Leggere Forte! – VR Reading Experience
CLIENT
Università degli studi di Siena –
Dipartimento DISPOC
Research team Prof.ssa Maria Rita Mancaniello
Deliverables
VR Experience
Data analysis
3D experience
VISIT
Leggere: Forte! – Silent Reading in Virtual Reality
As part of the Leggere: Forte! initiative promoted by the Regione Toscana, a bold and innovative approach is being introduced: silent, autonomous reading within immersive virtual environments—marking a significant departure from traditional uses of virtual reality and the metaverse.
Through Leggere: Forte!, the Regione Toscana—together with the University of Siena, the University of Florence, the University of Pisa, Indire, the Tuscany Regional School Office, and Cepell—promotes the practice of reading aloud as well as independent and silent reading across all levels of the education system. The goal is to foster student engagement and enhance academic success.
The immersive virtual reading experience is designed specifically for high school students who may struggle with motivation, feel disconnected from school life, or have had limited early exposure to independent reading. By integrating cutting-edge technologies—including virtual reality classrooms, metaverse environments, and artificial intelligence—this initiative seeks to reimagine reading as a compelling, exploratory act, to be experienced in the classroom or in dedicated digital spaces.
The experience itself is envisioned as a dynamic, interactive, and emotionally resonant environment—one that sparks imagination, curiosity, and personal reflection. The reading paths proposed are meant to foster critical thinking, encourage interpretive and creative approaches, and support the development of an open and ironic mindset.
An essential feature of the project is the active involvement of students in the co-design of the digital environments, reinforcing a model of participatory education and shared learning.
Within this immersive context, learning becomes more engaging and meaningful, bridging technological innovation with a humanistic vision of education.
In this pioneering initiative, In2real led the entire creative and technological development of the Leggere: Forte! immersive experience—working in close collaboration with the University of Siena, and starting from the conceptual and visual design of the virtual space where silent reading takes place.
In2real VR Solutions
Designing an Educational Narrative Experience
3d Experience
The journey begins in a giant tree suspended among the clouds — a welcoming, neutral hub that serves as the starting point for the experience. From here, ten thematic islands branch out, each inspired by one of the books selected by the scientific team at the University of Siena. Every island is visually characterized by symbolic 3D elements, designed and modeled by In2real, which translate the central themes of each story into visual form. These elements provide students with narrative cues, visual inspirations, and prompts for reflection.
Merging Technology and Inclusion
VR experience
To make reading truly accessible in virtual reality, In2real carried out an in-depth optimization of the provided texts, ensuring readability, visual ergonomics, and a smooth user experience. The entire user interface was designed with an inclusive UI/UX approach, eliminating usage barriers even for first-time VR headset users. The experience was developed entirely in 3D and deployed on Meta Quest 3 headsets, with full installation on ten devices — including registration, updates, and pre-configured apps.
Making the Experience Measurable
Data Analysis
Alongside its immersive component, the project addressed a fundamental need: providing a rigorous analytical tool to support the research conducted by the DISPOC Department at the University of Siena. To achieve this, In2real integrated an anonymous data collection system designed to track key behavioral indicators while fully respecting student privacy.
All data is aggregated into an interactive, visual dashboard. This tool allows for a flexible and in-depth understanding of educational dynamics, supporting both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the VR experience’s impact on students’ cognitive, relational, and emotional processes.
With Leggere: Forte!, culture rises above the clouds and knowledge takes shape — experiential, silent, personal.
A journey that doesn’t end with the last page, but continues — island after island, page after page.
— In2real Team
Imagination takes shape. Experience leaves a trace.
For In2real, designing an immersive environment means more than creating a digital space — it means transforming an educational vision into a tangible, meaningful experience. With Leggere: Forte!, we brought to life the collective imagination of a team of educators, teachers, and researchers, building a narrative ecosystem that welcomes, inspires, and engages.
Above all, we made every interaction an opportunity for insight: every choice, every exploration, every page read becomes a visible trace — a data point that tells a story to those ready to listen.
This is where our work truly finds meaning: in giving visual voice to content, depth to ideas, and measurable value to experiences.
