Immersive Educational Environments to enhance L2 motivation and vocabulary in EFL students with dyslexia

This research is driven by the need to understand the educational profile and specific needs of university students with Specific Learning Disorders (SpLD) at the University of Genoa. The first research question focuses on describing this profile, while secondary questions delve into educational and linguistic needs. The second primary research question explores how to enhance linguistic motivation and lexical learning in English for students with SpLD. The hypothesis posits that immersive educational environments can positively influence engagement and motivation, benefiting vocabulary learning. The study employs a mixed-method research approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of immersive technologies on university students with SpLD, contributing to inclusive education. The research's contextualization within the University of Genoa facilitates sample selection, emphasizing both online educational units and the use of various research methodologies. The ultimate goal is to provide effective tools for academic success and inclusivity for students with SpLD, aligning them with neurotypical peers. The resultus of the study confirm: (i) the effectiveness of an educational design based on principles of Inclusive Language Teaching Theories, concerning the content and its organization, as well as the arrangement of the online environment itself; (ii) the enhancement of motivation thanks to immersive scenarios; (iii) the improvement of vocabulary competence, especially lexical richness, the use of connectors, and vocabulary accuracy.