## 2 Related Work  
The integration of immersive technologies, particularly VR, into educational interventions for children with ASD has gained increasing attention in recent years. Recent studies suggest that VR environments may offer benefits in supporting the development of social, communication, and emotional skills in children with ASD by enabling structured, repeatable interactions in safe contexts [15; 16]. However, most interventions to date either focus on skill rehearsal through gamified tasks or provide open-ended virtual spaces without embedded narratives. There remains a lack of empirical research examining how VR-based visual novels--integrating structured social stories with interactive storytelling might support socio-emotional learning, particularly in school-based applications targeting children with Level 1 ASD. A central theme across several studies is the use of controlled, quiet environments to reduce distractions and enhance participants' engagement with virtual settings. For instance, [PERSON] et al. [17], [PERSON] et al. [18], and [PERSON] [19] all emphasize the importance of using dedicated spaces to ensure that participants can fully immerse themselves in virtual environments. These controlled environments are particularly beneficial in ASD interventions, where focus and attention are critical. Many of the existing VR-based interventions for ASD focus on individualized learning experiences where a child interacts one-on-one with virtual characters or objects. Studies by [PERSON] et al. [16], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [20], and [PERSON] et al. [21] found that self-paced, personalized VR experiences can be effective. One emerging area is the introduction of collaborative learning models, where participants engage in social decision-making with guiding characters or peers inside the VR environment. Inspired by early efforts like those of [PERSON] [22], multi-user interactions in VR remain underexplored in ASD contexts. Another common aspect of the literature is the use of experiential, scenario-based learning. VR studies such as those by [PERSON] et al. [21; 23] and [PERSON] et al. [24] demonstrate the efficacy of scenario-based learning in raising social interaction and emotional regulation, key areas of difficulty for children with ASD. This decision-making approach is consistent with the findings of studies such as [PERSON] et al. [25], which highlighted the importance of active participation in promoting social-emotional growth. Intervention duration is a variable that differs widely across studies. Some researchers have implemented long-term VR interventions over several months [17; 25], while others, like [PERSON] et al. [16] and [PERSON] et al. [26], had shorter durations of 5 to 6 weeks. As seen in [PERSON] et al. [27] and [PERSON] et al. [28], who noted that extended practice may yield more significant outcomes. Balancing intervention depth with implementation constraints remains a challenge for future applications. An area of consensus across studies is the focus on social and emotional skills development. Many interventions have concentrated on improving communication, social interaction, and emotional recognition, as these are core deficits in ASD. Virtual environments are particularly effective in this regard because they offer a controlled space where children can practice these skills without the risk of real-world consequences. Studies like those by [PERSON] et al. [29], [PERSON] et al. [17], and [PERSON] et al. [30] have shown that VR scenarios can improve emotional regulation, social attribution, and reasoning skills. Additionally, VR has been shown to be particularly effective for teaching specific social behaviors, such as initiating conversations, responding to social cues, and understanding emotional expressions. This aligns with the findings from studies such as those by [PERSON] [19], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [20], and [PERSON] et al. [21], where participants demonstrated increased engagement and improved communication skills.