by dragana.maksimovic -

Impulse #4

Otsimo – A Learning App for Children with Autism

As part of my research on inclusive educational tools, I spent time exploring Otsimo, a learning app designed specifically for children with autism and other special educational needs. Since I’m focusing on how digital and physical tools can support individualized learning, I wanted to see how this app approaches engagement, accessibility, and adaptability for neurodivergent learners.

Otsimo is structured as a gamified learning platform, offering interactive activities in fields like language, math, emotions, and daily life skills. The interface is colorful, simple, and distraction-free, which is crucial for children who may struggle with sensory overload. Right from the start, I noticed how the app focuses on clear instructions, minimal animations, and a predictable layout, making it easier for children with ASD to use.

What stood out to me was how customizable the experience is. Parents and teachers can adjust difficulty levels, track progress, and modify settings to match a child’s learning pace. This aligns with what I’ve learned in my research, that flexibility is key when designing educational tools for children with autism. Each child learns differently, and having the ability to adapt the tool to their strengths and challenges is a big advantage.

One of the aspects I loved about Otsimo is how it integrates multi-sensory learning. The app uses:

  • Visual prompts to help children recognize objects, letters, and emotions.
  • Audio feedback to reinforce correct answers and provide gentle guidance.
  • Touch-based interactions that allow children to drag, match, and draw as part of the learning process.

Another feature I found really valuable is the AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) tool included in Otsimo. Many children with autism experience challenges with verbal communication, and this feature allows them to express needs and emotions through symbols and text-to-speech options. It made me think about how digital tools can bridge the communication gap, especially for non-verbal children or those who struggle with social interactions.

In my expert interviews, one of the main issues educators mentioned was the lack of individualized support in classrooms. This kind of AAC tool could be extremely helpful for children in inclusive settings, allowing them to communicate more easily with teachers and peers.

Exploring Otsimo reinforced some key ideas for my thesis:

  1. Personalization Matters – Every child with autism has different learning needs, and tools should be adaptable.
  2. Gamification Works – Learning feels more natural when it’s engaging and interactive.
  3. Multi-Sensory Design is Key – Combining visuals, sounds, and touch-based interactions makes education more accessible.
  4. Technology Can Support Social Skills – Digital tools like AAC devices help children communicate and navigate social situations.

While Otsimo is a great tool, I also started thinking about how physical tools could complement digital learning. For example, could an app like this be paired with tactile learning materials or scent-based elements to make it even more immersive? This is one of the questions I want to explore further in my work.

Trying out Otsimo was a really valuable experience. It showed me how well-designed digital tools can support individualized learning, and it gave me ideas on how I can integrate similar principles into my own research. I still believe that physical interaction is just as important as digital engagement, but Otsimo is a great example of how technology can help make education more inclusive, structured, and engaging for children with ASD.

I’m excited to continue exploring both digital and physical learning tools and finding ways to combine the best aspects of both. This experience definitely gave me new inspiration for my thesis and future design projects!

References:

https://otsimo.com/en

by dragana.maksimovic -

Interactive Learning Table Prototype

In this starting phase I decided to focus on a simple math exercise. Following the exercise from start to finish, I tried to simulate what a lesson using a tool like this would look like.

Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Math Exercise

Upon starting the session, students are greeted with a welcome screen that prompts them to select a subject. This screen features four main subjects: Math, Reading, Writing, and Let’s Play.

Why? According to educational research, offering a choice increases student motivation and a sense of control over their learning. The visual representation of each subject helps young learners easily navigate and select their preferred activity.

Finding the Help Button

On every screen, there’s a little question mark (?) in the corner. When you click on it, a helpful message pops up to explain what you need to do next.

Why? Sometimes, we all get a bit confused or forget what to do. The question mark is like a friendly helper that’s always there when you need it.

Math Subject Selection

When the student selects „Math,“ they are taken to a new screen with six lessons, each represented by a numbered tile.

Why? Breaking down the curriculum into individual lessons helps in setting clear, achievable goals. Research shows that structured learning paths contribute to better knowledge retention.

Visual and Interactive Elements

The use of bright colors and large icons is based on research indicating that young children respond better to visually appealing and easily recognizable graphics. This enhances their ability to navigate the interface independently.

User Engagement

The interactive nature of the prototype encourages active participation rather than passive learning. Studies have shown that interactive learning can significantly improve student engagement and retention of material.

