fun for everyone: assistive technology for video gaming

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June 26, 2014Mark Barlet, AbleGamers Foundation

Laura Hall, MATP Staff

Fun for Everyone: Assistive Technology for Video

Gaming

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A disability justice movement working to transform communities.

Home of Michigan’s Assistive Technology ProgramMDRC’s Web Page: www.mymdrc.org Contact mdrc@mymdrc.org

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC)

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The shift of video gaming in our culture

“Outside Only” criticism Changes in equipment

and consoles A massive expansion of

the industry

Gaming Then and Now

Social Conflict resolution Friendship Communication with friends and others

from around the world Skill Development

Why Include People with Disabilities?

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Shared experiences and the disappearance of disability.

Physical activity

Why Include People with Disabilities 2

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Elements of accessibility in the game and assistive technology for Visual disabilities Hearing disabilities Cognitive disabilities Mobility disabilities

What We Will Cover

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Changeable text colors and font sizes Color blind options High contrast target crosshairs Enemy marking Map recoloring/alternate views Speed Setting Text to Speech input

Visual Disabilities

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Almost all games from PopCap

Elder Scroll Online WildStar Call of Duty World of Warcraft

Examples of Games with Visual Accessibility

Elements

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Best covered in the gaming industry Why closed captioning is so common Don’t forget the ambient noises

Changeable fonts and text colors to reduce strain

Alternative Reactionary Input Totally blind gaming options

Hearing Disabilities

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World of WarCraftWildStarWatchDogsMany, Many more

Examples of Games with Hearing Accessibility

Elements

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Tutorials and Sandbox mode Difficulty Levels Training Levels Intuitive Menus Enemy Marking Speed Settings

Cognitive Disabilities

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Alterative Configurations Camera Controls Re-mappable Keys Third-Party Access for AT Moveable/resizeable user interfaces

Mobility Disabilities

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Keyboard Movement

Game Assists Input Devices Speed Settings

Mobility Disabilities 2

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Macroability Difficulty Levels and Fail Safes Save Points Sensitivity Sliders Click to Move/Mouse to

Move

Mobility Disabilities 3

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WildStar Call of Duty Star Wars The Old

Republic World of Warcraft

Examples of Games with Mobility Accessibility

Elements

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Adroit SwitchBlade Axis1,2,and 3 Many custom solutions 3D printers are letting people design things

that we have never even seen.

Assistive Technology (The Hardware)

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Largest game accessibility advocates in the world http://www.ablegamers.com

Our community We have the largest database of accessible

game reviews The largest community of disabled gamers http://community.ablegamers.com

AbleGamers Foundation

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Phone: (800) 760-4600 Email: mdrc@mymdrc.org Web: www.mymdrc.org Twitter:

www.twitter.com/MiAssistTech Blog:

http://www.miassisttech.org/mdrcat/

How to Contact MATP

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http://www.ablegamers.com

How to Contact AbleGamers

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“I believe that there is nothing more powerful for people with disabilities than the freedom that only video games can provide. It is an art form that allows us to run, jump and be whatever we want to be.”

-Mark Barlet

Questions and Final Thought