Participatory game design with deaf and hard of hearing: an experience in elementary school

• Diego Zabot UFBA
• Saulo Andrade UFBA
• Ecivaldo Matos UFBA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/wiplay.2019.7839

Abstract

Creating educational games is a complex and interdisciplinary task. In order for the game elements to be appropriate for end-users, it is important to design it involving stakeholders and Participatory Design (PD) techniques allow users to effectively enter in the design process. Designing with deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) children, one of the challenges is the identification of PD solutions that allow the participation of these subjects. We present in this article a report of an educational game design experience with the participation of D/HH children. A case study was conducted at a state school for the deaf, with a 1st-grade classroom, a teacher and two Libras interpreters, whose propelling element was the creation of educational games for teaching letters and numbers as part of existing pedagogical demand. Two digital games made by and for D/HH children were produced. They recognized themselves as producers of the games and, moreover, the games created tend to reflect subjective and cultural elements of their creators.

Keywords: Human-Computer Interaction, Game Design, Design with Children, Deaf, Hard of Hearing

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