Toolkits

Virtual Inclusion is part of a project by The Open University, with support from Google, introducing virtual reality and video 360 as an important anti-discrimination tool.  The project aimed to show how immersive and VR technologies could be adopted by anti-discrimination groups from NGOs to educators to governments to build skills for tackling hate and extremism, especially among primary school age children. 

The app contains three eight minute 360 degree video scenarios based on the stories and direct input of students, teachers, and relevant experts in the field. It allows  users to experience “a day in the life” of a socially excluded young person in order to foster greater empathy and catalyse constructive critical reflection and discussion. The three experiences are:

• an Afro-Caribbean student who is being bullied at school;
• the first day of school of a young Polish girl;
• the discrimination felt by a student of Arab ethnicity whose friends are playing a "terrorist" themed video game. 

At the end of each scenario, users are asked to make "a decision" representing various options for responding to issues of social exclusion at school.

A free toolkit is available, with detailed information, teachers notes and lesson plans. A report is also available containing summaries of the piloting in UK schools 

The app is now only available for iOS.

• Download the app
• The narrator will introduce the concept of the app
• You can choose to be the companion of one of the children (Rashid, Kasia or Darell)
• Each story is presented in 360 degree video so you can move your finger around the screen to explore more of the scene. 
• At the end of each video you will be asked to make a decision.
• After watching the video(s) you can use the discussion points in the teachers notes to explore the themes more deeply.

Download the teacher notes.