Transitions during a typical school day—like moving from one subject to another—can be challenging for many students. But for special education students, these transitions can be particularly stressful and frustrating. 

Whether in mainstream classrooms or special education programs, students with special needs often struggle with adapting to change. To address this issue, a team of faculty and IT at UTPB is conducting groundbreaking research using virtual reality (VR) technology to help these students navigate transitions more effectively. 

How UTPB Researchers Are Using VR in Special Education  

Dr. Clark Moreland, lecturer of English and director of UTPB’s Heimmermann Center for Engaged Teaching, is collaborating with Dr. Adriana Frates, assistant professor of special education, and Dr. Kara Rosenblatt, associate professor of special education, on this innovative project. Their research is supported by James Zertuche and Curtis Rogers from UTPB’s Information Technology Studios. 

The study allows participating students to practice handling real-world challenges in a safe, simulated setting. By using VR headsets, students can rehearse making decisions in scenarios tailored to their unique needs without the pressure of real-life consequences.  

An Authentic, Immersive Experience 

Dr. Moreland explained how the VR experience works:  

“It’s not computer-simulated, it’s authentic. It’s a video of a situation, and they use the VR headset to view the video in 360 degrees, and then we see whether or not they can answer the questions properly. It’s immersive, so it allows them to see up, down, all around. The filming that we did to create these environments happened at school. It’s meant to provide the illusion that they’re in their real learning environment that they live in every day.” 

Personalized Simulations for Every Student 

Dr. Frates highlighted how the simulations are customized to address each student’s specific challenges and can be used to help participants improve any skills:  

“What we try to focus on is where the students had difficulties moving from either one activity or one setting to another. Transition skills. So, for example, with one student we focused on cooking recipes, following the visuals and being able to produce those recipes.” 

Benefits Beyond Special Education  

Dr. Rosenblatt emphasized that the team’s research has potential applications far beyond special education:  

“The ability to individualize is the cornerstone of special education. So, this research provides a great opportunity for [an ESE] environment and also for a public K-12 environment with a co-teaching setting. It’s really beneficial across the board.” 

Research Fueled by a Personal Connection  

For Dr. Moreland, this project is deeply personal. His son, who has Down syndrome, attends the school where the study takes place: 

“I’ve publicly talked about my son, who’s not a participant in the study, but it is [taking place at] his school. He’s 18. He’s been at this school since he was 5. It’s his community. We hope that he continues to grow and serve and be a leader here. 

“My colleagues are the experts. However, as a parent who lives with disability every day, this is really intriguing to me. Like a lot of the students in this study, my son struggles with transitioning to new environments. Routines are very important to him and we’ve been looking at how to develop positive routines and behaviors. 
 
“So for me, the hope is not only that we can generalize knowledge and contribute to the school and to the students, but also that I can learn how, as a parent, to support my son as he grows into the kind of young man we want him to be.” 

What’s Next for This Research? 

The UTPB team reported on their progress at the CEC 2025 Convention & Expo in March and plans to complete data collection by December 2025. They aim to publish their results in 2026, sharing insights that could transform how educators use VR technology to support special education students.  

We look forward to seeing the outcome of this VR study and how it can benefit countless students, teachers, and institutions.  

Key Takeaways 

  • Special education students often struggle with transitions between activities or settings. 
  • UTPB faculty are using VR simulations to help students practice these transitions in low- stress settings. 
  • Each simulation is personalized to address individual challenges, such as following instructions or meeting behavioral expectations. 
  • This innovative approach may be applicable outside special education, particularly in mainstream classrooms. 
  • Findings from the study will likely be published in 2026. 

Interested in more information about UTPB’s online special education degree programs? Get details here.