[games_access] Serious Games and Game Accessibility

[d. michelle hinn]

Accessibility encompasses so many areas. In 
"serious games" (like games for learning) many 
countries require that these be made accessible 
for students with disabilities. In "games for 
health" we could be talking about many different 
things such as rehabilitation as well as exercise 
but are also games (thus the hand held DDR pads 
from a few years ago). Most of the SIG is 
concerned with commercial games because they are 
used mostly as a leisure activity (some teachers 
use them in school however) and there are so many 
barriers to access it's mind boggling.

I know the Serious Games folks -- they invite us 
to talk at their conferences. I could talk to the 
people I know there about the taxonomy. The thing 
that I think there might be an understanding is 
that "serious games" do not mean that they tackle 
only serious items such as accessibility. 
Accessibility is serious in every format and 
genre of game -- "serious" or "pure entertainment.

Michelle

>Hello Samuel,
>
>Thank you very much for the link. This pdf file is great.
>It seems to be still "work in progress" ?
>On page 31 is Rehabitainment. I think here you 
>can find also Game Accessibility ?
>
>
>I think it is this way. But I am not sure.
>Serious Games -> Games for health -> Game Accessibility
>
>
>But of course you are right, it should be on the 
>same level as Games for health.
>It can also be seen as the starting point,
>because what are the advantages of new serious 
>games, that some people cannot use ?
>
>I think a good way is to post this question at this email-discussion-list:
>http://www.gamesforhealth.org/maillist2.html
>
>
>Personal opinion:
>What I do not like is, when they use name of products as term:
>Often "Wii" and "DDR" are used, instead of "Exergames" and "Machine Dance".
>It is not Wiihabitainment it is Rehabitainment.
>
>Sometimes I think people who do presentation get 
>money from Konami or Nintendo ;-)
>
>Regards,
>Sandra Uhling
>
>www.MachineDance.de
>
>
>
>
>>  Message: 1
>>  Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 16:13:34 +0200 (CEST)
>>  From: "Samuel Franco" <sam at frado.net>
>>  Subject: Re: [games_access] games_access Digest, Vol 50, Issue 14
>>  To: games_access at igda.org
>>  Message-ID: <31652.89.107.243.1.1217859214.squirrel at mail.frado.net>
>>  Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>>
>>  Samuel Franco Dom?nguez
>>
>  >
>>  Game Accesibility in Serious Games Taxonomy.
>  >
>>
>  > In this page,
>  > http://www.seriousgames.org/index2.html
>>  there is a presentation about Serious Games taxonomy
>  > http://www.dmill.com/presentations/serious-games-taxonomy-2008.pdf
>  >
>>  There is nothing about accesibility as a serius game activity.
>>  I think that accesibility is serious, and it is about games.
>>  Serious Games is not only about software
>>  (but accesibility needs software adaptaton) Serious Games is also about
>>  alternative controlers like haptic controlers for training skills or
>>  exergaming.
>>  Haptic is also usefull for sight disabled for example.
>>  When I think about accesibility I think also about rehabilitation and
>>  asistive tecnology. I am a rehabilitation doctor so when I can not improve
>>  or change my patient (nature gives no everything) I try to change the
>>  things aroud this person. Things are less important than persons.
>>  Integration of disabled is also Games for Health, accesibility games is
>>  asistive technology.
>>
>>  I have asked Serious Games Iniciative why Accesibility is out of the
>  > taxonomy they are bulding now. What do you think about this? Do you see
>  > the relationship between them?
>>
>>  When I get that a child with cerebral palsy (with motor and learningn
>>  disability)
>>  plays a Oneswitch game this is motor and cognitive rehabilitation, not
>>  only entertaiment. This is Serious Game, this is Games for Health.
>>
>>  If you agree with me please let them know.
>>  I think that my horrible english could not be a good defense of any idea.
>>
>>  Thanks
>
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