Disability interactions in digital games: From accessibility to inclusion

Digital games are a hugely popular activity enjoyed for the diverse experiences and relationships that they offer players. In 2019, games are more accessible to an increasingly diverse audience of disabled players through both new gaming technology and in-game options that allow people to tune their experiences. As a significant cultural medium, it is also challenging perceptions of disability in how characters are depicted. In this workshop, we aim to understand better the research challenges in making games for and with disabled players. We explore opportunities in games and disability through the lens of the new Disability Interaction (DIX) manifesto

Desenvolvimento de um periférico de gaming inclusivo

Dissertação de Mestrado em Design com a especialização em Design de Produto, dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre.Os videojogos conheceram um crescimento exponencial da sua popularidade ao longo das três últimas décadas, afirmando-se atualmente como um dos meios de entretenimento mais influentes do século XXI. No entanto, apesar do aumento no número de jogos, da sua componente competitiva, dos periféricos de jogo e do surgimento de cada vez mais plataformas online dedicadas à proliferação de conteúdo relacionado com videojogos, existe ainda uma grande lacuna a nível não só da indústria, mas também da investigação existente, no que diz respeito à inclusão de pessoas com deficiências físicas nos membros superiores no universo dos videojogos. Assim, o objetivo da presente investigação consiste na integração social de pessoas com uma deficiência num dos membros superiores na vasta e diversificada comunidade de gaming, através do desenvolvimento de um periférico de jogo para PC que possibilite uma jogabilidade com qualidade e conforto, assim como melhoria da sua experiência de jogo, empoderando-as a jogar desde jogos mais simples a jogos que exigem maior destreza motora. Durante a investigação foi aplicada uma metodológica mista, de carater intervencionista e não-intervencionista, de base qualitativa e quantitativa. A fim de compreender os vários conceitos, assim como toda a investigação que fora realizada nas áreas abordadas, recorreu-se a uma revisão da literatura. Em seguida, realizou-se uma investigação ativa composta por uma análise de casos de estudo, que consistiu num levantamento dos periféricos de gaming baseados na inclusão de pessoas com deficiências físicas e das suas características principais, e por um questionário online, realizado com o intuito de traçar o perfil dos destinatários do projeto e recolher inputs valiosos sobre a sua interação com os videojogos. Por último desenvolveu-se o projeto, que culminou na criação de um protótipo funcional e na sua validação através de um estudo de usabilidade.ABSTRACT : Videogames have experienced an exponential growth in popularity over the past three decades, asserting themselves as one of the most influential entertainment media of the 21st century. However, despite the increase in the number of games, their competitive component, gaming peripherals, and the emergence of more and more online platforms dedicated to the proliferation of content related to videogames, there is still a big gap not only in the industry, but also of the existing research regarding the inclusion of people with physical disabilities in the upper limbs in the universe of videogames. Thus, the objective of the present investigation is the social integration of people with a disability in one of the upper limbs in the vast and diversified gaming community, through the development of a gaming peripheral for PC that enables quality and comfort gameplay, as well as match the level of performance between people with and without disabilities, empowering them to play from simpler to more complex games that require greater motor skills. During the investigation, a mixed methodology, of an interventionist and non-interventionist nature, with a qualitative and quantitative basis was applied. In order to understand the various concepts, as well as all the research that had been carried out in the areas covered, a literature review was used. Then, an active investigation was carried out, consisting of an analysis of case studies, which consisted of a survey of gaming peripherals based on the inclusion of people with physical disabilities and their main characteristics, and an online questionnaire, carried out with the aim to profile the project’s recipients and collect valuable input about their interaction with videogames. Lastly, the project was developed, which culminated in the creation of a functional prototype and its validation through a usability study.N/

The Play Experiences of Disabled Players : Dealing with accessibility barriers and solutions

This thesis examines the play experiences of disabled players, the different barriers they encounter, and solutions to alleviate said barriers. As the game industry is slowly transforming to a more inclusive mindset at large, the thesis intends to discover whether the experiences of disabled players correlate with this change. It seeks to find out if disabled players still encounter barriers and exclusion while playing and if there has occurred an evolution in game accessibility or accessible game design to tackle these issues. An extensive online qualitative survey was wielded to produce rich data from which the appearing outcomes were drawn. The survey reached globally 95 participants with various disabilities and playing experiences. The data was analyzed by comparing quantitative statistics as well as by thematic analysis through coding and dubbing these into two distinct theme sets – one to evaluate the barriers and another to examine strategies to overcome barriers. The findings indicate that disabled players constitute a diverse and passionate segment of the player community. Despite the existence of structural barriers within commercial games, disabled players adopted various strategies to engage in their gaming activities. In addition, this thesis reveals a recent improvement in game accessibility, with disabled players showing proficiency in utilising available accessibility settings. Many also resorted to software and hardware solutions to address built-in accessibility challenges. Nevertheless, persistent accessibility obstacles persist, primarily arising from game mechanics, hardware compatibility issues, and toxic multiplayer environments. Notably, the latter had a significant impact on respondents, hindering their ability to participate in multiplayer gaming

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the role of social media in the lives of young men with neuromuscular conditions

Background Young men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) are now living longer due to advancements in medical technologies such as developments in support for breathing and gastronomy feeding. However, daily life for young men with DMD can be a challenge, particularly as they enter into adulthood, where services and provision may change and are not always suited to their needs. Anecdotal evidence has illuminated the capacity of social media as an alternate lifeworld for young men with DMD. Few studies however, have explored how social media is experienced by young men with DMD. Aim To explore the lived experience of social media from the perspective of young men with DMD. Method An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was undertaken, involving sequential in depth interviewing with eight young men aged 18-28 with DMD. Novel methods of data collection were used, including the use of video gaming to support engagement during the interview. Findings Three superordinate themes were identified: ‘Existence outside social media; navigating offline lifeworld’, ‘Transcending into an alternate reality, life within video gaming’ and ‘The meaning of social networking platforms, blogs, and spaces’. The lived experience of social media appeared to be grounded in the interplay between the offline and online existences of participants. Video gaming provided an alternate reality for many participants to immerse themselves, and to engage in experiences unavailable ‘offline’. Social networking sites, and blogs facilitated a sense of group identity, belonging, and autonomy over decisions related to their care. Conclusion The meaning of social media to young men with DMD appears at its most harmonious when it is experienced as an activity for enjoyment, connectivity, discovery, and occasional refuge The findings of the study have implications both for social media development, and for the care provided to young men with DMD

Who Can Play? Rethinking Video Game Controllers and Accessibility

This chapter draws on diverse literature and autoethnographic data (i.e. personal experience as a disabled gamer) to consider how controllers and their design have impacted disabled players. As most disabled gamers play at home (Beeston et al., 2019, Characteristics and Motivations of Players with Disabilities in Digital Games. arXiv. Cornell University. Retrieved March 2, 2022 from https://arxiv.org/abs/1805.11352), the focus is on home consoles and a key distinction can be made. If, outside of the mainstream at least, there have been a considerable number of accessibility-focused technologies (hardware and software) for home computers, consoles have remained largely ‘closed’ ecosystems and resistant to these kinds of modifications and additions. Notions of incidental fit and the precarious nature of access are explored. Recent approaches to accessibility and subsequent design solutions are also discussed. These are seen to address only some limitations of earlier solutions but provide numerous possibilities for future work