Dear Madam, dear Sir,
I am a student at the State University of Milan and I am graduating in
Science and Technology of Musical Communication.
The subject of my thesis are audio-accessible videogames for blind people.
In particular, my project includes the creation of an audio-game in which
the user will be guided through the story only by sounds. To play, the user
needs only headphones and a keyboard with directional buttons.
During my research, I could not find a lot of example of videogames
conceived and developed *ad hoc *for blind people. I found some adaptations
of traditional games (board games, card games), but I think it would be
interesting to start and study and develop a series of game that focus on
sound and on the audio experience in general.
The aim of the thesis is also to provide useful information for developers
and centres of research to guide their studies and new applications to this
area.
To complete this research, I think it is fundamental to interview people
that may have something interesting to say about this topic (blindness,
videogames and accessible software) and that could help me understanding
which may be the most interesting issues to focus on. The following
interviews will help me gathering useful information to integrate my work
with.
The results will be incorporated in the thesis, which will be published
online in the Archives of the State University of Milan.
Your responses will remain anonymous and your personal information will not
be used nor communicated to third parties.
For any questions or information please contact:
Giulia Paggiarin (Università degli Studi di Milano - Italy)
Mail: *mellonca...@gmail.com* <mellonca...@gmail.com>
MSN: *mellin...@hotmail.com* <mellin...@hotmail.com>
*Interview*
*A - General Profile: *
Please, specify:
1 – Age
2 – Sex
3 – Country
4 – E-mail
5 – How often do you use the computer? (Every day? Once a week? Once a
month? Other?)
6 – How many hours a day do you use the computer?
7 – Why do you use the computer? (Work? Study? Fun? Other?)
8 – Do you usually use the computer alone or with someone else’s help?
*B - Survey’s addressee*
- Blind computerized;
- Student;
- Parent;
- Teacher;
- Educator who has some experience in this field;
- Expert of software accessibility;
- Expert of game accessibility in general (not only for visual disability)
- Other (please specify)
*C - Talking about accessible games, have you ever done any of the following
activities?*
- Searched accessible games on market?
- Adapted games for blind people?
- Developed accessible games?
- Defined rules of accessibility or usability?
- Other (please specify)
*D – Do you know any audio-game conceived for blind people?
If yes, please specify:*
*A – Which kind of game it is:*
*B – Does it need specific hardware?
*
*Below you can find a list of suggestions to answer the above question, but
feel free to add anything that is not there.*
original or classic games re-adapted?:
- Text game (quiz, text adventures, etc.): original or classic games
re-adapted?
- Music games (quiz music, musical memory ...): original or classic games
re-adapted?
- Adventure/exploration games with textual references (accessible by
voice or Braille) and sounds (the environment is described by words and
background sounds);
- Games on dynamic Braille display;
- Games with dynamic sound;
- Other...
*B) Suggestions - Use of specific hardware for access, as well as
synthesis and display*:
- Normal hardware (mouse, keyboard, etc.);
- Sensitive tablets with designs in relief;
- Adapted joystick;
- Special mouse/keyboard or special hardware;
- Other;
*E - In order to use the computer in your everyday life, what kind of
equipment do you use?
*
1. What interfaces do you use? (input: keyboard, mouse, sensitive tablet,
other – please specify; output: speakers, headphones, Braille display, other
– please specify)
2. What operating system do you use?
3. What sound system do you use? (headphones, stereo speakers, speakers 5.1,
other – please specify)
*F – Can you suggest any improvement to make games more accessible to blind
people?(More intuitive commands? More hints? Different aims of the games?
New features related to sound or speech? Other? Please specify.)*
*G - What kind of genre of games you would like to find? (Action, adventure,
puzzle, sport, educational, etc.)*
*H – Are you interested in receiving the results of the research? (If you
say yes, I will send you an e-mail with the results of the questionnaire and
with a link to the videogame to download for free)*
Thank you for your time and your collaboration.
Giulia Paggiarin (Università degli Studi di Milano - Italy)
Mail: *mellonca...@gmail.com* <mellonca...@gmail.com>
MSN: *mellin...@hotmail.com* <mellin...@hotmail.com>
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