Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized as a complex developmental condition that brings persistent impairments in communication and social interaction, as well as in behaviors that may include interests and activity patterns, characteristics that are present since childhood. and limit or impair the individual's daily life (APA, 2022).
Virtual reality (VR), technology capable of creating the sensation of presence in a virtual environment, is configured as a powerful tool to assist in the development of people with autism, as it allows therapists to offer a safe, repeatable and diversified environment during the apprenticeship.The literature is increasingly recognizing the potential benefits of virtual reality in supporting the learning process, particularly related to social situations, in children with autism (Strickland et al. 2007). The realism of the simulated environment allows people with autism to learn important skills, making them more likely to transfer them into their daily lives (Strickland, 2007). In addition, virtual reality is often more suitable for learning than real environments, because:
1. Removes competing and confusing stimuli from the social and environmental context;
2. Control the time using short pauses to clarify to the participants the variables involved in the interaction processes;
3. Allows subjects to learn while playing.Our experiences and tests developed throughout 2021 showed that participants with ASD learned to use virtual reality headsets quickly, interacted efficiently and demonstrated engagement with the activity. Furthermore, previous research has shown significant improvements in skill performance after using Virtual Reality. In addition to technology developing new educational and therapeutic possibilities, VR can also generate cultural and emotional intermediaries and facilitate the development of logical and cognitive capacities. The Institute for Research and Treatment for Autistic Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD, 2015) states that autistic children interact better with machines than with therapists. Thus, it can be said that digital games are important tools that facilitate extra-class activities, since they are intuitive, stimulating and easy to handle.
In addition, a study carried out by PWC (2020) evaluated the effectiveness of using virtual reality for skills training and showed that:
1. VR students learn 4 times faster than in the classroom.
2. VR learners are 275% more confident in applying the skills learned after training. Confidence is a key factor for success when learning social skills and VR allows practice of dealing with difficult situations in a safe environment.
3. VR learners are 3.75 times more emotionally connected to content than traditional class learners. When emotions are involved, people connect, understand and remember things more deeply. VR simulation-based learning provides the opportunity for individuals to feel as if they have had a meaningful experience.
4. VR learners are 4 times more focused than their eLearning peers, this is because VR simulations and immersive experiences demand full attention and vision from individuals.
In this way, the use of VR tools, added to the knowledge about human behavior is, therefore, very promising and can help caregivers, therapists and educators to facilitate the development of social skills and activities of daily living of people with ASD, promoting improvement of the quality of life and facilitating their integration into the family and society.
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