I recently ran an booth at a local SciFi convention to bring awareness to Ablegamers. Steve was very helpful in providing materials we needed as well as answering any questions I had to make it successful.
Not only was the staff helpful, but the community was very supportive of our efforts.
And after the event, Steve and Mark were quick to hear of our experience to learn how to make future opportunities more effective and successful.
As a game developer, the testing feedback offered up from my friends at Ablegamers differs greatly than what I can get anywhere else. Their knowledge of accessibility helps me gear my game designs and aesthetics to where they can be played and enjoyed by a wider audience. Ablegamers doesn't just help developers make their games more accessible to disabled gamers. Whether they intended it or not, their help makes games more accessible for everyone.
AbleGamers Foundation and ablegamer.com are the single most effective force in making computer games accessible to gamers with special needs. Mark's influence in the game developer community is demonstrated by the games, including ours, he has caused to be more accessible.
John Bannick
Chief Technology Officer
7-128 Software
Having worked with Ablegamers since July, I have gotten a great appreciation for the dedication and passion Mark has...The cause is one of great value and deserves any and all help it can get...as a board member the organization is advocating for the future of the disabled as well as the adaptation of not only educational venues , but public venues as well...The time is now for any and all help for this valuable organization made of of strickly voluntary staff and writers as well as board members...As a Allied health profession I fell that contributing is a way of giving back to this organization...
I have worked with Ablegamers for over a year. They put together an amazing Accessibility Day at Games for Health in Boston last year, and also hosted a Game Arcade where people could come and play video games using adaptive switches and joysticks. Mark Barlet's passion for helping people with disabilities get more access to digital entertainment is infectious, and he was just honored by New York City's Mayor Bloomberg for his efforts. Ablegamers also works to help non-profits build computer accessibility into places like youth centers. The writers for the website, ablegamers.com, are an authentic community of disabled gamers and Mark has given them a place to talk about gaming and the devices and workarounds that will help give them a more fruitful gaming experience. I'm honored to be a member of the advisory board, and plan to continue working with Mark and his team as they advance accessibility for everyone.
Very briefly I worked as an editor/game reviewer when Ablegamers was first starting, though it has been many years since I have had an active role with Ablegamers, I frequently use and direct others to the website. It is through the game and tech reviews that I am able to better make decisions before investing in expensive games and adaptive equipment. As a disabled veteran, gaming, particularly online gaming, enables me to have interactions and a sense of accomplishment doing things, that I simply cannot do in real life. Folks sometimes find it odd that my characters in games tend to jump all over creation, climb things, and other activities, but these are things I cannot do anymore. Ablegamers provides an important resource for those of us who find a healthy outlet in gaming. Given the increase in Disabled Veterans, many avid gamers well before their disability, a source like this is so very important, information on games and tech to assist Disabled persons is shockingly hard to find at times, Ablegamers provides an invaluable resource for those transitioning from "able bodied gaming" to being disabled, and realizing that their loves and passions can find new venues, new outlets, and allow one to consider enjoying what they used too.
AbleGamers is a nonprofit that I mostly interact with through Twitter and their website. There Twitter feed highlights interesting articles about gaming on other sites as well as letting me know about updates on their site as well. Plus, when I've message them via Twitter I've gotten prompt, personal replies. I mostly use the website for the forums, groups, and game reviews. The groups and forums allow for peer support and community brainstorming. Their reviews actually give me an idea of whether or not I will find a game playable.
