More than a decade of research.
from the #1 ranked public Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas
VOISS is grounded in evidence-based practices for social skills and XR, built upon more than a decade of federally funded research. Our technology utilizes immersive environments that provide students with safe, realistic social situations that teach them the skills they need to navigate social situations.
Publication Highlights
Designing for Successful Educational Experiences in Virtual Reality Environments
The extent to which an intervention is perceived as socially valid significantly influences whether the intervention is selected, implemented, and maintained (Kern & Manz, 2004). Social-Emotional-Behavioral (SEB) interventions and evidence-based practices (EBPs) are often ranked with low social validity by adolescents (McCoy et al., 2016).
Key Outcomes: Interventions delivered through virtual reality (VR) report increased social validity with this population due to life-like features improving motivation and engagement (Hew & Cheung, 2010; Mikropoulos& Natsis, 2011). Despite evidence on the positive feelings, there is limited research on the effectiveness of VR-delivered instruction for building SEB competence in students.
The Social Validity of Video Modeling Versus Virtual Reality for Improving the Social Communication Skills of Middle School Students
The extent to which an intervention is perceived as socially valid significantly influences whether the intervention is selected, implemented, and maintained (Kern & Manz, 2004). Social-Emotional-Behavioral (SEB) interventions and evidence-based practices (EBPs) are often ranked with low social validity by adolescents (McCoy et al., 2016).
Key Outcomes: Interventions delivered through virtual reality (VR) report increased social validity with this population due to life-like features improving motivation and engagement (Hew & Cheung, 2010; Mikropoulos& Natsis, 2011). Despite evidence on the positive feelings, there is limited research on the effectiveness of VR-delivered instruction for building SEB competence in students.
The Technology Immersive Presence Scale (TIPS) proof of concept: Creating a student accessible measure of presence in virtual environments.
The primary aim of this manuscript is to describe the process of developing a reliable and valid instrument for measuring all users, including students with disabilities, sense of presence in a virtual environment. Presence can be described as feeling a part of another place other than where you are.
A seven-step process is discussed and was utilized to validate item and response formats. Original items were written based on the proposed population and the intended presence construct. Focus groups and experts were conducted to validate the instruments’ ability to address the concept of presence. Further focus groups were utilized to verify language and references were accurate to participants. Finally, a pilot study consisting of 30 participants aged eight and older was conducted to test the instrument for initial reliability.
Key Outcomes: The 30 participants used a device with a virtual environment and then completed the Technology Immersion Presence Scale (TIPS). Initial results indicate the TIPS is a reliable and valid measure of presence for most users with and without disabilities from age 8 to 65. Implications of validating TIPS are discussed.
Research-Driven Impact
VOISS is the culmination of more than a decade of federally funded research. Our platform transforms social learning into measurable results, providing students with the confidence to navigate complex school-based social dynamics through high-fidelity, evidence-based simulation.
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The academic and business development of the VOISS work seems to have major potential for good. All those involved deserve thanks.
— Parent of a middle school student using VOISS
Presentation Highlights
Designing for Successful Educational Experiences in Virtual Reality Environments
1
Carreon, A., Rowland, A., Smith, S., Lowery, A., & Mosher, M. (2024). Designing for Successful Educational Experiences in Virtual Reality Environments. Journal of Special Education Technology, 01626434241277191.
The Social Validity of Video Modeling Versus Virtual Reality for Improving the Social Communication Skills of Middle School Students
2
Carreon, A., Rowland, A., Smith, S., Lowery, A., & Mosher, M. (2024). Designing for Successful Educational Experiences in Virtual Reality Environments. Journal of Special Education Technology, 01626434241277191.
The Technology Immersive Presence Scale (TIPS) proof of concept: Creating a student accessible measure of presence in virtual environments.
3
Mosher, M., Frey, B., Carreon, A., Smith, S., Rowland, A., & Lowrey, A. (2024). The Technology Immersive Presence Scale (TIPS) proof of concept: Creating a student accessible measure of presence in virtual environments. Journal of Interactive Learning Research.
Comparing immersive VR and non-immersive VR on social skill acquisition for students in middle school with ASD
4
Carreon, A., Smith, S.J., Frey, B., Rowland, A. & Mosher, M. (2023) Comparing immersive VR and non-immersive VR on social skill acquisition for students in middle school with ASD. Journal of Research on Technology in Education