Promoting game accessibility: Experiencing an induction on inclusive design practice at the global games jam

Copyright @ 2013 The AuthorsThe Global Games Jam (GGJ) attracts many people who are passionate about games development, coming from a range of educational backgrounds. Therefore, the event can be experienced by novices and student developers as an opportunity for learning. This provides an opening to promote themes and ideas that could help form future thinking about games design, emerging as a form of induction on key design issues for new practitioners. Such an approach aims to raise awareness about issues which learners could help develop and take with them into industry. However, the experience itself affords a deep experiential rhetoric and dialogue with experts that could be an effective pedagogical tool for issues seldom addressed deeply in formal educational settings. This paper describes an account by one such individual, being introduced to game accessibility through participation in the GGJ. As such, it is not intended as a rigorous empirical analysis, but rather a perspective on one way a game jam can be experienced, inviting further research on the topic

Including the most vulnerable : social funds and people with disabilities

People with disabilities face many of the challenges that other vulnerable groups face, such as lack of adequate support services in their communities, lack of resources and economic opportunities, and physical and attitudinal barriers to their participating fully in society. One of the best-established World Bank instruments for targeting poor, and vulnerable groups is social funds. The authors review the extent of current disability activities within World Bank-financed social funds, and provide recommendations, and resources for increasing support for persons with disabilities in social fund subprojects. Among other initiatives, social funds can provide infrastructure, and services that people with disabilities can use, support organizations that help persons with disabilities formulate, and demand projects, and promote greater public understanding of disability issues.Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Social Cohesion,Social Protections&Assistance,Community Development and Empowerment,ICT Policy and Strategies

The development of accessibility indicators for distance learning programs

A study was undertaken to explore program policies and practices related to the accessibility of American distance learning courses to qualified students with disabilities. A literature review was conducted, a draft list of accessibility indicators was created, examples of applications of the indicators in existing distance learning programs were collected, the indicators were systematically applied to one distance learning program, input from a variety of distance learning programs was used to further refine the indicators, and these programs were encouraged to adopt the indicators and make use of resources provided by the project. Results of this exploratory work suggest that incorporating accessibility considerations into policies, procedures and communications of a program requires consideration of the unique needs of students, course designers, instructors and evaluators; involves approval and implementation at a variety of administrative levels; and is an ongoing process that may be implemented in incremental steps

Overview of the proceedings of the 2019 Inclusion in Science, Learning a New Direction Conference on Disability (ISLAND)

The 10th annual Inclusion in Science, Learning a New Direction Conference on Disability (ISLAND) was hosted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), with support from the UAH College of Education, UAH Office of Academic Affairs, and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, as well as the Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM), a National Science Foundation funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) and the UAH Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education (CCRE). On October 4-5, 2019, the conference was held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center facility and at the new Student Services Building on the UAH campus. This year’s presentations included innovative research by science educators in formal and informal educational settings, from pre-K-12 to higher education, as well as from science education researchers, access technology developers, and other persons interested in the promotion of the full inclusion of people with disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professions. The 2019 ISLAND conference featured seventeen presentations over the two-day period. The following is intended to give the reader an overview of these presentations. This is not intended to be a comprehensive synopsis of all aspects of the discussions that were presented. Rather, readers are encouraged to review full papers authored by the presenters highlighted herein. All presenters were invited to contribute papers to this special section of JSESD

Improving Educational Experiences of Students With Disabilities at a Private Postsecondary University

The problem addressed in this research study was that students with disabilities were experiencing challenges at a private postsecondary university in the United States that were impacting their educational experience. The purpose of this research study was to discover the challenges individuals with disabilities experience at a private postsecondary university and to find possible resolutions to those challenges. It was anticipated that this research study may improve the education experiences of students with disabilities at a private postsecondary university in the United States. It was equally important to discover (a) challenges experienced by students with a disability in a private postsecondary university and (b) possible resolutions to those challenges. A phenomenological qualitative approach was utilized to answer three research questions. Data were gathered utilizing a survey developed by the researcher. Data gathered were analyzed utilizing qualitative methodology. A qualitative analysis of the survey results found three predominant themes or challenges that involved (a) course work assignments, (b) exams and testing, and (c) classroom accommodations. An analysis of the responses for course work assignments indicated that 11 (30%) of 38 participants with a disability experienced challenges. An analysis of the responses indicated that 20 (53%) of 38 participants with a disability experienced challenges with exams and testing. An analysis of the responses revealed that 13 (34%) of 38 participants with a disability experienced challenges with classroom accommodations. Interpretation and implications of these findings are described

Enhancing STEM Learning for All: A Paper Concept of Accessible Resources

The accessibility of resources in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is critical in ensuring equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. This paper presents a conceptual framework for enhancing STEM learning by implementing accessible resources. The concept explores the potential of educational materials, technologies, and teaching in promoting equitable access and improving learning outcomes in STEM subjects. The paper concept focuses on a comparative analysis approach to assess the impact of accessible resources on student achievement, engagement, and motivation in STEM. It proposes the collection of quantitative data to determine the effectiveness of various inclusive resources and identify any disparities in outcomes across diverse student populations. By considering the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, the paper concept aims to identify barriers to accessibility and propose to overcome them. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the unique needs of students, as well as the role of educators in practices. Furthermore, the concept highlights the significance of supportive policies and resource allocation to facilitate the integration of accessible resources in STEM education. The outcomes of this research concept will contribute to developing evidence-based practices that enhance STEM learning opportunities for all students. By emphasizing accessibility and providing guidance for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers, this paper seeks to foster equitable learning environments in STEM education. Ultimately, it aims to empower all learners to actively participate and excel in STEM, promoting diversity and fueling innovation for a sustainable future

Leveling the Playing Field: Attracting, Engaging, and Advancing People with Disabilities

People with disabilities experience significant challenges in finding employment. The participation of people with disabilities in the workforce and their median income are both less than half that of the civilian workforce. They work part time 68 percent more frequently than people without disabilities. These disheartening results persist despite the enactment of significant federal legislation aimed at making the workplace more supportive and accessible to people with disabilities. The Conference Board Research Working Group (RWG) on Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities was convened to address how to overcome these disparities. It was sponsored by the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University, under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education. The RWG members focused on four questions: 1) The business case: Is it advantageous for organizations to employ people with disabilities? 2) Organizational readiness: What should organizations do to create a workplace that enables people with disabilities to thrive and advance? 3) Measurement: How can success for both people with disabilities and the organization itself be determined? 4) Self-disclosure: How can people with disabilities, especially those whose disabilities are not obvious, be encouraged to identify themselves so that resources can be directed toward them and outcomes can be measured