
SEOUL, September 26 (Korea Bizwire) – Two public special schools, Jeongjin School in Guro District, Seoul, and HyeEun School in Seongnam City, Yongin Province, have been selected as recipients of a government initiative to test virtual reality-based exercise facilities, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said 24.09.
The initiative, a joint effort by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, aims to harness the emerging virtual reality technology as a platform for sports and training activities.
Future facilities will resemble screen golf in both appearance and general functionality. In a room with a giant screen on one side and a floor lined with green lawn, students can kick and throw balls at CGI-generated targets on the screen and see them move accordingly.
Students with special needs lack basic agility, reflexes, and cognitive skills, making participating in more typical outdoor activities difficult and inedible.
The issue was highlighted in a January publication in the Korean Journal of Physical Education, where a study entitled “Analyzing Special Education Teachers’ Concerns About Physical Education” found that the greatest challenges teachers face in planning and delivering physical education are because as well as preparing reactions to unexpected situations.
The initiative, a joint effort by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, aims to harness the emerging virtual reality technology as a platform for sports and training activities. (Image: ETRI)
A separate study published in 2011 showed that students with special needs desperately needed physical activity. 41.2 percent of the learning disabled students had a BMI (body mass index) over 23, which indicates obesity.
The visually impaired were not far behind with 35.1 percent.
Their health problems have been exacerbated by the fact that students with learning disabilities are often unable to regulate their own diet.
Jeongjin School principal Kim Chun Ye pointed out that excessive weight gain also prevents students from doing physical activity.
Since the various health problems faced by students with special needs came to light, a steady stream of research has been published suggesting that sporting activities using cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality can be a solution.
A sports facility will be about the size of a normal classroom. The cost will be around 70 million won and will be shared between the central and local governments.
SBW (sbw266@koreabizwire.com)
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