Virtual reality-based adjunctive therapy interventions for neurodiverse students
“If this is what my therapy was like, I wouldn’t complain so much. In fact, I’d want more therapy!”
Real Therapy - Real Fun
For K12 Success
Vizmoo believes serious therapy can be seriously fun
We’re excited to introduce you to Groove Catcher Tx, a platform for virtual reality-assisted adjunctive therapy interventions for neurodiverse clients. Our VR therapies integrate dance, music, and visuals through innovative, play-based experiences. Clients want therapies that keep them engaged and connected while they do targeted, highly repetitive interventions — so they enjoy their therapy journey and come back for more sessions.
The breakthrough Vizmoo VR therapy tools help clients who have been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, TBI, and anyone who struggles with sensory integration, neurodevelopmental, behavioral, or dysregulation disorders.
Our targeted therapy interventions address:
Emotional self-regulation preparatory activities
Motor skills development, including bilateral coordination, body awareness, and tracking skills including midline crossing
Sensory Processing skills
Continuum of Care at home
Music and Dance as therapy
Vizmoo created Groove Catcher to help neurodiverse students assimilate faster into general education so they can achieve their full potential. These neurodiverse students face two systemic factors that impede their progress in school:
Neurodiverse students comprise 15% of the public K12 population – and this number is growing (currently 7M students)
The US does not train or retain a sufficient number of SPED teachers and therapists to provide services to neurodiverse children (36% of school districts face considerable teaching shortage)
Groove Catcher helps students achieve:
Increased overall on-task and goal-oriented attention,
Improved motor skills to engage in educational and daily activities,
Self-regulation: Developing knowledge and skills to regulate one’s emotions and executive functions that impede focus, attention, entrainment, and thus, learning,
Increased learning and higher levels of achievement, and
Increased overall engagement throughout learning activities.
“Something that’s motivating at home could be really great. Consistency and more exposure is very helpful.”
Groove Catcher engages students in therapy
“There are so many things that kids would do with Groove Catcher that they wouldn’t do in clinical settings. It’s more motivating and reinforcing than typical therapy approaches.”
As a teacher or therapist, we know your workload continues to worsen. Our conversations with SPED practitioners confirm that some of you manage heavy caseloads, sometimes as high as 3-4X what you signed up for (sometimes 70-100 students per therapist). Also, over 33% of school districts face a considerable SPED shortage and high staff turnover – which means students don’t receive sufficient services.
Groove Catcher offers:
Gamified therapy that supports regulation, motor skills, and sensory processing skills.
Ability to provide services to Individuals or Groups of students at the same time.
Aide-led interventions: OTs can set up tailored individual plans for each student while aides monitor students during their sessions. This frees up OT time for other tasks.
Continuum of Care from school to home and back. Students can use Groove Catcher with minimal or no help from parents.
In-person and Telehealth capabilities for students who live far from school or from services.
“Vizmoo equips our students to regulate emotions and improve processing and gross motor skills. It brings their outside interests into the school which is fun and engaging. They want to keep coming back.”
Parents play a key role in their child’s K12 success
“If this is what my therapy was like, I wouldn’t complain so much. In fact, I’d want more therapy!”
As a parent, you play a key role in your child’s assimilation into general education so they can achieve their full potential. Groove Catcher offers VR-gamified therapy interventions that help your child with emotional regulation, movement abilities, and social-emotional learning (SEL).
Groove Catcher offers:
Continuum of Care from school to home and back so your child can receive services more often and progress faster.
Independence for your child so they can work on Groove Catcher while you’re at work or tending to other responsibilities around the house.
In-Person and Telehealth capabilities for children who live far from school services or therapy clinics.
“I was having a really rough morning. This helped me to slow down my body and calm down my brain.”
Administrators help students achieve full potential
“Kids learn better when they’re playing.”
K12 administrators oversee education for over 7M students who receive special education services in the US, and 36% of these school districts face considerable SPED teaching shortage. These trends pose significant challenges to these students’ ability to assimilate into general education and to achieve their full potential.
Vizmoo’s VR therapy interventions for emotional regulation, movement, and SEL help neurodiverse students assimilate faster into general education so they can achieve their full potential.
Vizmoo helps deliver
Higher levels of academic and goal-oriented self-efficacy.
Students who receive SPED services are better assimilated into general education classes.
Improved long-term outcomes for SPED students in adulthood.
Students who receive services better achieve their full potential.
Groove Catcher is a key resource multiplier and improves equity
SPED practitioners can lead group sessions that include individualized interventions.
Paraprofessionals can effectively implement individualized therapy plans designed by professional staff.
Students can receive services more often and faster through Continuum of Care from school to home and back so their progress doesn’t suffer.
Schools can provide cost-effective services at home, which are less expensive than home visits and easier for students who may live far away (Telehealth).
“This can actually be purposeful, unlike what my parents say about video games.”
Meet the Team
Michael Stauffer
Founder & CEO
Michael oversees Vizmoo’s mission and the creative vision for products like Groove Catcher. He is a long-time software developer with experience in technical projects, such as medical imaging, neural modeling, and music visualization. Groove Catcher combines Michael’s passions as a musician, dancer, and all-around geek. He is currently involved in exploring how VR can improve education and developing Groove Catcher for neurodiverse students. He works, makes music, plays, and creates in Philadelphia, PA.
Karen Dehaven
Co-Creator & Clinical Advisor
Karen in a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist. She focuses on children and families who struggle with neurodevelopmental delays like Autism, ADHD, Asperger’s, Social Communication Disorder, and sensory integration. Karen’s advanced specialty of Counseling in Dance/Movement Therapy allows her to integrate traditional and creative therapy techniques.
John Weathers, PhD
Research & Development
Dr. Weathers has over 20 years of experience as a researcher, innovator, and educator in K-20 settings. He has ensured academic and commercial viability as an edtech co-founder, advisory board member for growth companies, professor of educational leadership and policy, and research on implementation and evaluation of edtech and SPED projects. He has led large, funded research and development projects, and his research has been published widely in journals like Educational Policy Analysis Archives and Journal of Disability Policy Studies.
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Sponsors and Affiliations
U.S. Department of Education
National Science Foundation
Mastery Charter Schools