Virtual reality (VR) has become a promising tool for enhancing social skills in special education, K-12 education, and post-secondary education. However, there is a lack of comprehensive meta-analyses examining the effectiveness of VR social skills training and the factors that moderate its efficacy. In this study, a meta-analysis approach was…

Today, the global prevalence of autism is high and continues to increase dramatically. Effective support and interventions are therefore warranted. Augmented reality (AR), one of the recent modalities of immersive technology, is gaining traction in autism interventions. However, there is currently a lack of reviews on the use of AR in children…

The purpose of this single-case experimental design (SCED) study is to investigate how adaptive prompts in virtual reality (VR)-based social skills training affect the social skills performance of autistic children. Adaptive prompts are driven by autistic children's emotional states. To integrate adaptive prompts in VR-based training, we conducted…

Autistic children's social skills do not always align with those of their neurotypical peers and research suggests that this can negatively impact quality of life. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of extended reality (XR) interventions in helping autistic children to enhance their social skills. Five electronic databases were…

Aim/Purpose: This study explores the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) application designed to teach Theory of Mind (ToM) skills to children aged 5-6, addressing the gap in research on the use of VR for typically developing children. Background: ToM is a critical skill for social interaction and understanding others' perspectives. Despite…

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) programs have proliferated significantly in recent years and they are finding their way into different educational and therapeutic purposes. This systematic review aims at analyzing the virtual reality and augmented reality programs designed to promote the development of social skills in individuals…

In this scoping review on 34 studies, we examined the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). IVR was mostly used in connection with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for assessment of and intervention in social skills, and in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for assessment of executive…

One of the biggest difficulties faced by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during their learning process and general life, is communication and social interaction. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have invested in different approaches to improving aspects of their communication and learning. However, there is still no…

Technology is the most widely used tool in daily life activities in today's society. This is primarily due to its accessibility for all types of users and its ability to quickly respond to problems that arise in everyday tasks. Its widespread use is extending into various fields of knowledge, including education. Within this domain, the use of…

The extent to which an intervention is perceived as socially valid significantly influences whether the intervention is selected, implemented, and maintained (Kern & Manz, 2004). Social skill interventions and evidence-based practices are often ranked with low social validity by adolescents (McCoy et al., 2016). Interventions delivered through…

This study aimed to explore the design and development of verbal prompts in virtual reality (VR)-based social skills training for autistic children. Autism indicates a category with neurodiversity that influences individuals' capability to engage in social and cognitive tasks. This complex neurodevelopmental condition manifests in a wide array of…

In an increasingly globalized world, developing intercultural competence in higher education is highly valued. While there has been a shift towards remote intercultural learning methods, these approaches often lack authentic and immersive experiences. To address this gap, the present study uses spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) to…

Teacher preparation programs have acknowledged the need to address the topic of collaboration in coursework; however, few educator preparation programs require collaboration courses or address the interpersonal aspects involved in teaching in other required courses. Working with families is essential in the field of special education, and…

This study tested the feasibility and efficacy of a Virtual Reality (VR) social prediction training (VR-Spirit) specifically designed for patients with congenital cerebellar malformation. The study is a randomised controlled trial in which 28 cerebellar patients aged 7-25 yo were randomly allocated to the VR-Spirit or to a control intervention in…

Context: Dealing with professional complexity has been of scientific interest in the research field of vocational education and training for decades. So far, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding how professional complexity finds its way into learning processes in VET. A common option is to model complexity through authentic simulations…