Google Cardboard + VR + Autism = A Whole New World

You’ve probably heard about virtual reality, but did you know that Google has developed a cardboard device, yes cardboard, to enable you to go on virtual experiences just by using your smart phone? The applications of this are limitless, but today I am going to concentrate on how this application can be used to enrich the lives of students with Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD).

Firstly, it can be used to give other people an inside view to what it’s like to live with ASD on a daily basis. This video was produced to do just that. Watching it without a device is challenging enough, with a device would be almost impossible.

Students with ASD may need regular vestibular breaks to self regulate. VR playground apps can provide students with all the stimulation they need and they can do it anywhere, the classroom, at home, in the car and at times when they struggle to wait. The benefits of such applications may less interruption to the class flow and a decrease in the instances of disruptive behaviour.

Students can also access calming spaces such as the garden or the beach for when they need time out from the overstimulating space of the classroom.

All students, including those with ASD can create code and develop their own virtual experiences to share, making them feel that they have a place in the world and building self esteem.

We all understand the students with ASD can struggle with social interactions. VR technology gives students the opportunity to practice different social settings in a safe, low pressure environment. For more information on this particular topic visit Autism Speaks at https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/virtual-reality-training-improves-social-skills-and-brain-activity

VR experiences can also be used to promote communication, allow students to interact in social stories and participate in sensory experiences at their own level and pace.

Many ASD students struggle with going to places or environments that are unfamiliar. With VR technology, students will now be able to go on excursions to places they never dreamed of, experience what their peers experience and all without ever leaving the classroom.

This technology has the capacity to open up the world for students with ASD and enrich their lives in ways that were previously impossible.

I’m sure there are many other useful applications, so if you want to share, please leave a comment.

Cheers,

Sheree

For more on Google Cardboard, visit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Cardboard

To purchase Google cardboard headsets, visit:

https://vr.google.com/cardboard/get-cardboard/

To see Google Cardboard in action visit here

https://edu.google.com/expeditions/#how-it-works

To get started with choosing apps, visit:

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/05/7-best-educational-virtual-reality-apps/