Parents’ Perception of the Use of Virtual Reality-based Learning Systems for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome

Abstract

In the last few years, virtual reality began to be adopted as a strategy to enhance the learning experiences of autistic children. However, only a few studies have analyzed the outcomes of using virtual reality for children with Asperger’s syndrome (i.e., a section in the large group of Autism Spectrum Disorders). Simultaneously, many neglect parents’ views on using virtual reality in educating children with Asperger’s syndrome. To address this gap, we qualitatively investigated the perception of parents of children with Asperger’s syndrome about their children’s behavior before and after using a virtual reality-based learning system. Employing Constructivist Grounded Theory, we surveyed and analyzed three parents’ perceptions of their children’s behavior with Asperger’s syndrome before and after continuous system usage for three months. Qualitative findings indicate that parents noticed that their children acquired positive behaviors throughout the use of the system (e.g., interacted with peers, engaged in group activities, and maintained eye contact with others), thus, advancing barriers related to Asperger’s syndrome. Our study contributes to the area of educational technologies and autism, generating new knowledge about the possibility of using virtual reality to enhance positive behaviors in children with Asperger’s syndrome.