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The Sociological Accessibility of Gaming

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Abstract

We live in a world that is in many ways defined by the inaccessibility of the core necessities of life.There remain real accessibility challenges to be solved in areas as vital to individual self-care astransport, banking, health, and civic infrastructure. There is a greater demand for accessible designthan there are qualified practitioners to meet. Guidelines go some way towards helping developersachieve accessibility goals. These can be difficult to compile, troublesome to publicise, and may insome cases cause more harm than good as a result of the nuanced issues of intersecting sets ofsymptoms and conditions (Sloan, Heath, Hamilton, Kelly, Petrie & Phipps, 2006). The prevalence ofdisability is considerable – some 15% of adults worldwide are considered to have an identifiabledisability, and that percentage increases with the age of any given demographic. The world isexperiencing a profound shift in the way the age profiles of society manifest We have gone frompopulation pyramids to population rectangles, and this has a powerful effect on the way our physicaland digital systems must present themselves to a user-base that is becoming ever more impacted byissues of impairment. Accessibility as a discipline has never been more important nor itspractitioners so over-stretched
The Sociological Accessibility of Gaming

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
  !
Introducon
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##&) # '#
 %&     )& % 
  )     #  8    
   7),01@3 ' )%  
)%  )       '  # 
 % % %  # 8   
7 %   A  %   )&&   
&))# ) %     %
)&
The Inaccessibility of Frivolity
'%))% &4)
%  ' :% !
B%))#) &&
&&' !%)& %
 &&%  ,01@3  ) % 8  
 &  )   ) , / ;% 0153 '    #
 &&  )   ) &     9 %
 9 %     C   ()!) % 
)&(D )C%)& 
#:     (#  % (% E ' 7 8
%#%9)&
=<) )%)! %&& =
%#:+ %
))  )  '#
)$     #  %  '
&% '
#% #    )&  % & ))&
 ))   ' %  %    9
   #4#&
 & %  # )        %& 
&  )%     +  #! 9 
  % % '%(%&(!%    #
%%!# '%##
%
 #   >      #      >  
%&%)>  )& !
%    7 %  & B % # &  )
 #)  7)   %    %
F?&))&7 &))&%7)
#<))% )&%)
 ")&%&))#
 D#< G!  %  % %   > 7%
& )#% 9)  7"
 % % )&%) 
   ) )    %  #  # # % & A 
%#)%)7% 
 )7)&%   ' > %
   &(&
"#   #))&%
  ")!%")
 &   #     " #  ))    
7) ##  " # #)) #9))& 
#  ) "#  &#%#
  "# #) ) 
%)& '!(#!###
% &#  # ## # 
%* 
' )&%  ) %&&=
 &% #   %   )  $ %  '
 %  # 7)&#
  #!   # ##%)
 F ) #!%# 
)  )F#$
$#&#!H(
)%%  )  #) 
)#7#),01@3
' )    )  :  ' ! %
       (& %(    "
)   ) )  #! #     7&  
))) =)       ) 4   )%
  # )&&%& )
"% &(%  9
7:)&   ) ))#%))&
=)#!%&& &
# %  &) ' 7  %   
%
'    %& %   < !% )) #
&   7  %   )  %   & ;
)&)  &*  %  )) & % 
#  ) % % H()&)& 
 
The Inaccessibility of Discourse
=<)# !% %#
% #I)%7)&'$% 
 ':&
&&) "7))#%
%      ( %  #!##
   
# )#   !% &    
)"# 7 #7%
% %7)&$ ))&
   #!#   )&       ))&
" # ###% 
% % 7)  )( %  % =) #!
 9%)) &#
  #     )   ? & % 
)%%)
* %#) * &
   % # "#  
)%#D  )%  <' 
) (7).)#&
!###7))&))  
%  )     !   #
&# ))))
)%  )&)&% ) ( = ) %  %
     )#
) %)#% )#&
 7)##)#7
'))  )$77)" 
%% (#) 4)& ()
'!#  % =
# 010  01J B   &  #  J56    
 % &#% %-!
##   )    (&  %      %
 % %  ) =012 =FK0 & ?%   !
L0F;(%) )&
   ?%  (& # 
  '    #)
7) '%%))&%(
7))&&% (7
  "%)
 7&# % * 7)  % %))  
#%
##)) &)%
) #)%%B
%  %#     )%   #
   %  &  # 
)G! ,:)MNN)!  !3 = % =!#  ) 
  )     &  
  )     )   
&#!; )%
)   %   $ >     
#    ' )% % $%  
7)>  %
#%)) &# #$#4
%& * )'#
7)#% %& & )&
%#&!!'  
  &  &  # #   % & K 
   )(%  4       !     7)
  )  '     
)%')( )&#))  <% 
   %   %  %    # !  
   #  )#  #   %#  

