Videogaming interaction for mental model construction in learners who are blind

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to present the design, development and evaluation of a videogame that allows users who are blind to gradually build up a mental model based on references between different points on a Cartesian plane, in a way that is both didactic and entertaining. Two prototypes were iteratively created, and were subjected to usability evaluations by the end users, who used the videogame in the context of a set of defined tasks. This allowed researchers to adjust, improve and validate various aspects of the interfaces that had been designed and implemented. In addition, the cognitive impact of the game on blind learners was evaluated, based on the use of the final version of the videogame, and leading to revealing results regarding the proposed objectives. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.