Abstract
Frequently, systems are designed in such a way that their target users, or at least some subset of them, cannot adequately make use of them. Consequently, this can affect these users’ sense of identity and self-sufficiency. This general idea brings rise to two projects, one technical and one related to the STS discipline. My technical project involves tackling the potentially confusing layout of the Student Health and Wellness building on the University of Virginia Grounds, which is especially important due to the vital services it provides. If students—particularly those new to UVA as a whole—feel that they cannot make it to appointments easily without outside assistance, they may feel unaccommodated by UVA services and begin to doubt their autonomy. As such, my team developed a handheld navigation device to allow students to easily find appointment locations within Student Health and Wellness. On the other hand, my STS project investigates the current state of video games, particularly multiplayer games, and how they can alienate players with visual impairments. This, in turn, influences social stigmas towards the disabled in society as well as these individuals’ own sense of identity. Specifically, I compiled evidence of current work being done to combat this and create a more level playing field, as well as existing stigmas and how accessibility efforts have led to change.
Specifically, my technical project was designed based on the experience of my Capstone partner. As an employee at Student Health and Wellness, he noticed that there are instances where a new patient walks into the building and doesn’t know how to find the location of a particular service. They may be too shy to ask a front desk worker, if one is even available. Our project is designed to combat this with a system that consists of a handheld navigation device and several microcontrollers placed around the building. These microcontrollers send timing signals that the handheld device can use to determine its location. The device is then updated with a map that directs the user to their destination, with buttons allowing for destination selection. Some challenges we faced while developing this were supply chain issues and software setup, and we believe further challenges such as cost per unit, ensuring students return the devices, and the potentially unsanitary nature of sharing the device may pose issues with adoption in the future. We hope that upon completion and adoption, this device can provide a reliable, easy way to navigate the Student Health and Wellness building that focuses on student accessibility and autonomy and lessens the burden on employees.
For the STS research paper, the research question was: “How does designing multiplayer gaming experiences with accessibility in mind shape how non-disabled gamers perceive visually impaired players and how visually impaired gamers perceive themselves within gaming communities?” Through my research, I found that accessibility is becoming increasingly integrated in the design process of games, as shown by developer statements that cite features made for accessibility purposes and implemented through consulting individuals with disabilities. Second, looking at blog posts from visually impaired gamers shows that design in video games strengthens these individuals’ feelings of inclusion and agency. Lastly, looking at online forum posts concerning accessibility features being implemented in games, there remains a divide between what gamers without disabilities perceive as “fair” compared to what they see as necessary accessibility features. In conclusion, these factors lead to the increasing popularity of video game accessibility for the visually impaired as well as limitations to its widespread implementation. More research will need to be done to determine how to increase acceptance of accessibility features, as well as get a clearer picture of the opinions of visually impaired gamers.
