LearningWiki

Accessibility in the Metaverse

Karen Kanne Ngowe (SL Wuzzadiva Iddinja)

Senior Instructional Technologist, Northrop Grumman IT

Office of Workforce and Career Development

Description

• Let's discuss the various efforts underway to make the metaverse, in this case - Second Life, accessible to most. I'm not talking accessible to "furries" or mythical creatures, but "RL" (real life) humans with dissabilities. If you are a U.S. government agency or contractor exploring these new platforms, you'll want to follow the progress of these efforts. Do you use assistive technology and want to explore Second Life and similar platforms? If so, these efforts need your input and involvement in the spirit of  "nothing about us without us."
• This is meant to be an "awareness level" mini-session. If I had the solutions to these complex technology issues, heck, I'd be running my own think-tank & annual conference ;-)
• I invite you to add to these links and resources below! Thanks, Karen

 

 

Related Organizations & Events

• Section 508
• NSF Grant to develop accessible client for Second Life (for visually impaired users)

  http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0738921

  • Article on the above work http://www.unr.edu/nevadanews/detail.aspx?id=2336
• Recently held meeting, "Accessibility in the 3-D Environment: Virtual Worlds and People with Disabilities" http://uscpublicdiplomacy.com/index.php/events/events_detail/2345/

• TEITAC (Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee) http://teitac.org/
  • Revising Section 508, led inworld discussion on Second Life and 508 compliance
  • Contact Bruce Bailey (SL Phivo8 Writer), Accessibility IT Specialist, United States Access Board
• Help You Play (usability & accessibility design for gaming) http://www.helpyouplay.com/welcome.html
• Able Gamers "The site for disabled gamers" http://www.ablegamers.com

 Alt text: Image colage of an accessibility meeting in Second Life, speakers from the U.S. Access Board, held on USC Public Diplomacy island in Second Life

 

Places & SLURLs of Interest

• HealthInfo Island iVinnie Accessibility Center http://slurl.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/73/88/26
• UTD Accessibility Island http://slurl.com/secondlife/UTD%20Accessibility/128/128/101
  • Contact Thomas Roome email: thomas.roome at student.utdallas.edu
• Second Ability http://slurl.com/secondlife/Second%20Ability/193/59/39

 Alt text:image colage of several places in Second Life, including UTD Accessibility Island, CDC, NOAA, and Play 2 Train (HRSA funded project)

More Resources, Articles & Links!

• Virtual Worlds Open up to Blind  by Geoff Adams-Spink, Age & disability correspondent, BBC News 
• Second Life Educators Wiki
• Second Life Educators listserv (SLED)
  • Search SLED archives
• Second Life Healthcare (& Science) listserv