Immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) are gaining recognition as valuable educational tools. VR has been successfully applied in therapy, including treating phobias (Maples-Keller et al., Harv. Rev. Psychiatry, 2017) and pain management (Pourmand et al., Curr. Pain Headache Rep., 2018). It also supports inclusive learning by removing physical barriers and addressing diverse social and emotional needs (Hutson and McGinley, IJTES, 2023). Additionally, VR can teach life skills such as anxiety management, decision-making, and hazard recognition (Roberts-Yates and Silvera-Tawil, Int. J. Spec. Educ. 34, 197–210, 2019). However, its potential to address emotional and social challenges in education and the school-to-work transition remains underexplored (Nuryana, The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Disability, Springer, Cham, pp. 1–8, 2024). This study examines how VR supports social-emotional and motor development and facilitates the transition of students with disabilities from school to employment. Data were collected through VR-based self-awareness workshops at educational sites in Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Participants included 17 individuals: students (n = 7), special education teachers (n = 7), and vocational training specialists (n = 3). Selected results indicate that VR enhances student motivation and engagement across subjects. Teachers see VR as a powerful tool for adaptive and inclusive teaching aligned with Universal Design for Learning. However, successful implementation requires integrating both technical and pedagogical elements. While VR has great potential for inclusive education, low-threshold applications remain limited. Future efforts should focus on making VR more accessible and ensuring its effective long-term use in educational settings. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords
