Researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) and UNSW Sydney have compared the effectiveness of immersive VR headsets and non-immersive virtual environments (such as tablet devices) to teach 36 adults with an intellectual disability how to separate general waste from recycling, garden, and food organics.

The study, involving 12 virtual training sessions, showed that the VR group using the immersive head-mounted displays scored significantly better in real life than those who used a tablet device for training.

“In a previous study, basically we showed that they can learn in VR, but I think people are far more interested in, ‘is it better than things we conventionally do?’” UniSA Associate Professor Tobias Loetscher tells EducationHQ.

“I think actually practicing the movement, and doing it closely to what you would do in the real world compared to the tablet, where it’s just a drag and drop, seems so good for really learning in this context.”

Most participants found the VR technology enjoyable, despite some hesitancy when using head-mounted displays for the first time.

Loetscher says people with intellectual disability need additional time to grasp and visualise concepts, and VR headsets enabled participants to experience realistic worlds and learn from hands-on experience.

“Research shows that ‘learning by doing’, otherwise known as ‘experiential learning’, seems more effective for this group compared to passive methods of learning,” he says.

“In our study, the VR group not only demonstrated real-world improvements in correctly sorting waste immediately after the VR training; they were able to sustain this improvement up to a week afterwards, in comparison to the non-immersive group.”

UNSW Research Fellow Dr Stefan Michalski says immersive virtual reality allows individuals to experience activities in a safe, controlled, and repeatable environment.

“Opportunities for people with an intellectual disability to participate in hands-on learning are often minimal due to concerns around risk of injury, time constraints and lack of staff training,” Michalski says.

“However, immersive VR simulates real-world experiences, giving the sensation of being physically present in an environment without real-world risks.”

Most people with intellectual disability experience significant challenges in performing basic life skills such as cooking, showering, and cleaning without caregiver assistance.

UniSA honours student Andrew Franze says difficulties in performing these life skills prevents them from living independently and enjoying a better quality of life,

“… so it’s important we find effective methods for developing life skills in this population,” he suggests.

The above screenshots show examples of immersive virtual reality (IVR) head-mounted displays and feedback (a and c) and non-immersive tablet displays and feedback (b and d). 

Due to ethical research considerations, logistical issues (VR headsets at present are not recommended for under 10s, and there are uncertainties in terms of vision development) and a lack of availability of headsets to non-adults, the study only involved adults, however Loetscher believes there’s a long term-possibility with promising learning benefits of VR head sets for children with intellectual disability in schools.

Understanding of how or when VR can and should be used, however, remains limited at present.

“VR will not always be better for anything, we still need to figure out what activities it is suitable for, and for what things it makes sense to use VR,” Loetscher says.

“The second really big issue is the lack of content. There’s not really a lot of content available currently. Most of the available content is game-related for encouraging physical activity, which in some populations might be a little bit difficult … but also, gamification might be more appealing to [help with] motor coordination in a game fun way...”

A really interesting possibility, according to Loetscher, is in behavioural management.

“So having the possibility to place students or children, if they become anxious [or in a similar state], into an environment they feel really comfortable, or helps them to shift their mind or thoughts from whatever it is that is bothering them, I think is something that could be of great interest.”

While the researchers used a waste management task in this study, they are confident that immersive VR training could be used to teach other basic skills, such as cooking and kitchen safety, personal hygiene, public transport navigation, and social skills.

“There is accumulating evidence that VR is beneficial, but we need to close the gap from research to implementation so that more people can benefit from this technology,” Michalski suggests.

“Our current work aims to address the unmet health needs of people with intellectual disability by using VR to prepare individuals for healthcare interactions, reducing the fear and anxiety associated with going to the doctor.”

Loetscher concurs, and says while the research specifically involved recycling and waste management, at this stage it’s more about proving a concept with something that can easily be measured and undertaken within funding constraints.

“…but obviously building on that and expanding and looking into areas like hygiene or cooking skills, probably more relevant everyday activities, will really make a difference.

“This is definitely the goal, but it’s just baby steps.”

To read the study, titled ‘Immersive virtual reality is more effective than non-immersive devices for developing real-world skills in people with intellectual disability’​ click here.