Our research

We are backed by rigorous research.

Since 2019, we have partnered with universities around the world to evaluate the efficacy of our platform.
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50+
Completed research studies
Across dozens of partnerships and coutless hours of research.
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Featured RESEARCH
2026
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Virtual Reality in the Spanish Classroom: A Longitudinal Control-Experimental Research Study

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Key findings

A semester-long, control-experimental study with 71 beginner Spanish students examined replacing 2 hours of weekly homework with IMMERSE, measuring anxiety, motivation, willingness to communicate, and oral proficiency.

Students in the experimental group who used IMMERSE significantly outperformed their control counterparts (p < .01, large effect) on the final speaking assessment.

Quarterly Research Update

Research Report

A summary of new studies, partnerships, and efficacy findings from the IMMERSE research team.

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Publications

50+ peer-reviewed studies, case studies, and conference papers since 2021.

Virtual Reality and Technology-enhanced Project-based Language Learning: A Synergistic Approach to Teaching L2 Pragmatics to Saudi Female Students
2026
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University of Iowa
Key Findings
A six-week project-based intervention with 41 Saudi female EFL learners at Jazan University used IMMERSE to build pragmatic competence around requests and complaints.
Appropriateness scores improved 28% from pre- to post-test, with gains largely retained at delayed post-test, and students showed increased sensitivity to social factors like power, distance, and formality.
Implementing Large-Scale Virtual Reality in K-12 Education: A Report on Lessons Learned from Practice
2026
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University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of North Texas
Key Findings
This report documents a large-scale VR implementation of IMMERSE across a dozen K-12 schools in Illinois, California, and Texas, addressing a gap in research beyond small, one-time university studies.
It outlines key steps, challenges, and lessons learned deploying 500 Meta Quest 2 headsets, with actionable recommendations for schools, administrators, and researchers adopting immersive tech.
An Exploratory Study of AI-Avatar Speaking Practice in Low-Immersion VR: Fluency, Anxiety, and Technology Acceptance
2026
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Chuo University
Key Findings
This study explored AI-controlled avatars for English speaking practice in a desktop-based, low-immersion VR environment with Japanese university students over a one-month period.
Findings showed improvements in speaking fluency and reduced foreign language anxiety, with participants describing the AI-avatar practice as accessible, convenient, and less psychologically demanding.
The Impact of AI-powered Self-paced Lessons on Speaking Fluency: A Large-scale Study in an Intensive English Program
2026
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Arizona State University
Key Findings
200 international students in ASU's Intensive English Program used IMMERSE to complete five self-paced lessons per week as part of their coursework, measuring impact on speaking skills and attitudes.
Students had a 21% increase in fluency measures, 20% increase in task completion rate, 13% increase in vocabulary range, and a 39% reduction in foreign language anxiety.
Assessing the Impact of Immersive AI-powered Language Practice on Oral Proficiency Outcomes
2026
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University of Arkansas
Key Findings
A semester-long study with 59 beginner and intermediate French and Spanish learners examined how IMMERSE's AI-powered activities for supplemental out-of-class practice impacted speaking abilities.
Beginner-level learners showed a larger mean gain in words per minute on the oral assessment (medium effect); intermediate-level learners had a greater increase in mean length of utterance (medium effect).
Virtual Reality in the Spanish Classroom: A Longitudinal Control-Experimental Research Study
2026
•
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
A semester-long, control-experimental study with 71 beginner Spanish students examined replacing 2 hours of weekly homework with IMMERSE, measuring anxiety, motivation, willingness to communicate, and oral proficiency.
Students in the experimental group who used IMMERSE significantly outperformed their control counterparts (p < .01, large effect) on the final speaking assessment.
Generative AI in virtual reality for the development of communicative self-efficacy
2025
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University of North Texas
Key Findings
This conceptual paper explores how IMMERSE's AI avatars, combined with VR, can support the development of communicative self-efficacy.
It focuses on personalized, situated, and low-stakes speaking practice as a mechanism for building learner confidence.
