Abstract
We present a new approach to the design, development and evaluation of embodied conversational agents (ECAs) that allows them to index identity through culturally and socially authentic verbal and non-verbal behaviors. This approach is illustrated with research we are carrying out with children who speak several dialects of American English, and the subsequent implementation and first evaluation of a virtual peer based on that research. Results suggest that issues of identity in ECAs are more complicated than previous approaches might suggest, and that ECAs themselves may play a role in understanding issues of identity and language use in ways that have promise for educational applications.
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Cassell, J. (2009). Social Practice: Becoming Enculturated in Human-Computer Interaction. In: Stephanidis, C. (eds) Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Applications and Services. UAHCI 2009. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5616. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02713-0_32
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