Implementing fuzzy logic to simulate a process of inference on sensory stimuli of deaf people in an e‐learning environment

A novel approach to education aimed at deaf students, based on computing that performs individualized instruction on the domain of programming languages is presented. This approach is fully implemented and evaluated in an educational application model, called model of Mental Architecture Digitized—AMD. In particular, performs user modeling by dynamically identifying and updating a student's knowledge level of all the concepts of the domain knowledge. The concept of AMD is based on fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) that are used to represent the dependences among the domain concepts. AMD uses fuzzy sets to represent a student's knowledge level as a subset of the domain knowledge. Thus, it combines fuzzy theory with the overlay model. Moreover, it employs a novel inference mechanism that dynamically updates user stereotypes using fuzzy sets. It should be noted that the overlay model and stereotypes constitute two widely used methods for user modeling. The gain from this novel combination is significant as a student level of knowledge is represented in a more realistic way by automatically modeling the learning or forgetting process of a student with respect to the FCMs and thus, the system can provide individualized adaptive advice. The transmission and retention of knowledge rests on the cognitive faculty of the concepts linked to it. The repeatability of your applications builds a solid foundation for Education, according to behavioral standards set. This cognitive ability to infer on what we observe and perceive, regarded as intrinsic human beings, does not depend of their physical capacity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 24:320–330, 2016; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21707