Virtual Sounds and Virtual Spaces to support persons with cognitive and physical disabilities during Information Retrieval, Rehabilitation and Learning

People with physical, cognitive or relational impairments may experience great benefit from using advanced computerbased technologies. The paper presents the first results of studies in using sound, vocal, and musical cues within virtual digital environments, designed to enhance the cognitive functions of participants or to provide better opportunities in rehabilitation and learning. Three different areas of research have been pursued: a) the use of research and hierarchical navigation strategies, in combination with text -to-speech and voice recognition echnologies, to allow Internet access via a telephone network to physically or hearing impaired subjects; b) the use of voice recognition and threedimensional spatial sound clues to support rehabilitation activities of cognitively impaired subjects (with mental retardation, autism or other pathologies); c) the use of multimedia and three-dimensional virtual environments, with spatialized sounds and music, to create musical and interactive stories with children with difficulties in verbal communication and social relationships.