CASE STUDY
Inclusivator Project
A collaborative partnership that enriches students’ understanding of inclusive employment options and career pathways in entrepreneurship.
Partnership
Monash Business School’s Opportunity Tech Lab’s “Inclusivator'' project uses novel digital technologies — specifically Virtual Reality — to support neuro-minorities in taking advantage of existing Entrepreneurship programs. The project also aims to make the Entrepreneurship ecosystem more inclusive of neuro-minorities by enabling investors and customers to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodiverse perspectives.
The “Inclusivator” is being developed through a transdisciplinary and co-design approach and fills a gap not met by traditional disability support using reasonable adjustments to educational material and contexts. The “Inclusivator” project will assist all neuro-minority and neuro-majority students in learning and practicing social business skills. It will also assist all neuro-minority and neuro-majority students to experience different “neuro-perspectives” with a view to better leverage those perspectives in Entrepreneurship activities.
This initiative aligns with the Monash Tech School Strategic Plan 2022-2025 objectives of:
Students and Industry - equip students with transferable skills for STEM career pathways, engage and prepare students for lifelong learning in a changing world which is highly STEM focused
The initiative also aligns with Monash University's Strategic Plan 2030 by addressing Monash’s Global Challenge of Thriving Communities; championing inclusivity by
seeking to boost the mental health, wellbeing, self-management, learning and development, and productivity of socially disadvantaged, stigmatised, and vulnerable groups.
Visit the Opportunity Tech Lab website or contact us at opportunity-tech-lab@monash.edu
Program
The goal of the Inclusivator Project is to improve outcomes for all students undertaking Monash Tech School Entrepreneurship pathway programs. The Inclusivator VR platform teaches students to “pitch your Superpower or Unique Strength” through firstly identifying their Superpower; linking that superpower to the success of a business, and applying communication skills in a business context. To highlight that individuality is a business strength, 3 real-life inspirational neuro-diverse entrepreneurs demonstrate their pitches and responses to questions. These demonstrations are presented as VR experiences that place the students in each entrepreneur's place of business, where they experience the pitch first-hand — as if they were an investor.
Outcomes
The first public demonstration of the VR Inclusivator learning experience was at the Monash Tech School facilitated Monash Maker Faire on the Clayton campus. The content was delivered to over 500 participants with positive feedback from a wide range of ages. Also included in the demonstration was the key neuro-diverse entrepreneur Kai from Kaiko Fidgets.
Feedback on the proof of concept will occur in early 2023 in partnership with our Partner Schools. Monash Tech School will then seek to explicitly integrate the VR student experience into new and existing MTS entrepreneurship programs in 2023.
