A school in England for children with autism is finding a new use for virtual reality, or VR headsets. Prior’s Court is a school in Berkshire, southern England. The workers at the school are also using high technology to learn more about individual students. People with autism may find it hard to deal with places and situations they have not experienced before. VR headsets make the wearer feel like they are in a different place. For example, someone wearing a VR headset can have a 360-degree view of a place as they turn around. With video, they can even hear the sounds of the place. Teachers at Prior’s Court are using VR to introduce children to situations like visiting a shopping mall or getting on a plane. They can do so in the safety of their classroom. In addition to getting used to everyday places in the real world, the children may learn to enjoy new experiences such as skiing or deep-sea diving.