Conclusion

The first phase of the interactive learning table prototype for math exercises represents an integration of educational research and user-centered design. By focusing on interactivity, visual appeal, and structured learning, I wish to create a tool that not only supports academic growth but also fosters a love for learning among young students with cognitive disabilities. As I move forward, I will continue to refine and expand the functionality based on user feedback and ongoing research in educational technology.

by ellen.dressler -

01 | Sustainability

Sustainability has become one of the central topics of our society. Regarding this topic, we face a multitude of challenges and issues that urgently need to be addressed in order to create a more sustainable future for all.

In recent years, my awareness of sustainability and our environment has become increasingly bigger. Therefore, I’m trying to make environmentally friendly decisions as often as possible. I don’t eat meat, I try to buy my clothes second hand or from sustainable brands, I recycle and try to avoid unnecessary packaging. At the same time, however, I noticed that many people are not sufficiently aware of the sustainability problems we face or do not know how they can make their contribution. Therefore, it is important to create more awareness for this issue and to provide offers that make it as easy as possible to see how each individual can do their part for a more sustainable society and motivate them to do so.

Existing projects

Clearly there are already existing a lot of projects and initiatives that are aiming to motivate people to do something good for the environment.
One well-known concept for avoiding conventional packaging waste is „zero waste stores“. These exist in many Austrian cities and are an alternative to conventional supermarkets. Food is available here unpackaged, from food dispensers and for filling into containers you bring yourself.
In addition to that, usually also other reusable or recyclable products are on offer (1).

Another renowned initiative to draw attention to the urgency of climate and nature conservation is the WWF’s Earth Hour. Every year, for one hour on the last Saturday in March, the lights are switched off collectively to draw attention to the urgency of nature and climate protection. Launched in 2007 by WWF Australia, this global campaign is intended to send a strong signal to international decision-makers to do justice to their responsibility to protect our nature and habitats (2).

© WWF France

Besides major climate protection campaigns like this one, interactive elements, gamification and personalized approaches can actively engage users in the learning process and motivate them to implement sustainable measures. It can create higher engagement and increase the likelihood that people will make lasting changes in their behavior (3).

There is a variety of media and technologies, that could be used to convey information, including interactive graphics, videos, apps, virtual or augmented reality and more. This provides multiple opportunities to present the topic of sustainability in engaging ways.

To be able to do so, it is crucial to answer some fundamental questions.

Central research-topics and upcoming steps

Since „sustainability“ is a very broad field, the research will also be very open at the beginning. The aim is to create as broad a pool of knowledge as possible on the topic.

The following questions will need to be addressed:

  • How is sustainability in general defined?
  • What are the problems in communicating the topic within different target groups?
    – Which subtopics need to be communicated better?
    – Does it make sense to focus on a specific area of the topic sustainability?
  • How can individuals integrate more sustainability into their lives?
  • What are the most effective methods for presenting information on sustainability in an engaging and interactive way?
  • How has knowledge transfer on the topic of sustainability already been implemented in the past?
    – What kind of actions, apps, challenges or other interactive approaches have already been implemented in this regard and what can I learn from them?
    – Which companies were involved in this?
  • What specific topics and subtopics should be covered?
  • What levers do you need to pull to get people to change their habits?
    – Do we need new approaches on how to engage people in making more sustainable choices?
    – Is it possible to just impart knowledge on the topic in an interactive and engaging way to get the desired results?

Expected challenges

With all the questions that need to be answered, there also come along some challenging parts of the research.
Since sustainability is a very broad and complex topic that encompasses various aspects such as environmental, social and economic, it could be challenging to find a clear focus for the research.
Besides that, technology and tools in interaction design are evolving rapidly, so it might be difficult to find current and relevant information that reflects the latest developments.
Furthermore it might become challenging to talk to people who have a deeper insight into certain topics to find out more about them first-hand.

Overall it is to be said, that interactivity allows for a creative and effective approach to raising awareness about sustainability and encouraging people to make more sustainable choices. It helps bridge the gap between knowledge and action.

Relevant institutions

European environment agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en
Umweltbundesamt Austria: https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/
European Commision – Education Area: https://education.ec.europa.eu/de

References

(1) Zero Waste Austria. Zero Waste Shops – Unverpackt einkaufen in Österreich. https://www.zerowasteaustria.at/zero-waste-shops.html
(2) WWF Österreich. WWF EARTH HOUR 2023. https://www.wwf.at/earthhour/
(3) Alsawaier, R. (2017). The effect of gamification on motivation and engagement. 10.1108/IJILT-02-2017-0009