considering the ability to change dynamically and be
customized based on each individual separately (D.
Strickland, 1997; S. Parsons, P. Mitchell, 2002).
Preferred Computer Interactions: The
complexity of social interaction can interfere when
teaching individuals with social disorders. Human
interaction can be so difficult and disruptive that
learning is not possible. Children with autism
characterized by proactive behavior, they prefer a
predictable, structured and in this way ‘safe’
environment. They prefer to be in ‘control’ of the
interaction and they respond well to structure,
explicit, consistent expectations, and challenge
provided by computers. Virtual environments are
stable, familiar, predictable, and allow children to
learn basic social interactions in consistent and
accepting way (D. Strickland, 1997; K. Dautenhahn,
2000; S. Parsons, P. Mitchell, 2002).
Embodied Interaction: Virtual environments
devices (e.g. VR helmets, hand controls), might be
unacceptable for many autistic children, but for
others might be appropriate. Approaches which
support interactions involving the whole body seem
highly promising; set ups where the child can freely
move and is not constrained to sitting at a desk and
is not required to wear special devices. The use of
body and head trackers provides other advantages
and possibilities. The movements and actions of an
individual can be controlled in a virtual
environment, allowing the system to adjust to a
patient’s actions. A large proportion of individuals
with autism never learn to communicate, this allows
interactions in virtual scenes without verbal training
from a teacher or other controllers (D. Strickland,
1997; K. Dautenhahn, 2000).
Immersion: The sense of immersion refers to
the feeling of being part of, or engaged in one virtual
scene. Feeling like you are really inside the virtual
environment (Parsons S. & Cobb S., 2011). Parsons
and Cobb (2011) report that in a research of Mineo
(2009) have been compared responses of 42 children
with autism to three different electronic media
conditions. The thrird condition in which the child
engaged directly in activities within an immersive
VR, was classified as the most immersive media
condition. Children were more engaged with this
technology – they spent more time looking at the
screen. As the author points out, a further
investigation needs to be done, in order to check
whether this aspect of VR can be translated into
effective instruction and learning. Parsons and Cobb
(2011) indicate another study of Wallace (2010),
which explored the responses of adolescents with
autism to an immersive ‘Blue Room’ (animations
projected onto the walls, no headsets needed).
Participants experienced scenes from a street,
playground and a school and asked to rate their
feeling of ‘presence’. Results show positive
experiences and that immersive VR has the
advantage of allowing realistic and accessible scenes
that could form the basis of important social role-
play (S. Parsons, S. Cobb, 2011).
A study of Strickland, Marcus, Mesibov and
Hogan (1996), showed that children with autism
were able and willing to accept and interact within
virtual reality worlds. Also demonstrated that
children respond to the virtual world in a meaningful
way, and tolerated wearing virtual reality equipment.
Max and Burke at 1997 demonstrated that the virtual
environment improved children’s attention and
performance across sessions (T. Goldsmith, L.
LeBlanc, 2004). S. Parsons and P. Mitchell (2002),
conclude that virtual environment is an exciting tool
that can extend the existing teaching practices and
methods for social skills treatment for people with
ASDs. Moreover, it provides a safe and supportive
learning environment that succeeds to transfer
knowledge between virtual and real world (S.
Parsons, P. Mitchell, 2002).
Strickland (1997) investigated the use of Virtual
Worlds as a learning tool for children with autism.
Two autism children (a seven year old girl and a
nine year old boy) took part in the study which
consisted of over forty virtual exposures (each less
than five minutes). The goal of the research was to
help children with autism, cross a road safely. The
first part of exposures was to train the child to
recognize and track a moving car within a street
scene. The second phase was to train the child to
find an object and the color of it in the environment,
walk to it, and stop. Finally, with the learned skills
the child should have the ability to cross a street
alone. They used VR helmets for the immersion in
the 3D environment, and the results proved that
children are able to use them. In addition, the results
have demonstrated that children immersed
themselves in the virtual scene, were able to track
the moving cars and verbally labeled objects and
their colors. Also children tracked moving objects
with eyes, head and body turning and located objects
(signs) and walked towards them. Because of the
small number of participants the results cannot be
generalized. (D. Strickland, 1997).
S. Parsons, A. Leonard, P. Mitchell (2006),
investigated the use of virtual environment for social
skills training with two adolescents boys (14 and 17
years old) with ASDs. There are two types of VEs -
a bus and a café – both of which were presented to
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