“Mistérios do Som” – development of a serious game for children with speech and hearing disorders

Abstract

The way we speak is extremely important when communicating with others, and out of all the forms of communication, this is surely the one that reveals most of our personality and emotions. Therefore, there is a problem to be solved when children begin to reveal some difficulties pronouncing and saying certain sounds and words, making it important to solve them promptly, as these problems can later reveal themselves in other topics, such as writing. Nowadays there are several types of exercises and tools that aim at diagnosing, treating and accompanying children to overcome these problems. Although the exercises used in the therapy sessions are somewhat successful, it is difficult to captivate and in-centive children during each session. To mitigate these issues, serious games arise, a concept that unites education and entertainment into one. Serious games can improve results in therapy sessions, stimulat-ing children and the therapist through a differentiating experience, and helping parents when their child is at home. It is within this concept that the “Mistérios do Som” game emerges, a serious game for children aged 6 to 10 that have speech and hearing disorders, combining gameplay in a 3D world with exercises that suit the needs of the child, giving the appropriate feedback according to their performance.