Abstract
The ongoing science achievement gap between students with and without disabilities affects informed citizenry and job opportunities. This study explored the impact of extended reality (XR) in inclusive 9th-grade biology classrooms using browser-based 360° virtual reality (VR). The primary research question is: Does using XR (i.e., browser-based 360° VR in science lessons lead to a statistically significant performance difference between secondary students with and without disabilities? Although a one-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) yielded non-significant results, a moderate effect size suggested a meaningful difference, prompting further investigation. A follow-up MANOVA on pre- and post-change scores was statistically significant. The secondary research question on social validity is: What opinions do students and teachers express about learning after students use XR during science lessons? Surveys indicated that students and the teacher found VR beneficial, recommending it as a supplement. Implications for research, practice, and technology developers are provided.
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