Interaction in virtual reality-assisted language learning
2025
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University of North Texas
Key Findings
This chapter examines how IMMERSE's VR environments support four types of learner interaction — with content, instructors, peers, and the interface.
It offers design recommendations for building more learner-centered virtual reality-assisted language learning (VRALL) systems.
Exploring multimodal analysis in VR-assisted language learning: Insights and applications
2025
•
Cyprus University of Technology
Key Findings
This paper applies multimodal analysis frameworks to a VR-assisted language learning episode, exploring how meaning is made through gesture, image, and spoken language in IMMERSE's high-immersion VR environments.
AI Versus Humans: Unraveling the Impact of Chatbots and Human Instructors on Spanish L2 Learners' Willingness to Communicate
2025
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University of California, Santa Barbara
Key Findings
A comparative study of 46 Spanish 3 students split an experimental group practicing with IMMERSE AI chatbots from a control group practicing with Lingua Meeting human coaches.
IMMERSE AI practice reduced speaking anxiety by 31% versus 22% for the human-coach group, and students felt 54% lower anxiety with IMMERSE AI chatbots than with human coaches.
The Impact of High-Immersion Virtual Reality and Interactivity on Vocabulary Learning
2025
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University of North Texas
Key Findings
French language learners increased their vocabulary scores by 69% after just one session in IMMERSE.
Students learned and remembered the vocabulary words regardless of whether they accessed IMMERSE via a computer or VR headset, showing that both modalities help students learn vocabulary effectively.
An Exploration of Preservice Teachers’ Use of Immersive VR to Design English Lessons
2025
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University of California, Santa Barbara
Key Findings
Teachers positively evaluated IMMERSE for both teaching and learning, recognizing its ability to enhance engagement, lesson interactivity, and immersive experiences, despite the learning curve.
Preservice teachers successfully utilized IMMERSE to design EFL lessons that incorporated presence and agency, including interactive role-play, social interactions, and multimodal communication.
Preparing Teachers for the Future: Microteaching in the Immersive VR Environment
2024
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Kyung Hee University
Key Findings
The study identified a significant gap between pre-service and in-service teachers' performance in integrating immersive virtual reality (iVR) into teaching, attributing differences to variations in pedagogical knowledge and teaching confidence rather than technological proficiency.
Teachers' pedagogical knowledge and confidence in teaching, rather than just technological knowledge, significantly influenced effective technology integration in language education.
Extremely Virtual and Incredibly Physical: Investigating Language Students’ Mediation Strategies Through Digital Storytelling and Digital Social Reading
2024
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Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Key Findings
IMMERSE facilitated mediation strategies that helped students collaborate, negotiate meaning, and co-construct language while engaging in digital storytelling and reading activities.
IMMERSE enabled students to interact in realistic virtual environments, enhancing their engagement and ability to apply mediation strategies in social and professional contexts.
Virtual Reality-Mediated Language Learning: A Case Study of Immersive Learning in the Metaverse
2024
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Cyprus University of Technology
Key Findings
Learners who used high-immersion VR (headsets) participated more consistently and engaged more actively in lessons compared to those using low-immersion VR (desktop computers), with headset users demonstrating greater language production.
IMMERSE helped learners develop practical language skills and cultural competence in ways not easily replicated in traditional classrooms.
Technology-Mediated Task-Based Language Teaching in a Virtual Reality learning environment
2024
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Cyprus University of Technology
Key Findings
Using IMMERSE led to increased learner engagement and improved language use and communication skills.​
IMMERSE effectively simulated authentic contexts, providing learners with practical, task-based language practice that closely mirrors real-life situations.
Establishing a VR club for language speaking practice
2024
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University of North Texas
Key Findings
The interactive nature of the IMMERSE platform significantly increased student engagement during language practice sessions.
Students appreciated the flexibility of practicing English at their own pace using IMMERSE's AI conversation partners.
The Results of a Pilot Study on Immersive Virtual Reality to Boost Learner-to-Learner Mediation Strategies in Italian as a Foreign Language