"7))#
)#> %
% "&# )!)& % 
) %  '  ) # )! 
 #% &##%=%&
7 %#    %
7 %# %')%
7)##% # #!
$% )    #( %  % #       %

The Inaccessibility of Exclusion
)%)  ))&)#
&))!%))=)
 # #4  %  * 
)%  '  %) 
#  %   # #)% '
!%  8::&<
 %7) 
H   ) ) 4 %  & ))  '< !
)#)) 
)  #   ) %  #  ) 
4+ )A#:
&&%= <)<) 
<want) &
&  4 % &&) 
7  )   7)&A8 
  7) F %  )  !7)
% )$ &  
 # A8    # % 9))& %
9%7)&)) <!%
<%))! 
")%")%%
" )   %        %   & 
& # ) %  ) 7& %    ! #  %&
%%%>#,H! /F!?01O3=% #
&#% $&$&## 
'%)%))
%
'%  )&#) '<
)% (7)>  
 )     :& ;  %  !  ) 
H  #H # #
 <    #     9  & %  ) A8  
 I )&% A8
% &)A8#   
 ## ' 7)&4#$7)% 7)4  
#%)&):#
  #< !  )&    )   
#)!%')#7
#)B# % &):
% )  )) %)
  # 8 )  7%  &%    
)) !   ! %   <   !  > ! '
 $ ((!   <
!)%(7 # "#
 ) )    & >   
7 %?K)$
)
=%)))%9
))G& %$7)##
)&% &<: )9)&'% 
!% #)))#% $:#
% < 7  )&%   '<    
)< # 84#
)&)  )
)  #  )&% &&
%4    )&% #

" )) %  )# % 
)&  P = )#% 
##)= %%  
 )%
'&%%## %
.  %% *   
 )   '  %%
))) )#%   ' #)
   % '#    % % )) 
  C     )      #  ! %
)#% )&%%
'  % 7  7   % %  
#  7 &$&%#)%)
%&       # 9 % )   $   
)&%7 %  
 ) #  (  '&
&#!7# )&
###%  %)) 
<) !##%* '* 
:)MNN###) N&N7()N()&(((((
9)%#)%&#)&&%

H# 7 +  4
#)& H## =
  #%#!  
9() I% )) #    )   
)&%# % (%&
%
;)&%)'#
 ;## :)   H.F
B9M B %)&  
  )& :)  # .) # 
 %))&< 
%%7 
)#$ )%D))! <
# % ))   !  )%=&Q)
&,=Q3)%)'
! %   )  #  & %       
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,"/G 0153
226%)#%F- 
@26##
@56&$
@J6&$7 
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# ))    %   # =  
  )   I   % #   )  
 '!% !##9&)
%isn’t# #<)<
  #  #  < )&> 
%##)))#)))#
#:)'  9)
'%%))#=! 
 %8 <# %())&  !%    " 
) &#  *    # 
# 
' )   % #)  %   )% )) 
)%)%7)"(
:) )  &))   %    
 %9R !R  )))&'
  D& <          ) %
 #)S % # %
%  ,%0123=%7&%
)<)9 % & 
 #%)%) '7
!&  #
"< )&<7)7'
& )&  ! ! % )  = 
    D  < D  < "<   %
&&%7 H
 % >  ) :
&#&)7 
  )& >
'+  #  " can:#
should be:%# #
#7 
The Inaccessibility of Accessibility
=   %  )    #  
  =  %)&   )   %
(&&  % 
'  %  (     , ;% / ! 01O3  
&%(* (%&B
)&&))%(&&
 %#) 
# #% !# ) %   

