Open IT up: Boosting Adult Educator Competences to Upskill Pathways of Adult Learners

 

Autism VR – Social Inclusion of People With Autism Spectrum Syndrome Through Virtual Reality

Autism VR is a project that deals with the social inclusion and employment of people with ASD. People with ASD experience persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction. The lack of social skills makes it difficult for them to navigate standard everyday situations as well as having a job. Thus, they often experience social exclusion. This project developed VR tools that through simulated everyday situations should train and enhance the social skills of adults with ASD and improve their ability to navigate standard situations. The innovative part of the project was that the VR toolkit was developed by people with ASD, which means that the tools were made by those who will also use them for training. It also developed a Handbook to help potential employers deal with people with ASD and showcase good practices along this field. A multi-skilled partnership composed by organizations active in the field of digital-based technologies, social, labor market integration, and special educational needs, work together for these aims.

• The Virtual Reality App is available via Applab.
• The Manual for Employment of people with ASD and related good practises is available for download as pdf.

These activities aim to increase the target group’s ability to cope with both normal every day and work-related situations. At the same time, the project should contribute to sensitizing employers and, through targeted information, to awakening their interest in employing people with autism in an appropriately designed work environment and climate. In this way, the project should promote the social integration and employment opportunities of the target group.

Further information

• EPALE article Autism and VR: When everyday life is a particular challenge. Experience and lessons learned from an Erasmus+ project developing virtual training environments for people from the autistic spectrum
• EPALE interview What can virtual reality offer that real reality cannot? The view of a VR expert on virtual worlds in (adult) education
• EPALE article ​​​​​​​Autism-VR: Can virtual reality help people with autism?

Download 2. Newsletter (March 2021)

Download 1. Newsletter (February 2020)