2024
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Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Key Findings
IMMERSE helped students improve their mediation strategies by facilitating peer interactions through verbal and non-verbal communication, meaning-making, and teamwork management.
Students engaged in IMMERSE for 12 hours across multiple sessions, and the interactive nature of the platform supported goal-oriented collaboration, enhancing their ability to negotiate meaning and structure discussions.
Supporting Multilingual Learners: Exploring the Impact of High-Immersive VR on College Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety
2024
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University of Georgia
Key Findings
ESL students experienced a 31% reduction in foreign language anxiety after just four lessons in IMMERSE.
The Agency Development of Teachers of an Additional Language via Immersive VR Telecollaboration
2024
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Université Laval
Key Findings
IMMERSE facilitated intercultural collaboration among teachers, enabling them to support each other's growth, and achieve teacher agency.
The interactive teaching tools in IMMERSE helped teachers guide students more effectively and encourage active learning.
Benesse: An IMMERSE Research Study
2024
•
Benesse Corporation
Key Findings
Employees significantly increased their speaking time by 23.9% each week, with a 2.75x increase over the 8-week course.
72% of employees reported improvements in both speaking skills and confidence.
La realidad virtual (RV) en el aula de la lengua inglesa: un estudio etnográfico
2024
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Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Key Findings
IMMERSE helped students use English more spontaneously in VR, despite some decrease in grammatical accuracy, by providing more opportunities for oral production and comprehension.
Students engaged more actively in VR-based tasks than in traditional classroom activities, demonstrating higher motivation and willingness to communicate in English.
Live, Play, and Learn: Language Learner Engagement in the Immersive VR Environment
2024
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Kyung Hee University
Key Findings
Korean elementary school students improved their English scores by 133% after using Immerse
The immersive VR environment positively impacted students' engagement, with learners actively engaged 97.5% of the time during lessons, primarily through interactions with peers and objects in the virtual environment.
Teaching With Immersive Virtual Reality: Perceptions of Korean Trainee Teachers
2024
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Kyung Hee University
Key Findings
IMMERSE provided trainee teachers with an interactive and immersive teaching experience, with participants reporting that it enhanced student engagement and made lesson planning more dynamic.
IMMERSE empowered trainee teachers to create engaging, real-world lesson scenarios that increased student participation and helped them develop confidence in using VR as an effective teaching tool.
It feels so real! Situated authentic language learning in immersive virtual reality
2024
•
Kyung Hee University
Key Findings
Learners reported that practicing in IMMERSE's realistic virtual environments boosted their confidence in using English in real-life situations, viewing it as valuable rehearsal for future experiences.
The ability to navigate and interact within IMMERSE's virtual spaces enabled learners to practice spatial terms like 'here' and 'there,' leading to more natural interactions and detailed, authentic conversations relevant to their daily lives.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: An Immerse Case Study
2024
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
IMMERSE students outperformed the control group by 7.5% on their final oral exam and reported being 16.1% more motivated to learn Spanish by the semester’s end.
Students using IMMERSE reduced their foreign language anxiety by 6.16%, while the control group saw a 1% increase, and IMMERSE students scored 17.6% higher on willingness to communicate.
Developing English Language Learners’ Speaking Skills Through Applying a Situated Learning Approach in VR-Enhanced Learning Experiences
2024
•
Purdue University
Key Findings
IMMERSE helped students significantly improve their English speaking skills by an average of 24%.
Students’ fluency improved by 25%, vocabulary by 38%, pronunciation by 11%, and grammar by 26% on average.
The Effect of Immersive Conversational AI on Immigrant Students' Second Language Production and Willingness to Communicate
2024
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
Refugee ESL students in the U.S. experienced a 19% increase in their willingness to communicate in English after just 1.5 hours of speaking practice with IMMERSE’s AI-powered avatars.
Students increased the amount they were speaking during AI conversations by 49% after just 1.5 hours.
“I Can Talk to Spanish Speakers in Illinois!”: Student Perspectives on AI-Avatar Role Plays in Virtual Reality​
2024
•
