VR experiences can change the lives of people with disabilities

Virtual reality could open up a whole new world for people with disabilities, enabling them to learn life skills faster without relying on caregivers, according to new research.

Australian researchers compared the effectiveness of immersive VR headsets and an immersive environment to teach 36 adults with disabilities how to separate all waste and recycling, gardening, and food.

The study, conducted by the University of South Australia and UNSW Sydney researchers, involved 12 teaching sessions. The VR group using the head-mounted display scored significantly better in real life than those who used a mobile device for training.

The findings are published in Journal of Intellectual Disability Research.

UniSA Associate Professor Tobias Loetscher says people with disabilities need more time to understand and visualize concepts, and VR headsets help students explore virtual worlds and learn from experiences.

“Research shows that ‘learning by doing’, known as experiential learning, appears to be more effective for this group compared to traditional learning methods,” says Assoc Prof Loetscher.

“In our study, the VR group not only showed a real-world improvement in litter sorting efficiency immediately after completing the VR training; they were able to maintain this improvement up to one week later, compared to the no-immersion group.”

Another UNSW researcher Dr. Stefan Michalski says virtual reality allows people to experience events in a safe, controlled, and repeatable environment.

“Opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in hands-on training are often limited due to concerns about the risk of injury, time constraints and the lack of training for staff,” said Dr. Michalski.

“However, immersive VR simulates real-world situations, giving the impression of being in an environment without the real danger.”

Many people with disabilities face significant challenges in performing life skills such as cooking, bathing, and cleaning without the assistance of a caregiver.

“Difficulties in performing these life skills prevent them from being independent and enjoying a good life, so it is important to find ways to improve these people’s life skills,” according to first author, UniSA honors student Andrew Franze.

Cybersickness has been reported as a problem with using 3D headsets for training, but only one person in the VR group reported feeling dizzy, and the symptoms were short-lived.

Most of the participants found the VR technology to be interesting, despite some skepticism when using the headset for the first time.

The researchers used waste management in the study but say immersive VR lessons can be used to teach other important skills such as cooking and kitchen safety, personal hygiene, public transportation, and social skills.

“There is a lot of evidence that VR is beneficial, but we need to close the gap between research and implementation so that more people can benefit from this technology,” says Dr. Michalski.

“Our current project aims to address the unmet health needs of people with disabilities by using VR to prepare people to interact with health care, reducing the fear and anxiety associated with going to the doctor.”