A qualitative case study approach was used to identify the psychosocial effects of the high-fidelity, virtual reality simulation provided in the college-level air traffic control (ATC) training program offered at the Minnesota Air Traffic Control Training Center and to evaluate the applicability of virtual reality to academic/training situations. Thirty-eight students currently enrolled in the ATC training program were interviewed individually, and the ideas of a total of 13 program graduates were elicited in 3 focus group discussions. Despite their widely different levels of previous education, prior experience with aviation, age, gender, ethnicity, and level of speech, all of the present and former students praised air traffic control simulation as a way of helping them gain valuable ATC and teamwork skills, ATC experience, and confidence. The students stressed that the simulation taught them as much about working with people as about working with high-tech equipment. Various supervisors of program graduates also considered air traffic control simulation an effective way of teaching students safety and airspace procedures/operations in a less threatening environment than on-the-job training environments. (Appended is the interview instrument. Contains 38 references.) (MN)