Social Orthotics for Youth with ASD to Learn in a Collaborative 3D VLE

INTRODUCTION A multi-disciplinary team including special educators and learning technologist at the University of Missouri are developing a 3-Dimensional Virtual Learning Environment (3D-VLE) to assist youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in their development of targeted social competencies. The project, iSocial (http://isocial.rnet.missouri.edu/), seeks to take a successful face to face program delivered over a 10 week period by a trained guide to groups of 4 to 5 youth, and deliver the program online via a 3D internet-based virtual world (Laffey, et al. 2010; Laffey, et al. 2009; Schmidt, et al 2008). A key goal of building an online program is to increase access to the program. To engage in iSocial the youth must work cooperatively in the online environment, including following directions from an online guide and collaborating on many online learning activities with other youth with ASD.