University of North Texas, University of California Santa Barbara, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
92% of students reported feeling less anxious when speaking with IMMERSE’s AI-powered avatars compared to traditional classroom activities.
70% of students indicated that VR helped them fully focus on learning by removing external distractions.
Holmes VR Pilot: Understanding Student Perceptions of Virtual Reality for Language Learning
2023
•
Holmes Institute
Key Findings
57.1% of participants reported feeling more confident speaking English in VR, with those who initially had the highest speaking anxiety experiencing the greatest confidence boost.
100% of participants said they would recommend VR language learning to others, and 57.14% requested more information about future VR courses.
Facilitating Foreign Language Conversation Simulations in Virtual Reality for Authentic Learning
2023
•
Purdue University
Key Findings
IMMERSE provided an authentic learning environment that helped students practice real-world conversations, leading to increased speaking confidence and reduced language anxiety.
Students who engaged in VR-based conversation simulations demonstrated improved fluency, pronunciation, and willingness to communicate in the target language.
Exploring the Impact of VR on Students' Cognitive and Affective Engagement in IELTS Speaking Tasks
2023
•
University of Manchester
Key Findings
Students reported that IMMERSE enhanced their IELTS speaking preparation by increasing their cognitive engagement, improving their ability to structure responses, and reinforcing key language skills such as grammar, fluency, and coherence.
IMMERSE created a low-anxiety environment, making students feel more confident in speaking and fostering higher affective engagement with the IELTS speaking tasks.
Exploring the Potential of Immersive Virtual Reality in Italian Schools: A Practical Workshop with High School Teachers
2023
•
International University of Rome (UNINT)
Key Findings
Teachers expressed interest in integrating IMMERSE into their lessons, believing it can enhance teaching by actively engaging students.
Teachers noted that IMMERSE would foster active, experiential learning for their students.
Students' Creation of VR English Lessons: Adopting a Constructivist Approach
2023
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Chuo University
Key Findings
100% of students agreed that IMMERSE helped improve their English-speaking skills, with 75% reporting that avatars lowered their speaking anxiety.
Students found that objects in the virtual scenes facilitated communication, making it easier to start conversations, and reported that VR helped them collaborate better with others, suggesting that the VR environment mediated communication and promoted higher-order thinking skills.
Teaching CLIL Courses Entirely in Virtual Reality
2023
•
Kanda University of International Studies
Key Findings
Teachers reported that IMMERSE's virtual scenes made lesson content feel more authentic, leading to higher retention of language structures over time.
Teachers found IMMERSE's classroom management tools, such as the ability to control student audio, critical for successful teaching.
Virtual Reality: "Awesome," "OK," or "Not so good" for Language Learning?
2023
•
University of North Texas, University of California Santa Barbara, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
97.5% of students enjoyed being able to interact with objects and peers while learning in IMMERSE, with many highlighting object interaction (27%) and collaborative learning with peers (21.3%) as key benefits.
40.9% of students rated their VR learning experience as “awesome,” 56.6% found it “OK,” and only 3.3% rated it “not so good,” with students frequently describing it as fun (19.4%) and effective for expanding vocabulary (13.6%).
High- and Low-Immersion VR Effects on Students’ Speaking and Anxiety
2023
•
Chuo University
Key Findings
Students who took lessons in Immerse, whether on desktop or in VR, improved their TOEIC speaking scores by up to 13.24% after just 4 hours, demonstrating that both modes effectively support language learning.
High-immersion VR lessons helped reduce foreign language anxiety (FLA), with students reporting a stronger sense of presence and immersion compared to low-immersion lessons.
The Advantages and Challenges of VR-Enhanced Foreign Language Learning in a Japanese University: A Preliminary Study
2023
•
Nihon University
Key Findings
IMMERSE had a positive impact on their English language learners’ reading and listening proficiency.
IMMERSE also positively impacted learners’ motivation and willingness to communicate in English.
“Whoa! Incredible!”: Language Learning Experiences in Virtual Reality
2023
•
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
Students performed at the B1-B2 CEFR level in VR, compared to A1-A2 during comparable classroom activities, indicating that IMMERSE can facilitate higher-level language use.
Participants not only learned the vocabulary explicitly taught in IMMERSE but also acquired additional vocabulary naturally through contextual immersion, suggesting that VR settings enhance incidental vocabulary learning.
The Impact of Virtual Reality on L2 French Learners’ Language Anxiety and Oral Comprehensibility: An Exploratory Study
