Alcyan: What are your closing comments about SL and VA?
Fidget: I highly suggest VAI as a way for you simply learn more no matter who you are about those who may present differently from you.
I use SL (a virtual world) to nurture myself, to take care of myself, to express myself, and to learn. Any world -- whether physical or virtual is real.
It is a dis-service to yourself to "dis" virtual worlds as not being real -- you use them, daily. Some are simply more immersive than others. You use e-mail or texting daily, I'm willing to be -- and that is a virtual world. The only difference between that and SL is there are visuals included that move and interact more than just the text of an e-mail or phone text message.