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Summary of University of South Australia OT Student Community Project 2025.
Needs Analysis
To better understand the barriers and opportunities surrounding the use of virtual reality (VR) in occupational therapy, three fourth-year Occupational Therapy students conducted a community needs analysis involving a total of 34 stakeholders. This included 13 participants who took part in in-depth interviews and 24 who responded to an online survey.
The analysis explored the perspectives of occupational therapists, students, and related professionals to gain insights into current challenges and practical needs related to VR use in therapy.
The findings have been grouped into six key themes: Cost & Funding, Time & Practicality, Education & Training, Software & Content Limitations, Attitudes, and Safety. Each theme outlines the main barriers identified by stakeholders and suggests strategies to support the effective and sustainable integration of VR into occupational therapy practice.
Cost and Funding
Cost and Funding
Barriers:
High cost of VR headsets, apps, subscriptions, and maintenance.
Limited funding support through public health and NDIS.
Uncertainty about sustaining VR after pilot projects.
Clients may face significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Strategies:
Advocate for funding for treatment, research, and pilot projects.
Provide information on available funding options (e.g. NDIS supports).
Share cost-saving tips and supplier discounts where available.
Time and Practicality
Time and Practicality
Barriers:
Clinicians are time-poor; VR setup, updates, and sanitation are time-consuming.
Therapy sessions are often too short for effective VR use.
Not all clients are appropriate candidates for VR.
Strategies:
Offer quick-start guides, hygiene protocols, and setup checklists.
Create app-matching tools to align client needs with suitable apps.
Share workflow tips to streamline VR use in sessions.
Education and Training
Education and Training
Barriers:
Limited professional training and exposure to VR.
No formal guidelines for best practice and safety.
Clinician scepticism and lack of confidence due to minimal evidence base.
Strategies:
Develop and share safety guidelines and clinical use protocols.
Provide access to evidence-based research on VR outcomes.
Host training modules, video tutorials, and peer mentoring opportunities.
Software and Content Limitations
Software and Content Limitations
Barriers:
Many apps lack customisation or grading of difficulty.
Poor graphics and limited interactivity reduce client engagement.
Complex menus and setup reduce accessibility.
Frequent connectivity issues and auto-updates disrupt sessions.
Strategies:
Encourage development of therapy-specific, customisable VR content.
Partner with developers to co-design OT-friendly apps.
Provide troubleshooting guides and tech support resources.
Attitudes
Attitudes
Barriers:
Scepticism among clinicians due to limited evidence and familiarity.
Hesitance to invest time or resources into a new, unproven tool.
Strategies:
Showcase real-life success stories and client outcomes using VR.
Include testimonials and case studies from OTs in practice.
Safety
Safety
Barriers:
Concerns around client safety, hygiene, and potential side effects (e.g., motion sickness).
Lack of clear, accessible safety protocols increases clinician hesitation.
Strategies:
Provide safety checklists, hygiene guides, and risk management tools.
Include clear advice on contraindications and safety considerations for various populations.
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