User models and usability for blended learning in special needs education

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We conducted interviews, behavior observations of normally developing students and students with disabilities to investigate the need for blended learning (BL). We alsomeasured their finger plethysmograms and mental workloads while doing two tasks, using a BL system as well as performing other intellectual tasks. We then compared plethysmograms and workloads of normally developing students and students with disabilities. The largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE), the ratio of powers of low and high frequency (LF/HF), and the workload score were obtained. The results suggest that the LLE, the LF/HF ratio, and the workload score decreased when using a BL system compared with doing other intellectual tasks. The results also suggest that the LLE, the LF/HFratio, and the workload score of students with disabilities in both tasks were similar to those of normally developing students. Furthermore, three types of user models were given learning support using the BL system.