The Need for Special Games for Gamers With Special Needs

Abstract

People with intellectual disabilities are a part of our society, but unfortunately, they are often excluded. Their assistance includes everything they need in their lives. The work in the various workshops for people with disabilities often gives them the feeling that they are needed, but few can find access to an independent life by further developing and training of themselves. The pleasure of (digital) game playing and learning with a game is not yet considered a standard constituent of leisure time activities in sheltered workshops for people with an intellectual disability. Qualitative studies with off-the-shelf digital games have demonstrated enormous potentials of game playing for the assistance of people with an intellectual disability. However, conventional off-the-shelf digital games have severe limitations. The authors' qualitative studies lead (i) to a requirement specification and (ii) to the design and implementation of a completely new digital game meeting essential needs of people with an intellectual disability. The present publication surveys the results of the qualitative observations and leads to the recently completed game design.