2022
•
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Key Findings
Learners reported lower foreign language anxiety (FLA) when speaking in a virtual reality environment, which was supported by both self-reported measures and physiological indicators (salivary cortisol).
Participants were more comprehensible when speaking in VR compared to a traditional classroom setting, suggesting that reduced anxiety in VR leads to improved oral production.
Thinking About the Largest VR Education Project in Japan: How Will Students Change Using VR?
2022
•
Aoyama Gakuin University
Key Findings
English speaking skills improved 9x more in IMMERSE compared to traditional classroom learning.
Japanese students using IMMERSE increased their TOEIC scores by over 100 points on average, compared to the traditional classroom average of only 56 points over three years.
Designing a Course and Adapting Materials for Intermediate Learners of English in a VR Learning Environment
2022
•
University of Manchester
Key Findings
Learners reported that being represented by avatars in IMMERSE made practice conversations more meaningful and realistic, leading them to speak more.
The immersive VR environment provided a communicative and interactive space that enhanced engagement and facilitated language learning through task-based activities.
The Effects of Remote VR English Lessons in the Corona Era
2022
•
Aoyama Gakuin University
Key Findings
Students’ listening comprehension abilities improved by 21% after an average of just six 30-minute lessons in IMMERSE, with listening scores increasing significantly from an average of 260 to 322 (p < .01).
Students reported feeling more comfortable conversing in English with their avatars, experiencing less anxiety and stress compared to face-to-face conversations, showing that VR-based English lessons effectively reduced foreign language anxiety and improved motivation.
The Effects of English Conversation Lessons in Virtual Reality on the Confidence of Japanese Learners of English
2022
•
Aoyama Gakuin University
Key Findings
Japanese university students who participated in VR English lessons using IMMERSE reported significantly increased confidence in their ability to handle A2-level speaking tasks, such as exchanging opinions and giving short presentations.
Participants stated that learning in VR reduced their anxiety, made speaking English more comfortable, and provided an enjoyable alternative to face-to-face conversation practice.
Effects of VR and Online Public Speaking Lessons on Students’ Speaking Skills
2022
•
Chuo University
Key Findings
Students’ TOEIC scores increased by an average of 6.3 points (a 5.02% increase) after just 135 minutes of learning in IMMERSE.
98.8% of students reported lower foreign language anxiety and improved speaking skills after just two hours of learning in IMMERSE, with confidence in English presentation skills increasing by 32% after three lessons.
Enhancing the ESP Lesson with IMMERSE: A Pedagogical Example of a Metaverse Language Learning Platform
2022
•
Cyprus University of Technology
Key Findings
IMMERSE enables English for Specific Purposes (ESP) learners to practice professional language in real-life simulated settings, such as networking events, hotels, and news stations.
The platform helps students develop soft skills like problem-solving, negotiation, and public speaking through task-based language learning in immersive, interactive environments.
On VR in The Hybrid Classroom: An Action Research Report
2021
•
International House Manchester
Key Findings
Students reported higher engagement levels in VR than in standard hybrid lessons, with the immersive environments fostering more meaningful communication and participation.
Teachers preferred VR-enhanced hybrid classes over standard hybrid lessons, as it helped bridge the gap between in-person and online students, making language production more natural and improving classroom interaction.
Improving Employee Confidence with VR: An Immerse Case Study
2021
•
Microsoft - Korea
Key Findings
IMMERSE helped 86% of Microsoft Korea employees feel more confident using English at work and in daily life after completing the 16-week VR course.
100% of participants enjoyed learning English in realistic VR environments, and 71% said they would take another VR English course.
Potential and Challenges of VR in English Education
2021
•
Chuo University
Key Findings
Students' TOEIC Speaking scores increased by an average of 10 points (an 8.5% increase) after 200 minutes of instruction using IMMERSE.
The use of avatars in IMMERSE reduced students' foreign language anxiety by 11%.
Effects of Virtual Reality Use on Japanese English Learners' Foreign Language Anxiety
2021
•
Aoyama Gakuin University
Key Findings
Japanese university students using IMMERSE for VR English lessons reported feeling significantly less anxious and more comfortable speaking English compared to face-to-face conversations.
Students valued the ability to communicate in diverse virtual settings and reported that IMMERSE helped reduce psychological stress, making English conversation practice more engaging and effective.

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