Research on Development Needs in the Context of Innovative Methods of Providing Soft Skills and Professional Training through Virtual Reality to Persons with Disabilities – The Case of Poland

This paper presents the results of quantitative research concerning people with various disabilities interested in participating in innovative methods of soft skills and professional training (improving professional competencies and preparing for entry into the labour market) through Virtual Reality. The research on the training needs of the target group was conducted within the project enabling people with disabilities to improve their professional competencies through the realisation of works in virtual space, carried out between July 2021 and October 2022. In this quantitative research, there were 255 participants from all over Poland (including 205 with mobility disabilities), who evaluated the proposal of the competency tests, soft skills and professional training developed as a part of the project. The opinions, expectations and needs of potential participants formed the basis for the substantive and practical development of training materials. This paper contributes to the research field in that the practical implications of the research analyses can constitute guidelines for training institutions and IT companies for developing educational services and products for people with disabilities.