Analysis of critical factors involved in using interactive robots for education and therapy of children with disabilities

This document presents one of the first results of the research carried out inside the IROMEC (Interactive RObotic Social Mediators as Companions,  IST-FP6-045356.) Project, a project co-funded by European Commission inside the Information Society Technology activity area of the Sixth Framework Program
It includes and examines all the factors related to the crucial and important points involved in robot mediated playing activities of children with disabilities.
The document is intended as a background work to study the possible use and effects of IROMEC as a tool for therapy and education of children with disabilities; as such, it is also a scientific and methodological source not only for IROMEC researchers, but also for teachers, educators and rehabilitation professionals in the field.
The term 'Critical Factors' refers here to all the aspects that can influence the development of a robot system acting as a social mediator in a play environment. To better explain, the adjective 'critical' is not used as a synonym of positive or negative, it just means deserving careful consideration and requiring decisions. There may be Critical Factors that have a negative influence, others that yield a positive influence on reaching the project's purpose.
Factors that deserve consideration in planning, developing and carrying out robot mediated education and rehabilitation activities addressed to children with disabilities have been clustered around five main headings:
1.    Factors related to Play
2.    Factors related to the Individual
3.    Factors related to the Context
4.    Factors related to Technology and Robotics
5.    Factors related to Methodology
Following a multidisciplinary approach, each cluster has been studied in-depth within its typical disciplines; factors no. 2 and 3 have been related to the domains and the declaratory statements of the International Classification of Functioning – version for Children and Youth (ICF-CY), to be soon released by the World Health Organisation.
The study contains a detailed discussion of each selected Critical Factor with references and a final Checklist of Critical Factors.
Of course, factors are strictly interrelated among them: thus, any choice made at one level has consequences on the others. A conceptual map helps the reader in visualizing at least the most important relationships.
Making successful robot mediated education and rehabilitation activities involving children with disabilities will mostly depend on such choices and decisions.