New York Times: Learning With: ‘Adaptive Video Game Controllers Open Worlds for Gamers With Disabilities’

New York Times: Learning With: ‘Adaptive Video Game Controllers Open Worlds for Gamers With Disabilities’

*This lesson was developed by The New York Times’ The Learning Network and links to an external source.

Summary:
This lesson explores how adaptive video game controllers are transforming gaming for players with disabilities. Students will first reflect on their own gaming experiences before analyzing a commercial and reading an article about accessibility in gaming. Through discussion questions, they will examine the challenges faced by disabled gamers, how technology has evolved to be more inclusive, and the broader impact of adaptive controllers. The lesson encourages critical thinking about accessibility in technology and invites students to consider how they would design more inclusive gaming experiences.

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Our notes when teaching this lesson:

This article is from 2019, however we reached out to Erin who is in the article and she shared that it’s still relevant. There are some newer adaptive controllers like PlayStation’s Access Controller and Xbox’s Adaptive Joystick, but people are still using the Xbox Adaptive Controller as it has the most customizable experience (and therefore probably the most accessible).

Subject and topic: 

English Language Arts (ELA), Accessibility, STEM

Grade level:

6 - 12

Duration: 

One class

Links to download lessons:

Get the lesson plan on the New York Times The Learning Network website: Learning With: ‘Adaptive Video Game Controllers Open Worlds for Gamers With Disabilities’

The New York Times’ Learning Network publishes teaching resources that use content from The New York Times. The lessons linked in their lessons are free and are not behind a paywall.