Setanta School, a Dublin based co-educational school for children with a diagnosis of autism, has begun trialling new virtual reality (VR) technology.
The platform, which has been developed by US tech company Floreo, teaches social, behavioural, communication and life skills for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, anxiety and other neurodiverse conditions.
The virtual reality headsets have the ability to put the user inside a virtual world, simulating real life scenarios, which have proven to beneficial for people with autism, equipping them with skills and tools they can then apply in their everyday lives.
The children wear the headsets and can navigate through a wide range of virtual situations, like going to the supermarket, the zoo or learning to cross a busy street.
"The world as we know it can be very overwhelming for our students and many of them find it difficult to cope in the real world," said Fiona O'Donovan, Deputy Principal of Setanta School.
"Unpredictable or unfamiliar environments can be distressing for them, things the rest of us take for granted, like lights or music in shops, crowds of people, managing public transport, or managing airports."
"Through the Floreo VR system, our students can work on social, daily living, community, and safety skills in a comfortable safe environment that we in turn can practice with them in the real world," Ms O'Donovan said.
