The Use and Future of Social Humanoid Robots in Special Education: A Systematic Review
Keywords:
Educational Robotics, Children with Special Needs, Social Humanoid Robots, Child Robot Interaction, InclusionAbstract
The rapid advancement of technology enables the development of innovative approaches in education. In the field of special education in particular, technological tools aimed at meeting students' individual needs have gained significant importance. Within this context, social humanoid robots emerge as innovative tools that can support students' learning processes, enhance their social interactions, and foster the development of their individual abilities. However, questions such as how social humanoid robots can be effectively used in special education, the educational value of these robots, and the types of future developments that may occur remain largely unanswered in the literature. This research employs a systematic review approach to critically examine studies on the use of social humanoid robots in the education of children with special needs, assessing the concrete field experiences, adaptability to inclusive education, and outcomes of these studies. To achieve this, twelve studies were analyzed in detail using the PRISMA reporting guidelines. Inclusion criteria for this review included studies conducted with individuals diagnosed with special needs aged 2-15, published between 2014 and 2023, involving at least one case or participant group regardless of qualitative or quantitative research methodologies, and published in a peer-reviewed journal. A majority of these studies focused on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Findings from studies conducted with social humanoid robots (such as NAO, ZENO, QTROBOT, PROBO, KASPAR) with ASD children indicate improvements over time in eye contact and joint attention skills, significant increases in interaction initiation abilities, support for verbal and non-verbal communication skills, though with limited gains in imitation skills.These studies reveal certain limitations, particularly related to small sample sizes, low female participation, and lack of control groups. Furthermore, it can be suggested that one of the most critical areas researchers need to focus on is conducting large-scale studies to assess the effects of social humanoid robots on special education across diverse child populations. In conclusion, the use of social humanoid robots in special education holds substantial potential to enrich these students' educational experiences. However, effective utilization of this potential requires careful planning, ongoing research, and providing educators with necessary guidance.
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