People with disabilities want to participate in online games. With the advent of adaptive technology, many who couldn’t previously participate are enjoying the fun and thrill of cyber adventure. AbleGamers.com gives gamers with disabilities a community of their own.
AbleGamers.com
The site, specifically for “disabled gamers,” maintains forums on a range of subjects including News and Announcements, General Discussion, and Off-Topic Discussion, while catering to gamers with various disabilities. Whether you are vision impaired, deaf, have reduced motor control or other barriers to some traditional games, AbleGamers can help you find what you need.
We found AbleGamers easy to navigate, with a professional look. Articles expressed candid views from knowledgeable sources, and you'll read honest, been-there-done-that opinions on the accessibility of specific games.
Disaboom dialogued with Mark Barlet, president of the AbleGamers Foundation and editor-in-chief of AbleGamers.com, to find out more.
MS Symptoms Inspire Gaming Site
DB: How did you come up with the idea for the site, and what motivated you to get involved?
MB: The reason for the site was simple: My dearest friend in the world and I used to use games as a way to bridge the distance between us as we grew up and started our own families. The game of the day was EQ, (a role-playing game similar to Dungeons and Dragons requiring the participation of thousands of players) and the hunt was on Friday nights.
Well, one day she and her hubby did not log on. I waited. After about 15 minutes, I gave her a call. She was crying. "Mark, I can't feel my hand, it is not working," she said to me and handed the phone to her husband. Four months prior to that night, she had been told she had multiple sclerosis (MS).
I said to myself that there has to be a site about disabled people and gaming... but there was none. So I started AbleGamers. I am disabled myself (a disabled veteran), and while my disability does not really interfere with my gaming, I could relate.
DB: What do you do on the site?
MB: My job is to keep things moving. Over the last year, I have produced less of the content for AbleGamers, and done more of the backend work. I publish the stories that Steve Spohn and his small team of writers create, and I produce the graphics that go with each story. I will do things like reach out to developers and so on; act as a producer for the team. I do most of the administration of the site itself, upgrade things, and kick off spammers. We are all volunteers. None of us gets paid.
DB: How do you find content for AbleGamer?
MB: Content for the disabled gamer is not easy to find. We choose the games that our community says they are playing or want to play. With such limited staff, we have to make sure we are spending our time in the area that our readers want to know about.
Popular Video Games for People with Disabilities
DB: What are the most popular games for people with disabilities?
MB: Well, that is really how you define popular. WOW (World of Warcraft) is big, but not everyone plays it. Games are like the tide, they come and go. Some stay around longer than others, but they all go at some point.
DB: What have you discovered in your work on AbleGamers that you weren’t expecting?
MB: I have discovered two things. First, “disabled” is such a big term that each time a disabled gamer comes to us and looks for help, it is almost like starting over. Some can move this and not that, another those but not these. So we have to make sure we listen.
The second thing is that disabled people will do an awful lot to play a game. Give us a chance and we will find a way.
DB: What is next for AbleGamers?
MB: Well, we just got our nonprofit status from the IRS. We are hoping to be able to leverage that status to expand our mission. The plan is in development at the moment.
Editor’s note: Nonprofit status qualifies organizations which offer programs and services of public benefit for federal tax exemption, as well as funding sources not normally available to for-profit entities.
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