▁consequence . ▁ ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁instruction al ▁simulation ▁with ▁individuals ▁with ▁special ▁needs ▁is ▁gain ing ▁more ▁attention . ▁Mitchell , ▁Par s ons , ▁and ▁Leonard ▁( 2 0 0 7 ) ▁created ▁a ▁" Virtual ▁C afé " ▁program ▁designed ▁to ▁teach ▁social ▁interaction ▁skills ▁to ▁ad oles c ents ▁with ▁aut ism ▁spectrum ▁dis order ▁( AS D ). ▁The ▁program ▁provides ▁feedback ▁to ▁guide , ▁or ▁sc aff old , ▁the ▁user ▁toward ▁making ▁appropriate ▁social ▁behavior ▁dec isions . ▁Virtual ▁learning ▁environments ▁are ▁also ▁beginning ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁teach ▁children ▁with ▁AS D ▁how ▁to ▁respond ▁in ▁potentially ▁dangerous ▁situations ▁such ▁as ▁crossing ▁the ▁street ▁and ▁ev acu ating ▁a ▁building ▁on ▁fire ▁( Str ick land , ▁Mc All ister , ▁Col es , ▁and ▁Os bor ne ▁ 2 0 0 7 ). ▁The ▁instruction al ▁simulation ▁provides ▁a ▁safe ▁environment ▁within ▁which ▁to ▁practice ▁appropriate ▁response ▁skills . ▁ ▁Dist ance ▁learning ▁is ▁growing . ▁The ▁importance ▁of ▁a ▁physical ▁class room ▁is ▁being ▁reduced ▁as ▁the ▁technology ▁of ▁distance ▁learning ▁develop s ▁( S and ers , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ). ▁Sand ers ▁( 2 0 0 6 ) ▁present ▁a ▁warning ▁that ▁students ▁may ▁do ▁well ▁in ▁distance ▁learning ▁environments , ▁however ▁they ▁need ▁to ▁have ▁eng aging ▁moments ▁within ▁the ▁course . ▁He ▁also ▁war ns ▁students ▁to ▁crit ically ▁assess ▁a ▁new ▁technology ▁before ▁adopt ing ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁learning ▁tool . ▁The ▁virtual ▁learning ▁environment ▁needs