Can Virtual Reality Improve Learning?

How can virtual reality experiences improve the writing fluency and academic achievement of special needs students?

Researchers in the College of Education will explore applications as part of a proposed pilot project involving elementary and secondary school children at Lehigh-governed Centennial School, which serves children with autism and behavioral challenges.

Scott Garrigan, professor of practice of teaching, learning and technology, will lead the study, which would expose students to virtual reality—on the bottom of the sea—and assess whether the experiences improve or transform their learning, including their writing and communication skills. Co-principal investigators will be Centennial lead teacher Sara Heintzelman and Centennial school psychologist Julie Fogt.