Learning a second language could help this population to improve their cognitive ability, to learn faster and more effectively, and also broaden their communication and self-confidence. However, there seems to be a gap in the literature regarding the use of robots to teach a foreign language to individuals with Down syndrome. Moreover, many others studies conducted on typically-developing foreign language learners have all found Robot Assisted Language Learning (RALL) very promising (Alemi, Meghdari, & Ghazisaedy 2014 Chang, Lee, Chao, Wang, & Chen, 2010 Han, 2010 Lee et al., 2011). There have been many studies showing the positive effects of using technology to improve functional movement skills and cognitive abilities among people with cognitive disabilities such as people with autism. As the number of this population is increasing their needs must be taken into account along with those of typically developing people. Individuals with Down syndrome have some common physical characteristics and also cognitive delays that affect their learning process and social lives (Patterson, 2009). Down syndrome, one of the most common cognitive problems caused by a chromosomal disorder, was the focus of this study. Since cognitive ability is an important factor affecting the learning process, any kind of cognitive disorder can make learning more challenging. Technology is a tool that can help teachers and learners by making education easier and more motivating.

This study could be a starting point for a new line of research in second or foreign language instruction specific to people with Down syndrome. The findings of this study demonstrate the positive effects of using a humanoid robot to facilitate vocabulary learning and retention among people with Down syndrome who have issues with both language learning and verbal short-term memory and need to learn through visual activities, gestures, and games. Moreover, while both RALL and non-RALL groups retained the taught vocabulary, the RALL group showed a more satisfying result. The independent sample t-test on gain scores from pre-test to post-test revealed that there was a significant difference between the gains of the RALL group (M = 12.40) and the non-RALL group (M = 8.40), which indicates that RALL instruction had a large effect on the participants’ English vocabulary improvement. To measure the results, three English tests were run at different times during the teaching sessions (a pre-test, post-test, and a delayed post-test). Both groups received the same lessons to learn 40 English vocabulary in 8 sessions. To this end, participants were divided into 2 groups of five, one with the help of the robot (RALL) and one without (non-RALL). This method is a new trend in using technology to teach classes called Robot Assisted Language Learning (RALL). The present case study investigated the probable effect of applying a humanoid robot as a teacher-assistant for learning and retention of English vocabulary among 10 Iranian foreign language learners with intellectual disabilities, more specifically Down syndrome.

Interface choreograph webots