Virtual Reality Helps Autistic Children ‘Travel’ to New Places

A school in England for children with autism is finding a new use for virtual¹ 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.

Nuno Guerreiro is a computing² teacher at Prior's Court School. He told Reuters:

"Our young people, they have difficulties with sensory³ issues so they can find it overwhelming⁴ going to very busy places."

Guerreiro added that children with autism find it hard to be in a new place. "They like what is familiar, they like their routine."

The school officials hope the VR experiences will help children feel better about changes from their routine.

Prior's Court cares for around 95 young people with more severe signs of autism. Some cannot speak or communicate their needs.

Big data on behavior

The charity is also hoping data can help. They are trying a new data collection system. The system, called Prior Insight⁵, puts together information about each young person's day: what they have eaten, how much sleep and exercise they have had and all their activities. Then it compares those facts to how they are behaving and medical events.

Project leader Elaine Hudgell said the school hopes to share what it learns.

"We're hoping to not only increase our knowledge and awareness⁶ about the world of young people with autism at Prior's Court, but we're also hoping to be able to, in time, share that with the wider autism world."

Words in This Story

autism – n. a condition or disorder⁷ that begins in childhood and causes problems in forming relationships and in communicating with other people

headsets –n. a device worn on the head that delivers sound and in some models video

overwhelming – adj. used to describe something that is so confusing, difficult, etc., that you feel unable to do it

familiar –adj. something that has been experienced many times

routine – n. a regular way of doing things in a particular order

behavior - the way a person or animal acts or behaves

awareness – n. knowledge and understanding of what is happening

1 virtual   

adj.实质上的，事实上的，实际上的

参考例句：

• This reply is a virtual acceptance of our offer.这一回答实质上是接受了我们的建议。
• At that time the East India Company was the virtual ruler of Bengal.那时东印度公司是孟加拉的实际统治者。

2 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

3 sensory   

adj.知觉的，感觉的，知觉器官的

参考例句：

• Human powers of sensory discrimination are limited.人类感官分辨能力有限。
• The sensory system may undergo long-term adaptation in alien environments.感觉系统对陌生的环境可能经过长时期才能适应。

4 overwhelming   

adj.势不可挡的，压倒的，无法抵抗的

参考例句：

• The flood was overwhelming and the city was soon drowned.洪水来势凶猛，很快这个城市就被淹没了。
• The act was adopted by an overwhelming majority.该法案以压倒多数通过。

5 insight   

n.洞察力，洞悉，深刻的见解

参考例句：

• Good teachers have insight into the problems of students.好的教师能洞察学生的问题。
• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。