Immersive augmented reality based on scaffolding in pre-vocational skills training for students with intellectual disabilities

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) often face difficulties in acquiring pre-vocational skills. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an immersive augmented reality (AR) training system grounded in scaffolding theory. Using a single-subject, multiple-probe design, three high school students with ID learned to arrange products by expiration date. Results indicated immediate improvement after intervention, and Tau-U analyses revealed large effect sizes (Tau-U = 0.88-1). Furthermore, an examination of students' performance during the maintenance and generalization phases revealed that they retained the acquired skills even after the training had ended, and were able to generalize those skills to different types of products. These findings support the use of immersive AR as an effective and transferable tool for pre-vocational skills training in special education contexts.