Immersive Tech Solutions to Overcome Speaking Anxiety

This paper explores the use of immersive technologies, namely Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), to mitigate speaking anxiety and enhance communication skills. Speaking anxiety is a prevalent issue that hinders effective communication in personal and professional environments. The research aims to (1) assess the effectiveness of AR and VR in reducing speaking anxiety and (2) propose an immersive tech model for improving confidence and speaking abilities. The study involved hundred participants from a multi-sector state private university in Odisha, India who completed VR-based speech simulations and were evaluated on six parameters: speech duration, eye contact, filler words, speaking pace, volume and listen ability. Survey and workshop methodologies were used in the study. The findings showed significant improvement in confidence and reductions in anxiety and filler word usage. Moderate improvements in eye contact and gestures suggested room for further development. The study proposes an immersive tech model integrating VR for real-time feedback and AR for audience simulation, offering promising applications in speaking training, language acquisition and professional skill enhancement.