Simon Luxford-Moore is an educator with a passion for inclusive learning and the role in which immersive technology can play in supporting all students. In this blog, he shares reflections from his work using virtual reality to support Neurodiversity and foster Neuroempathy by creating supportive learning environments.
How Does Virtual Reality Support Neurodiversity and Foster Neuroempathy?
Every student deserves the chance to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. As educators, it is our responsibility to create inclusive classroom environments where every student feels valued and empowered. When teaching diverse learners, we have a unique opportunity to cultivate empathy and understanding, and we can leverage virtual reality to do so.
I’ve explored the use of ClassVR technology over several years to support learning across a range of subjects, helping students build both academic understanding and emotional connections with their subject matter.
More recently, I recognised the PedTech potential to support inclusive practice within schools by providing students with virtual safe spaces and simulating the challenges some neurodivergent and dysregulated young people experience amongst our own communities.
I wanted to find an innovative way to leverage ClassVR; to help “neurotypical” students understand the unique perspectives of their neurodivergent peers. By harnessing VR/AR/XR’s ability to transcend physical and societal barriers, we were able to remove the conformity hurdles that students with additional considerations often face and foster a renewed sense of empathy - or more importantly, neuroempathy. We achieved this by focusing on the following areas:
The Power of Empathy Towards Neurodiverse students.
I realised that we would need to go beyond traditional teaching methods to really make an impact on developing students’ understanding of neurodiversity. Using ClassVR, we facilitated an immersive experience, which allowed every student to experience what a sensory overload for autistic people, is really like, how it can affect all the senses, and how overwhelming it can be both physically and mentally.
It was paramount that we protected the wellbeing of students throughout, so the simulation took place in a safe and controlled setting, and students knew they could remove the headsets at any point if they began to feel uncomfortable. Thanks to their existing familiarity with ClassVR, the students were completely familiar with the technology, and this contributed towards the success of the experience.
This engagement led to a profound moment of collective realisation among the neurotypical students. They were left in awe of their neurodivergent friends and classmates after gaining a real insight into the challenges they face every day in very common situations. The experience also made some neurodivergent students feel safer and more visible, highlighting the power of empathy in promoting inclusivity, and cultivating a more supportive environment for all students. It provided a positive catalyst for more open sharing and discussion. It was wonderful seeing young people re-evaluating societal norms and considering what adaptations to their learning environments could be made to make them more inclusive.
Confidence and Independence
We didn’t want our efforts to foster inclusivity to end with the simulation experience, so we needed to find a way to ensure neurodivergent students continued to feel safer and supported. After learning of the comfort and relaxation some of our students feel when using VR/AR, we introduced virtual safe spaces.
Leveraging access to a custom portal provided by ClassVR, students created virtual safe spaces tailored to their individual needs and preferences. We held a focus group of 12 students who struggled with self-regulation, in which they were shown a selection of virtual environments, such as a jungle or a beach.
We then asked them to provide feedback on the positives and negatives of each environment, and perhaps most crucially, describe how the environments made them feel. Even the youngest students were able to discuss the physical and emotional connections they felt to each environment, displaying an incredible recognition of their own pre-emptive and restorative needs – something they were not able to do previously. Some students were very quick to identify common themes to their favoured environments, such as specific colours, sounds or locations. I used this insight to develop greater confidence in AI literacy by supporting students with generating their own scenes within the ClassVR portal.
After sensory overwhelm, students often require upwards of 30 minutes outside of the classroom to try to regulate themselves. This can create feelings of anxiety and embarrassment, leading to a fear of returning to class. For some younger students, this often involved staff being with them and were therefore unable to support other children within the learning environment. The impact can be widespread. This initiative has shown that just five minutes in their personalised virtual safe space helps students to regulate more effectively, meaning more time can be spent on-task and engaged in learning. This support system also allows students to regulate and de-escalate heightened emotions with no assistance from adults or peers, making them feel more confident and independent.
Remarkably, some students eventually develop such a level of self-awareness that they no longer require the use of virtual safe spaces at all, as they develop a better understanding of what their bodies are telling them and how to listen and respond accordingly to their environments. This is helped further when educators and school leaders normalise adaptations to learning environments which make them more inclusive.
Explore and Empower
We have found that the role of VR/AR extends far beyond just curriculum delivery. It has become a powerful tool for fostering empathy, understanding, and inclusivity across our entire school communities.
By immersing students in safe, simulated experiences that share the challenges faced by their neurodivergent peers, we have been able to cultivate a profound sense of awareness and appreciation for neurodiversity. This has not only benefited neurodivergent students by creating a more supportive and inclusive environment but has also enriched the learning experience for all young people.
I’d encourage schools to explore what’s possible with tools like ClassVR. Immersive technology has real potential to help schools move beyond traditional teaching and foster environments where every student feels safe, supported, and empowered.
Life Changing Potential
Through this innovative use of ClassVR, it became clear that immersive technology can play a powerful role in creating environments where all students can thrive, regardless of neurodiverse differences. I’m proud to have been part of this initiative and am continuing to develop it further, with input from students, educators, and external organisations.
I’m also in the process of documenting the experience and its outcomes as part of ongoing research, as I truly believe that sharing these insights could make a real difference for many dysregulated children and young people. Even if just one child benefits from what has been created, the effort will have been more than worthwhile.
