Communication. Collaboration. Creativity. Flexibility. Critical thinking. Despite the diversity of these skills, they all often get lumped into the category of “social skills.” What unites them is a shared understanding that these competencies are critical for students’ futures in a world of constant change. Turn-taking, reading a room, repairing a misunderstanding, and knowing when and how to ask for help are skills that let students fully participate in the classroom. Ultim

Sean Smith explores how technology can better support struggling learners and students with disabilities, particularly in developing the social skills that shape success in school and beyond. Drawing on decades of research, he shares how VOISS uses realistic virtual environments, independent practice, and built-in progress reporting to personalize learning while giving educators more capacity to respond to individual student needs.

Amber Rowland explains why traditional social skills instruction can be difficult to scale and how VOISS was designed to address those constraints. Drawing on 13 years of research, she shares how extended reality, 180 targeted social skills, and coordinated progress tracking can help students practice independently while giving educators more capacity to support them.