This study surveyed school professionals about their perceptions and attitudes toward using AR and VR in their work with children with disabilities. Survey data were collected from 257 participants in 45 states across the United States and from the Philippines. The findings indicated that very few practitioners used AR (n = 26) or VR (n = 19) in their practices, with nine participants using both AR and VR. Most of the participants who used AR or VR received training or had knowledge of how to use the technology and had technical support available. Similarly, the majority of the participants who did not use AR or VR reported a lack of training or knowledge of how to use the technology and a lack of financial resources. Participants who reported using AR were significantly younger than those who reported that they did not use AR, but there were no other significant differences between the groups.
AfriantoI.FarisA. F.AtinS. (2019). Hijaiyah letter interactive learning for mild mental retardation children using gillingham method and augmented reality. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 10(6), 334–341.
2.
AkçayırM.AkçayırG. (2017). Advantages and challenges associated with augmented reality for education: A systematic review of the literature. Educational Research Review, 20, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2016.11.002
3.
BalandinS.Molka-DanielsenJ. (2015). Teachers’ perceptions of virtual worlds as a medium for social inclusion for adults with intellectual disability. Disability and Rehabilitation, 37, 1543–1550. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2015.1052574
4.
BaragashR. S.Al-SamarraieH.AlzahraniA. I.AlfarrajO. (2020). Augmented reality in special education: A meta-analysis of single-subject design studies. European Journal of Special Needs Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1703548
5.
BozgeyikliL.RaijA.KatkooriS.AlqasemiR. (2018). A Survey on virtual reality for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: Design considerations. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2017.2739747
6.
BraddockD.RizzoloM. C.ThompsonM.BellR. (2004). Emerging technologies and cognitive disability. Journal of Special Education Technology, 19(4), 49–56.
7.
CakirR.KorkmazO. (2019). The effectiveness of augmented reality environments on individuals with special education needs. Education and Information Technologies, 24, 1631–1659. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-018-9848-6
8.
ChangY.KangY.HuangP. (2013). An augmented reality (AR)-based vocational task prompting system for people with cognitive impairments. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34(10), 3049–3056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.06.026
9.
ChenC.LeeI.LinL. (2015). Augmented reality-based self-facial modeling to promote the emotional expression and social skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 36, 396–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.10.015
10.
ChengY.HuangC.-L.YangC.-S. (2015). Using a 3d immersive virtual environment system to enhance social understanding and social skills for children with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 30, 222–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357615583473
11.
CihakD. F.MooreE. J.WrightR. E.McMahonD. D.GibbonsM. M.SmithC. (2016). Evaluating augmented reality to complete a chain task for elementary students with autism. Journal of Special Education Technology, 31(2), 99–108.
12.
de Lima AntãoJ. Y. F.de AbreuL. C.de Almeida BarbosaR. T.CrocettaT. B.GuarnieriR.MassettiT.Campos AntunesT. P.TonksJ.de Mello MonteiroC. B. (2020). Use of augmented reality with a motion-controlled game utilizing alphabet letters and numbers to improve performance and reaction time skills for people with autism spectrum disorder. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(1), 16–22. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0103
13.
DidehbaniN.AllenT.KandalaftM.KrawczykD.ChapmanS. (2016). Virtual reality social cognition training for children with high functioning autism. Computers in Human Behavior, 62, 703–711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.04.033
14.
DixonD. R.MiyakeC. J.NoheltyK.NovackM. N.GranpeeshehD. (2020). Evaluation of an immersive virtual reality safety training used to teach pedestrian skills to children with autism spectrum disorder. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13, 631–640. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00401-1
15.
FreinaL.OttM. (2015). A literature review on immersive virtual reality in education: State of the art and perspectives. In The 11th International Scientific Conference ELearning and Software for Education (pp. 415–421). Bucharest, April 23–24, 2015, (1). https://doi:10.12753/2066-026X-15-02
16.
GleasonL. (2017). Virtual reality technologies and autism spectrum disorder: Directors of special services’ perceptions [Unpublished doctoral dissertation].Saint Peter’s University.
17.
GrynszpanO.WeissP. L.Perez-DiazF.GalE. (2014). Innovative technology-based interventions for autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 18, 346–361. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361313476767
18.
HengE.LanovazM. J.BeauregardA. (2020). Research on technological interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders: A scoping review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-020-00215-w
19.
JanssenD.TummelC.RichertA.IsenhardtI. (2016). Virtual environments in higher education–Immersion as a key construct for learning 4.0. International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning, 9(2), 20–26. https://doi:10.3991/ijac.v9i2.6000
20.
KandalaftM. R.DidehbaniN.KrawczykD. C.AllenT. T.ChapmanS. B. (2013). Virtual reality social cognition training for young adults with high-functioning autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 34–44. https://doi:10.1007/s10803-012-1544-6
21.
