Presence

The subjective sense of being in a virtual environment, often described as the feeling of "being there" rather than simply observing a digital display. Presence is a central construct in VR research and is influenced by sensory fidelity, interaction naturalness, avatar embodiment, and environmental realism. For disabled VR users, presence can be enhanced by natural interaction methods like hand tracking and realistic avatar representation, but can be diminished by safety concerns (fear of collisions), uncomfortable hardware, or jarring locomotion methods like teleportation. Achieving presence for disabled users requires addressing all three layers of VR accessibility—physical, digital, and experiential.