## 5 Discussion
### Teachers' Attitudes and Willingness to Use VR  
One of the most encouraging findings related to Hypothesis 3 (H3), which proposed that educators would find the VR visual novels acceptable, easy to use, and feasible for classroom implementation. Despite the only modest student outcomes observed over one week, the special education teachers saw clear value in the tool, which has important implications for real-world adoption. The teachers indicated a willingness to continue using VR-based social stories, reflecting a recognition of the perceived usefulness and ease of use of this approach. In technology integration research, such teacher endorsement is crucial: if teachers believe a tool is beneficial and not overly difficult to implement, they are far more likely to incorporate it into their curriculum. Our results suggest that the VR visual novel met these criteria. Teachers found the system accessible, as evidenced by their feedback that navigation was generally easy for students (teachers rated the interface from neutral to very easy for the students to navigate). In our context, educators clearly perceived the VR game as a useful supplement to their teaching--it captured student interest and provided a novel way to practice social scenarios--and they were comfortable managing it within the class setting. These findings echo broader trends in inclusive education where teachers are increasingly open to leveraging technology, especially interactive and visual tools, to support diverse learners. This study builds directly on our prior systematic review [12], which highlighted the potential of VR visual novels incorporating social stories for supporting social-emotional learning in ASD contexts, but also noted a lack of empirical classroom-based applications. In response to these gaps, the present study contributes an in situ evaluation of such an intervention, emphasizing teacher feedback, emotional design, and usability challenges. It represents a shift from theoretical synthesis to applied research, offering practical insights grounded in real-world educational use. The teachers' feedback also provides valuable insights into educational practice and future intervention design. First, the fact that teachers uniformly expressed interest in using the VR tool again implies that integrating VR into special education is feasible when proper support is in place. In this study, the VR sessions were conducted in a structured environment with a special educator present, which likely contributed to the smooth implementation. It highlights that such tools are best used not in isolation but as part of a guided learning activity, where educators can scaffold the experience (for example, pausing to discuss a scenario or helping a student who gets stuck). Teachers in our study saw the VR visual novel as complementary to their teaching rather than a replacement. One teacher noted that repeated exposure to the game could yield better outcomes over time--an insight that concurs with the need for sustained intervention. This suggests that teachers are willing to incorporate the VR sessions regularly (e.g., weekly over a term) if they see potential benefits for student growth. From an educational standpoint, using VR social stories repeatedly across a semester could become a new form of social skills \"exercise\" integrated into the routine, much like role-playing activities or group discussions are used traditionally. Teachers' qualitative comments about what worked and what did not in the VR design can directly inform design improvements. They praised the visual-rich content and simplicity of text, reinforcing that visual supports are key in ASD. This aligns with established practices like visual schedules and social stories on paper, now elevated through VR's technology and interactive activities, offering higher user engagement.