New VR experience will allow Kentucky students with disabilities to experience virtual field trips to learn about careers

KDE received funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund that was passed in the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to address how the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted students with disabilities.

Jason Wheatley, director of postsecondary transition in KDE’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning, said KDE wanted to use those funds to help students with disabilities transition into employment.

He said Hylton led the effort to come up with more accessible career exploration experiences. She challenged KDE staff to think about ways to bring opportunities to students that would empower them to live a happy life.

“We know that students with disabilities within their individual education program have an employment goal; so as a state agency, we really identified that as an important piece to respond to the pandemic, but also to lead us in having a positive trajectory going forward in empowering programs and communities across the state to help provide a positive education and positive post school transition for students with disabilities,” Wheatley said.

In 2024, KDE used ARP ESSER funds to provide 2,450 VR headsets and immersive learning content to more than 30 area technology centers in every region of the state. Recognized as one of the largest VR rollouts through a state education agency, the initiative supports students with disabilities in career and technical education. Educators have integrated the VR headsets into lessons supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts and career awareness.

KDE also provided these centers with CareerViewXR software for students to immerse themselves in different career environments and provided the process for developing customized experiences.

Building on the VR deployment project, KDE partnered with CareerViewXR to film local career experiences. Every technology center in Kentucky was given the opportunity to participate in the project.

The selection process accommodated all interested parties at the time of sign-up, ensuring broad representation while focusing on regions with strong potential for impactful collaboration. The three selected sites partnered with a local business or employer in the sign-up process.

“The people within communities are a really important aspect of this work that we consider the community environment itself, locally and regionally, to provide students experiences that authentically matter to them and their life,” Wheatley said.

CareerViewXR filmed experiences at Cleary Construction and Ingram Barge Company from March 24-26.

Located in Bowling Green, Cleary Construction installs underground utilities and other construction projects. Carter Walden, director of workforce development at Cleary Construction, said students will learn how they install utilities and what the environment of the job is like.

“Having these videos available for students will have a great impact in assisting them to realize what career path they may choose after high school,” Walden said. “Whether they continue with a post-secondary education or go straight to work, Cleary Construction depends on both pathways. This project will help underground utility companies to build a younger workforce in highlighting these pathways for school kids at a young age.”

Ingram Barge Company is located in Paducah and transports goods across America’s inland waterways. Filmed along the Ohio River, the field trip follows deckhands, mates and other crew members to help students learn about how goods are transported.

“This industry offers students a long-term career path straight out of high school that students may have never considered,” said John Roberts, CEO of Ingram Barge Company. “Our VR experience will allow students to experience the workday of a mariner living and working on a towboat as it navigates the river.”

CareerViewXR filmed at Conley Bottom Resort over the weekend of May 30. Located on Lake Cumberland near Monticello, the resort features a marina, store, restaurant, houseboats, lodging units and a campground. The field trip gives students an inside look at a variety of job opportunities in Kentucky’s hospitality and tourism industry.

Students can explore roles essential to the resort’s operations, including store clerk, bookkeeper, deckhand, kitchen staff, security and merchandising. The field trip also touches on skilled trades around the resort for maintenance and repair, including welder, electrician and mechanic roles.

Students can access these experiences on VR headsets or any web-enabled device, including laptops, tablets and phones, which ensures accessibility for all learners.

Wheatley said the VR headsets allow students to be immersed in those employment environments. Students can follow along with coworkers on-site to interact with different resources and activities on the job.

“When we think about immersion, we’re thinking about how students experience the work environment—through the actions, interactions and atmosphere that help them understand what it’s like to be part of that setting,” Wheatley said. “Students with disabilities, but really people in general, have different environments that we prefer. If students don’t prefer work environments with a lot of noise and distractions, students are going to be able to learn this through this immersive opportunity.”

Matt Chaussee, CEO of CareerViewXR, said they are proud to contribute to positive workforce outcomes across Kentucky.

“Thanks to KDE’s visionary approach and partnership between CareerViewXR and local employers, Kentucky students will now be able to explore a variety of careers available right in their own backyard,” Chaussee said. “We’re also excited to share these Kentucky experiences with our growing subscriber base across the country.”

Wheatley said KDE hopes to get feedback on the VR experiences to explore more filming opportunities in the future.