Effectiveness of Virtual Reality on Employment Training for Young Adults with Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of virtual reality on vocational rehabilitation for young adults with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). An electronic search was conducted among peer-reviewed English journals published from 1994 to 2018. Databases included CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Scopus. Six primary studies employing group experimental (Gersten et al., 2005) or single-subject design (Horner et al., 2005) or pre-post design met the inclusion criteria. Each study was assessed for the presence and clarity of quality indicators according to Reichow et al.’s (2008) framework and definition. Results suggested that the use of virtual reality in vocational rehabilitation for young adults with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) “have established evidence-based practice”. Limitations, as well as implications for future research, practices, and policy, are discussed.