It's another case of science fiction becoming reality. Researchers in Cleveland are looking at a completely different way to treat stuttering. It involves virtual simulation lab and is modeled after the Star Trek holodeck.

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The simulation lab looks like a mini movie theater, but the screens are meant to simulate the real world.

Here's how it works. The simulation lab looks like a mini movie theater, but the screens are meant to simulate the real world.

At Case Western Reserve University, Michael Molinaro is demonstrating how a speech disorder patient would interact with a McDonald's employee.

"It's able to bridge the skills that they're receiving downstairs at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech center as well as with the outside world with what they live with every day," said Dr. Stacy Williams, PhD, project developer at Case Western Reserve University.

Williams controls the actor's responses with a computer.

"We can actually create any type of training situation with the touch of a button," said Williams.

Every day distractions can be a completely different experience each time.

"It's a safe environment," said Williams. "It allows them to practice and they can do it over and over again."

Biofeedback monitors measure heart rate and skin temperature "to be able to see if the patient is truly perceiving that learning environment as real," says Williams.

It can benefit students too. Molinaro is studying to be a speech pathologist. The program can also put him into a scenario with a parent or patient.

"I think it's fantastic," said Molinaro. "I think it's a really amazing learning tool that we can use to become better speech pathologists."

"They're learning how to interact with people, how to ask important questions, how to gather information, think critically about it, come to a good decision or diagnosis."

Williams is waiting on approval to allow children to begin using the lab.