#  '))7)
&7)
H>! ##  %.!  % 
)  % .!   #     %     ) ))
H   #&$#9#&M
'%&$(#:)&#)!) 
)!
'         % )!     
 #9
K )   % &%&
 + %) 
')7)  $)!) ))
#!* %%
'&&)$7%#)'
%    09 )
#  !   %)) #& #   %
#    )   & # %    )     (
 M D' %  )< " ) 
7 7 %)) :&
0:)MNN N
'%!#%#M
A%)$%)) #
=%### < 
'# ))))D##<
'did )# ) #!#<
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 )# )& )$
'<# 4&%)%D#%)<
"%"8 (%-:)
% .!    # # &  ) %
))&)for&
'%  )%)&&#)$
'>#))()$
" .!    (  % )% ) .)   
.!"!!)$#.!##  '#
        (       #  $
>7 ' # )% &  !  %  7  #
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 %          7 #  )&
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A%)!# %#!%
7#   ) ) #  D= !# = < 7) 
7)< ' !# # 
 <7)%#=
) #H% %!%% !
 &##%=&'# #=7)
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D <))7$   C  )
      )     )  " * &
#78% !# <&
 %'%)% && 
=<)$7  ##
)&* % ###%
# % ># '<%
 )(#   # &          % ))
' )%* &
)#=%#####7)
#%## 
Conclusion
9%'!#%&#
#%=)) % )))&
%)#! ) &%
 F   )) %?    
 $77&)#$7%))#
)    % %  '       ) )) %
) ) % !      should ) '
&& %#)&)%
& %)&!&&&
* % !%* #D< D 
#<
' #<$7#' #$7# )
'< #%
%7()' ))
# )%%) )#% 
 %)% )&" 
 #) G<%#%   
#)%))
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
... Game accessibility refers to the deliberate measures, designs, products, and technological elements implemented to ensure that games are playable by all individuals, with a particular focus on those with disabilities [19]. In a more comprehensive manner, exploring the accessibility of games entails understanding them as a crucial part of contemporary culture and, through a more sociological perspective that transcends technical accommodations, understanding the systemic exclusion of people with disabilities from gaming [20]. In the specific field of scientific research, this exclusion has also been conveyed, with a high prevalence of approaches to these people as passive and closed techniques that do not absorb the individuality of their experiences with games [17]. ...
Article
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INTRODUCTION: The complex accessibility needs of some players and, in particular, of people with Intellectual Disability (pwID) require greater attention from research due to the lack of tools to support playtesting, particularly those of a qualitative nature and suited to their diversity of experiences and motor and cognitive characteristics. OBJECTIVES: Recognizing the scarcity of research in media production, particularly games, the study pursues three objectives: firstly, to describe the accessible games developed through a multi-year service learning project involving students from the Videogames Bachelor’s Degree and pwID; secondly, to approach the validation of the Gaming Observation Grid (GOG), a qualitative tool for playtesting sessions; and thirdly, to reflect on service learning as a strategy for bridging the gap between academia and civil society in the context of game design. METHODS: The research employed a qualitative media ethnography-based approach involving students from the Videogames Bachelor's Degree. Over a span of three years and six consecutive semesters, 59 students actively participated in a service learning project, engaging with pwID and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the field. All playtesting activities’ observations were based on GOG, with a total of 273 observed gaming sessions. RESULTS: The development of 18 videogames, spanning diverse genres and themes, prioritized accessibility based on adjustment settings. GOG emerged as a tailored and feasible instrument, valuable in the broader landscape of inclusive game development. In terms of service-learning outcomes, results highlight students' reflections on the real-world impact of game design and development, underscoring the pedagogical value of service learning in bridging theoretical knowledge and practical application. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the critical need for enhanced research attention to the complex accessibility requirements of players, particularly pw ID, while emphasizing the relevance of qualitative playtesting tools tailored to their diverse experiences and cognitive-motor characteristics, as well as the inherent value of the experience for the students involved.
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The social model of disability refers to the fact that disabilities occur when the surrounding environment isn’t prepared to accommodate the needs of People with Disabilities. Since accessibility has been given more importance in several areas of social life, we argue here that board games can also contribute to promoting the social life of People with Disabilities, since they can help combat their social isolation. As such, we will be doing an analysis of a game based on its accessibility. In this paper, we analyze the accessibility of the game Team3 in its two versions (green and pink), based on the guidelines ‘Meeple Centred Design’. Team3 is a cooperative board game developed to improve players’ collaboration, communication, and cognitive spatial reasoning abilities. The game is designed for three or more players, with each player taking on one of three roles: the architect, the builder, or the supplier. Upon examining both versions and their distinct challenges, we reached the conclusion that the game is accessible from both a physical and socioeconomic standpoint. We identified that the category related to intersectionality is where most issues arise. Furthermore, the game should come with a disclaimer saying that it can be challenging for neurodiverse people, people with the same sensory disability playing together, and people with multiple disabilities so that the players or the person that supports them can decide if the game is adequate for its intended purpose.
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