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Enhancing social inclusion: Universal chess design for blind people

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Abstract

An increasing number of policymakers and researchers have recognised the importance of social inclusion. In addition to implementing an inclusive society from the top down through changes in government policy, more people have advocated that such a society can also be achieved from the bottom up. That is, we can consider how to improve daily systems and objects to enhance social inclusion. Ordinary people, including those with special needs, can also exert their influence to make society more inclusive by participating more actively in societal change. From 2008 to 2010, the Public Design Lab in Hong Kong carried out a project to redesign international chess for the visually impaired. In addition to generating a more user-friendly design to improve the social and leisure life of blind people, the project was also expected to widen the scope of blind people's communities, thereby motivating and enabling them to communicate more with other groups. This paper first identifies the difficulties blind people face in their daily lives due to their visual disability. Taking chess as an example, the paper discusses current designs that prevent blind people from enjoying the most popular game in the world. The paper also discusses the findings made and experience gained in a case study in which blind people participated in the whole design process to generate a better chess set that enhances social inclusion. Some future directions for applied research in universal design aimed at bringing about a more inclusive society are also identified.

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... Chess as a metaphor To describe imprisonment status (transfer, punishment, free, etc.) using chess pieces For categorisation, the country of the method, a target group, and the level of initiative (Siu, 2010) were chosen. Table 5 gives an overview of the analysis of experience in using chess as an educational tool for disadvantaged groups presented by the focus group respondents. ...
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Purpose and aim of the study: The paper’s aim is to describe and analyse best practices in use of chess as an educational tool for enhancing disadvantaged groups’ social inclusion and employment in selected European countries. Design / Methodology / Approach: The methodology of descriptive research and study was employed in the present research. A focus group interview was leveraged as the method of data collection in May 2024. A total of 15 respondents from Latvia, Italy, and Spain participated in the interview. Categorisation as a classification method in a descriptive study was used for data analysis. Main Findings: The data analysis demonstrated that Italy and Spain utilised chess as an educational tool in a non-classical way, while Latvia continued to keep chess as an educational tool in a conventional manner.Originality: The originality of the paper is shown by three categories of use of chess as an educational tool for disadvantaged groups. The categories were identified as target group, level of initiative, and classical/non-classical use of chess as an educational tool. Implications: The researcher community could invest more efforts into analyses of use of chess for social inclusion and employment of disadvantaged groups due to the chess game’s unique capabilities.
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