Future metaverse-based education to promote daily living activities in learners with autism using immersive technologies

Daily living activities (DLAs) are crucial for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Immersive learning technologies (ILTs), such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), serious games (SGs), and the metaverse, are emerging and expanding globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the virtual world, metaverse technology is developing and becoming a new global trend. Because every child has different abilities and needs that change over time, it can be difficult for designers to include children with ASD in the technology design process. A literature review indicates that no research has specifically examined the use of ILTs in special-needs education to promote DLAs in learners with autism. This study is one of the few that examines this topic, taking into account autism's sensory issues. Through a series of participatory sessions and a design thinking process, a new participatory research framework is proposed that views education as a cooperative process with aims that go beyond knowledge creation to practical and future innovative visions of special-needs education applications. The framework was employed in case-based learning research to promote DLAs for people with autism through the use of three modules represented as serious games. These modules investigate the viability of establishing a virtual presence in the metaverse with cooperative VR and AR technologies. Future applications of the metaverse to help autistic people promote their DLAs were one of four research questions that were examined. The data was analyzed using mixed-methods research. A variety of usability metrics, including the technology acceptance model (TAM), were used to assess effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction aspects. Our results demonstrate that using ILTs undoubtedly creates a fun, effective, and promising learning environment that encourages lifelong learning for people with autism.