Literacy in virtual reality: a new medium

Virtual Reality is a new and rapidly developing technology. As a technological extension to computer graphics, and in fact the computer in general, VR is a medium --- a means of communication. Like any medium, the use or "reading" of VR has to be learned. That is, the user becomes literate with the medium.Often, we tend to think of literacy in terms of whether one can read or write words on a page. However, that is just literacy of one medium (the written word). There are many forms of communication, and each has specific issues of literacy, as well as general issues that pervade all media. As a new medium, the "language" of VR is still in its infancy, therefore, the study of VR literacy must look both at the content receiver and the content creator.Like film, Virtual Reality is a medium that does not require much knowledge of the viewer beyond general life experiences. We are able to see and hear the content more or less as we do in day to day living. Because of this, it might be taken for granted that the viewer is literate in the medium. This is not necessarily so. He or she may be able to follow the action, but may be missing the underlying message and cues contained in the content.Much like learning to read and write, gaining literacy in this new medium requires effort on the part of the receiver. This paper will address those issues with which VR participants and developers must be concerned.