Gry wideo w perspektywie potrzeb osób niepełnosprawnych
Video Games in the Perspective of the Needs of People with Disabilities

Author(s): Damian Gałuszka
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Psychology, Sociology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: video games; disability; accessibility
Summary/Abstract: The article is the first attempt in Poland to fully discuss the problem of disabled gamers. This is an important issue, linked to the increasing role of digitized play in the free time of today’s people living in digital society. According to the ICF classification, games can stimulate people with disabilities to become more social active. Nowadays, many forms of traditional play have been digitalized. Modern video games allow forming social relationships and participating in the local communities. It turns out that wide access to video games can affect the quality of life of people with disabilities. Studies show that such people are eager to use electronic games, but unfortunately, the problem is that the medium is not adapted to the needs of the disabled. That is why a lot of space has been devoted to discuss the issue of video games’ accessibility. Also, a general characteristic of the gaming culture of people with disabilities was presented as well as the development of movements for disabled gamers. The purpose of the article is to initiate a scientific discussion on the situation of disabled players in Poland, which fits in the processes of emancipation and improvement of the quality of life of disabled Poles as well as the rapid growth of the domestic video game industry. The processes of social and technological development opens the possibilities to expand the scope of disabled people activities and paying attention to it increases the probability of taking advantage of this opportunity.

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