One consistent area of need for students with autism spectrum disorders is in the area of social competence. However, the increasing need to provide qualified teachers to deliver evidence-based practices in areas like social competence leave schools, such as those found in rural areas, in need of support. Distance education and in particular, 3D Virtual Learning, holds great promise for supporting schools and youth to gain social competence through knowledge and social practice in context. iSocial, a distance education, 3D virtual learning environment implemented the 31-lesson social competence intervention for adolescents across three small cohorts totaling 11 students over a period of 4 months. Results demonstrated that the social competence curriculum was delivered with fidelity in the 3D virtual learning environment. Moreover, learning outcomes suggest that the iSocial approach shows promise for social competence benefits for youth.

This study examines how social and motivational attributes may influence students' online learning experiences. Based on a review of social theories of learning and research about individual characteristics associated with motivation four constructs were included: social ability, learning goal orientation, perceived task value, and self-efficacy. A model was generated to depict the dynamic relationships among these constructs and the outcome measure of learning satisfaction. Factor analyses highlight four dimensions of social ability: social presence-students, social presence-instructors, social navigation, and written communication skills. The results of applying structural equation modeling to data from a sample of 110 online students show the importance of students' perceived task value, self efficacy, and social ability for satisfaction in online learning.

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Project-based learning places demands on learners and instructors that challenge the tra-

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