Submitted:
02 March 2026
Posted:
03 March 2026
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Abstract
Keywords:
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Data Collection and Research Questions
- Does the use of XR as a didactic resource enhance the academic performance and motivation of students with SEN in school settings?
- Within the field of special education, which groups of students have been most frequently targeted by XR-based interventions, and what types of technologies have been employed?
- What kinds of content or skills are these technologies intended to teach or develop?
- Is there a growing trend in research on the use of XR as an educational tool for students with SEN?
2.2. Search Strategies and Selection Criteria
- Duplicate papers.
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- Books and book chapters.
- Conference proceedings.
- Doctoral theses.
- Articles focused exclusively on teacher training.
- Peer-reviewed journal articles.
- Publications in any language.
- Open access availability.
- Title, author(s), and year of publication
- Language of publication
- Implementation of the proposed XR activity (Yes/No)
- Type of XR employed (AR, VR, or MR)
- Nature of the technological tools used (Custom-developed vs. Commercial solutions)
- Type of SEN addressed
- Educational stage and type of institution
- Targeted skills or competencies
- Reported effect on academic performance and motivation (Improved, Unchanged, Decreased, Not reported)
3. Results
- Intellectual Disability (ID)
- Learning Difficulties (LD)
- Developmental Disability (DD)
- Motor Disability (MD)
- Sensory Disability (SD)
- Brain Injury (BI)
- Pediatric Patient (PP)
- Behavioral Disorder (BD)
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Anxiety Disorder (AD)
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| XR | Extended Reality |
| VR | Virtual Reality |
| AR | Augmented Reality |
| MR | Mixed Reality |
| SEN | Special Educational Needs |
| ID | Intellectual Disability |
| LD | Learning Difficulties |
| DD | Developmental Disability |
| MD | Motor Disability |
| SD | Sensory Disability |
| BI | Brain Injury |
| PP | Pediatric Patient |
| BD | Behavioral Disorder |
| ADHD | Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder |
| ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| AD | Anxiety Disorder |
| NR | Not Reported |
Appendix A
Appendix A.1. Documents Analyzed.
References
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| Reality SEN |
AR | VR | MR | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intellectual Disability | 19.99% | 7.69% | 1.54% | 29.22% |
| Learning Difficulties | 7.69% | 6.15% | 0.00% | 13.84% |
| Developmental Disability | 3.08% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3.08% |
| Motor Disabilty | 3.08% | 3.08% | 0.00% | 6.16% |
| Sensory Disability | 3.08% | 1.54% | 0.00% | 4.62% |
| Brain Injury | 1.54% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.54% |
| Pediatric Patient | 1.54% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.54% |
| Behavioral Disorder | 0.00% | 3.08% | 0.00% | 3.08% |
| ADHD | 1.54% | 1.54% | 0.00% | 3.08% |
| ASD | 15.38% | 15.38% | 1.54% | 32.30% |
| Anxiety Disorder | 0.00% | 1.54% | 0.00% | 1.54% |
| Total | 56.92% | 40.00% | 3.08% | 100.00% |
| Reference* | SEN | XR technology |
Targeted skills | Performance | Motivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdullah et al., 2024. | ASD | AR | Concentration, attention and identification | ✔ | NR |
| Afrianto et al., 2019. | ID | AR | Linguistic skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Alahmari et al., 2023. | LD | AR | Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Alqarni, 2021. | LD | AR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Arvanitis et al., 2009. | MD | AR | Perception | ✔ | 🗙 |
| Bossenbroek et al., 2020. | AD | VR | To calm anxiety | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bratu et al., 2024. | SD | VR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | NR |
| Cakir & Korkmaz, 2019. | ASD, MD, ID | AR | Daily life | ✔ | ✔ |
| Carvalho & Manzini, 2017. | SD | AR | Linguistic skills | ✔ | NR |
| Chae & Kim, 2022. | ID | AR | Maths | ✔ | ✔ |
| Choi, 2015. | ID | AR | NR | NR | NR |
| Choi et al., 2013. | DD | AR | Social skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cox et al., 2024. | ASD | AR | Maths | ✔ | NR |
| Da Silva & Romanovitch, 2016. | MD | VR | Mobility | ✔ | ✔ |
| Degli Innocenti et al., 2019. | LD | VR | Music | ✔ | ✔ |
| De Oliveira Malaquias et al., 2013. | ID | VR | Maths | ✔ | ✔ |
| De Vasconcelos et al., 2020. | ID | VR | Linguistic skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ha & Park, 2024. | ID, ASD, ADHD | VR | Professional skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hu & Han, 2019. | ASD | VR | Linguistic skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hyun et al., 2020. | ID | AR | Life skills | ✔ | NR |
| Iatraki & Mikropoulos, 2022. | ID | AR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kan’an et al., 2023. | LD | AR | Sciences | ✔ | NR |
| Kanellos et al., 2018. | ADHD | AR | Cognitive skills | NR | NR |
| Kang & Chang, 2020. | ID | AR | Life skills | ✔ | NR |
| Ke & Im, 2013. | ASD | VR | Social skills | ✔ | NR |
| Khoirunnisa et al., 2023. | ASD | AR | Linguistic skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kim, 2020. | BI | AR | Mobility | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kim & Lee, 2016. | ID | AR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kim & Han, 2019. | ID, MD | VR | Life skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kim et al., 2020. | ID | AR | Linguistic skills | ✔ | NR |
| Klein et al., 2022. | BD | VR | Control of aggression | NR | NR |
| Lee & Kim, 2017. | ID | VR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Lin et al., 2016. | LD | AR | Maths | ✔ | ✔ |
| López-Bouzas et al., 2023. | ASD | AR | Linguistic and socioemotional skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Newbutt & Bradley, 2022. | ASD | VR | Usage of VR glasses | NR | NR |
| Nuguri et al., 2021. | ASD | VR | Social skills | NR | ✔ |
| Rapti et al., 2023. | ID | AR | English | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ravindran et al., 2019. | ASD | VR | Attention | ✔ | ✔ |
| Restrepo et al., 2024. | SD | XR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Savitha & Renumol, 2019. | ID | AR | Natural Sciences | ✔ | ✔ |
| Smith et al., 2021. | ASD | VR | Professional skills | ✔ | NR |
| Smith et al., 2021. | LD | VR | Professional skills | ✔ | NR |
| Syahputra et al., 2018. | ASD | AR | Attention | NR | NR |
| Takahashi et al., 2018. | ASD | AR | Mobility | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tan et al., 2022. | ASD | VR | Life skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tan et al., 2024. | ASD, ID | MR | Life skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Thevin et al., 2021. | SD | AR | Games | NR | NR |
| Vanneste et al., 2023. | ID | AR | NR | ✔ | NR |
| Vaquero-Blasco et al., 2020. | LD | VR | To calm stress | NR | NR |
| Vera et al., 2012. | ASD | VR | Life skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Verhoef et al., 2021. | BD | VR | Control of aggression | ✔ | ✔ |
| Vidal-Balea et al., 2021. | PP | AR | To calm anxiety | NR | NR |
| Widyaningsihet et al., 2023. | LD | AR | Physical Education | NR | NR |
| Wong et al., 2019. | ASD | AR | Life skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Wong et al., 2023. | ASD | AR | Professional skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Wu & Tsai, 2024. | ID, DD | AR | Life skills | ✔ | ✔ |
| Wu et al., 2023. | LD | VR | Anxiety | NR | NR |
| Yue et al., 2023. | ASD | AR | Social skills and attention | ✔ | ✔ |
| Zhai et al., 2021. | ASD | VR | Memory | ✔ | NR |
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