Gamification and Accessibility: How to Design Inclusive Games

Gamification has become a powerful tool in education, transforming traditional learning methods into interactive and engaging experiences. Whether it’s learning through points, levels, or challenges, games make absorbing information enjoyable. However, as gamified learning becomes more widespread, the importance of accessibility within this realm cannot be overstated. Ensuring that everyone can participate, regardless of ability, is crucial.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to design inclusive games that cater to all learners.

What is Gamification?

Gamification refers to the use of game mechanics in non-game environments, like education, to motivate participation and improve engagement. It’s the idea of using elements such as rewards, challenges, and feedback, which you often see in games, to make learning more compelling. For instance, when language apps like Duolingo use streaks to encourage daily practice, they are employing gamification.

But as exciting and effective as gamified learning can be, it’s essential that these systems are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. Whether it’s a student with visual impairments, a learner with cognitive challenges, or someone with limited mobility, inclusivity is the key to effective gamification.

Why Accessibility Matters in Gamification

Imagine playing a video game where you can't hear the instructions, see the objects, or easily move your character. This is a frustrating reality for many learners with disabilities when games or gamified learning platforms are not designed with accessibility in mind. For gamified eLearning to be truly effective, it must be accessible to all, ensuring that every learner has an equal opportunity to participate and benefit from the experience.

Accessibility doesn’t only cater to those with permanent disabilities. Think about someone who temporarily loses their hearing due to an ear infection or an individual who needs to access the content in a noisy environment. In both cases, ensuring subtitles or visual cues exist can transform their learning experience.

Designing Accessible Gamified Learning

Visual Accessibility

When designing games or gamified elements, colour contrast is one of the simplest yet most impactful considerations. High-contrast colours allow individuals with visual impairments or colour blindness to navigate through games more easily. For instance, a learner with colour blindness may struggle to differentiate between red and green – common game colours. Using shapes or patterns in addition to colour can help ensure that all learners can progress through the game without issue.

Text size and font choice are equally important. Small text or decorative fonts can be difficult for learners with visual impairments to read. By offering scalable text options and choosing clear, legible fonts, designers can help make the learning environment more welcoming. For example, a company creating a gamified quiz might allow users to adjust the text size so that individuals with low vision can comfortably read the questions.

Cognitive Accessibility

Gamification thrives on complexity and strategy, but for learners with cognitive disabilities, too much information can become overwhelming. To ensure games are accessible, consider offering simplified instructions or breaking down challenges into smaller, more manageable steps.

Take a trivia game, for instance. A learner with a cognitive impairment may find it difficult to understand complex questions or instructions. By providing the option to slow down the pace of the game, and offering clearer, simplified language, you can help such learners feel more at ease. This creates a learning environment that adapts to different cognitive abilities rather than expecting learners to adapt to the game.

Mobility and Physical Accessibility

For learners with limited mobility, the physical interaction with a game can be a barrier. Think about games that require precise mouse movements or rapid clicking – these tasks can be difficult or even impossible for some users. Offering alternative input methods, such as keyboard navigation or voice commands, can help make games accessible to a wider audience.

For example, a student with limited mobility might struggle to quickly click through a timed quiz. By offering a voice command option, they can still participate fully and enjoy the game without feeling left out. Similarly, allowing users to customise controls can ensure that everyone, regardless of physical ability, can engage with the content.

Hearing Accessibility

Many gamified learning experiences rely on audio for instructions, feedback, or story elements. While audio can enrich the experience, it’s essential to provide alternatives for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles, visual cues, and on-screen text are all effective ways to ensure that no learner is left behind.

For instance, if a gamified course includes verbal feedback like "Well done!" or "Try again," pairing this feedback with visual elements – like a checkmark or a cross – can make it more accessible. The popular game "Among Us" does this well by using both sound and visual effects to alert players to key information, making the game accessible to a broader audience.

The Importance of Testing for Accessibility

Designing for accessibility isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. To ensure a game is truly inclusive, it’s important to test with real users who have a variety of needs. Engaging with people who use screen readers, alternative input devices, or rely on subtitles will highlight issues that may not be immediately obvious to developers.

Consider a scenario where a game developer creates a quiz for an eLearning platform, but only tests it with able-bodied users. During the launch, they receive feedback that the game is difficult to navigate for students using screen readers, as the interactive buttons aren’t labelled properly. Testing for accessibility at early stages can help avoid such issues, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all learners.

Conclusion

Gamification has immense potential to transform learning experiences, making them more engaging and enjoyable. However, without careful consideration of accessibility, many learners risk being excluded. By focusing on visual, cognitive, mobility, and hearing accessibility, we can design inclusive gamified learning experiences that cater to everyone.