The use of virtual worlds among people with disabilities
Thursday 2:30pm - 3:10pm Room A
Presenter
Kel Smith, Principal, Anikto LLC, USA
About this presentation
With their emphasis on 3D graphics and complex interface controls, it would appear that gaming interfaces and virtual worlds have little to offer people with disabilities. On the contrary, virtual worlds serve as a form of augmented reality where users transcend physiological or cognitive challenges to great social and therapeutic benefit.
A number of intriguing developments exist within the accessibility sector, particularly for users of Linden Lab's Second Life framework: haptic input devices for the blind, virtual regions developed according to Universal Design principles, communities dedicated to people with cognitive disorders, the use of the avatar as counsellor, applications in higher education, and customizable personae that either transcend or represent a disabled person's self-identity.
Objectives of presentation and benefits for the audience
-
Review the types of virtual worlds users with respect to those with disabilities
-
Topically preview the challenges and opportunities when creating gaming hardware for people with disabilities
-
Understand how people with cognitive disabilities find companionship and community in virtual worlds
-
Consider the therapeutic benefits and risks of using virtual worlds
-
Comprehend virtual world usage on both technical and user experience levels
Prior knowledge of topic assumed: Low
Contains advanced technical content: No
Theme: Media and Entertainment