Virtual Environments: Is one life enough?

The visit to Virtual Ability Island (VAI) is always a highlight of the semester. Unfortunately, many students didn’t make it to class as this is reading week (despite the timetable clearly indicating there would be class this week!)

Gentle Heron welcomed everyone and spoke about the origins and activities of the community on VAI. In addition to hearing Gentle speaking her words were transcribed automatically in ‘nearby chat’ by means of the SpeakEasy HUD she uses on such occasions. This facilitates members of the community who cannot hear. You can view the video recorded by Sitearm Madonna from last semester’s visit or read about the previous semester’s visit to find out more about VAI.

Following Gentle’s introduction Magua and John divided the students into four groups who were sent to four different breakout locations for small group discussions led by members of the VAI community. We are really grateful to Suellen and James Heartsong, Mook Wheeler, The Tinys Slatan Dryke and iSkye Silverweb, Lorivonne Lustre for leading these sessions and sharing their insights and experiences in Real Life and in SL.

After the breakout sessions we gathered back in the meeting space where Gentle Heron posed three pertinent questions to the students who had equally perceptive responses before we concluded the visit with thanks to our friends in Virtual Ability Island.