KeF.ImT. (2013). Virtual-reality-based social interaction training for children with high-functioning autism. The Journal of Educational Research, 106(6), 441–461.
22.
KellemsR. O.CacciatoreG.OsborneK. (2019). Using an augmented reality–based teaching strategy to teach mathematics to secondary students with disabilities. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 42(4), 253–258.
23.
KellemsR. O.YakubovaG.MorrisJ.WheatleyA.ChenB. B. (2021). Using augmented and virtual reality to improve social, vocational, and academic outcomes of students with autism and other developmental disabilities. In AkcayirG.EppC. D. (Eds.), Designing, deploying, and evaluating virtual and augmented reality in education (pp. 164–182). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-5043-4.ch008
24.
LeeI. (2020). Kinect-for-windows with augmented reality in an interactive roleplay system for children with an autism spectrum disorder. Interactive Learning Environments, https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1710851
25.
LorenzoG.LledóA.Arráez-VeraG.Lorenzo-LledóA. (2019). The application of immersive virtual reality for students with ASD: A review between 1990–2017. Education and Information Technologies, 24(1), 127–151. https://doi:10.1007/s10639-018-9766-7
26.
LorenzoG.PomaresJ.LledóA. (2013). Inclusion of immersive virtual learning environments and visual control systems to support the learning of students with Asperger syndrome. Computers & Education, 62, 88–101. https://doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.028
27.
McMahonD. D.CihakD. F.WrightR. E.BellS. M. (2016). Augmented reality for teaching science vocabulary to postsecondary education students with intellectual disabilities and autism. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 48(1), 38–56.
28.
McMahonD.CihakD.WrightR. (2015). Augmented reality as a navigation tool to employment opportunities for postsecondary education students with intellectual disabilities and autism. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 47, 157–172. https://doi:10.1080/15391523.2015.1047698
29.
McMillanK.FloodK.GlaeserR. (2017). Virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and the marine conservation movement. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 27(S1), 162–168.
30.
Mesa-GresaP.Gil-GómezH.Lozano-QuilisJ.-A.Gil-GómezJ.-A. (2018). Effectiveness of virtual reality for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: An evidence-based systematic review. Sensors, 18(8), 2486. https://doi:10.3390/s18082486
31.
MillerH. L.BugnariuN. L. (2016). Level of immersion in virtual environments impacts the ability to assess and teach social skills in autism spectrum disorder. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 19(4), 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2014.0682
32.
NewbuttN.SungC.KuoH.LeahyM. J. (2016). The potential of virtual reality technologies to support people with an autism condition: A case study of acceptance, presence and negative effects. Annual Review of Cyber Therapy and Telemedicine (ARCTT), 14, 149–154.
33.
NussliN.OhK. (2016). Teachers’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of three-dimensional virtual worlds for social skills practice. Educational Media International, 53(3), 198–215. https://doi:10.1080/09523987.2016.1236984
34.
OdomS. L.ThompsonJ. L.HedgesS.BoydB. A.DykstraJ. R.DudaM. A.SzidonK. L.SmithL. E.BordA. (2015). Technology-aided interventions and instruction for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 3805–3819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2320-6
35.
SilverM.OakesP. (2001). Evaluation of a new computer intervention to teach people with autism or Asperger syndrome to recognize and predict emotions in others. Autism, 5, 299–316. https://doi:10.1177/1362361301005003007
36.
SmithM. J.GingerE. J.WrightK.WrightM. A.TaylorJ. L.HummL. B.OlsenD. E.BellM. D.FlemingM. F. (2014). Virtual reality job interview training in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(10), 2450–2463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2113-y
37.
SteinbrennerJ. R.HumeK.OdomS. L.MorinK. L.NowellS. W.TomaszewskiB.SzendreyS.McIntyreN. S.Yucesoy-OzkanS.SavageM. N. (2020). Evidence- based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team.
38.
WalkerZ.VasquezE.WienkeW. (2016). The impact of simulated interviews for individuals with intellectual disability. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 19(1), 76–88.
39.
WallaceS.ParsonsS.WestburyA.WhiteK.WhiteK.BaileyA. (2010). Sense of presence and atypical social judgments in immersive virtual environments: Responses of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 14(3), 199–213.
40.
YangY. D.AllenT.AbdullahiS. M.PelphreyK. A.VolkmarF. R.ChapmanS. B. (2017). Brain responses to biological motion predict treatment outcome in young adults with autism receiving virtual reality social cognition training: Preliminary findings. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 93, 55–66. https://doi:10.1016/j.brat.2017.03.014
41.
ZirzowN. K. (2015). Signing avatars: Using virtual reality to support students with hearing loss. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 34(3), 33–36.
