  Technology presents a significant educational opportunity, particularly in
enhancing emotional engagement and expanding learning and educational prospects
for individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD). Virtual reality
emerges as a promising tool for addressing such disorders, complemented by
numerous touchscreen applications that have shown efficacy in fostering
education and learning abilities. VR and touchscreen technologies represent
diverse interface modalities. This study primarily investigates which
interface, VR or touchscreen, more effectively facilitates food education for
individuals with NDD. We compared learning outcomes via pre- and post-exposure
questionnaires. To this end, we developed GEA, a dual-interface, user-friendly
web application for Food Education, adaptable for either immersive use in a
head-mounted display (HMD) or non-immersive use on a tablet. A controlled study
was conducted to determine which interface better promotes learning. Over three
sessions, the experimental group engaged with all GEA games in VR (condition
A), while the control group interacted with the same games on a tablet
(condition B). Results indicated a significant increase in post-questionnaire
scores across subjects, averaging a 46% improvement. This enhancement was
notably consistent between groups, with VR and Tablet groups showing 42% and
41% improvements, respectively.
