At Filament Games, we treat accessibility in game-based learning as a foundation for our game development goals. It shapes how we think about design, development, and implementation across every project. Over the past month, we’ve explored accessibility from nearly every angle – legal frameworks, interface design, emerging tech, classroom integration, and beyond. This roundup gathers our latest thinking and most useful insights for educators, developers, and anyone committed to building better learning experiences for all players.
In this article, educators are offered a practical starting point for preparing accessible classrooms. It highlights four high-impact ideas: adding UDL-inspired adjustments to existing games, using bilingual content to support English learners, adopting government recommendations for inclusive edtech, and leveraging tools like screen readers and speech-to-text. These suggestions are small in scope but significant in effect, giving more students a way into meaningful game-based learning without requiring new software or full curriculum redesigns.
This post turns to the commercial games industry for inspiration, analyzing how titles like Forza Horizon 5, Celeste, and Grounded integrate accessibility without compromising gameplay. Each example highlights a different dimension of inclusive design, including assist modes that encourage persistence, overlays that interpret content in real time, and customizable settings that address emotional safety. Together, they show how accessibility can be folded into core mechanics, making games better for everyone who plays them.
In this article, the CASEL framework is explored as a foundation for designing learning games that promote both inclusion and growth. Each of CASEL’s five competencies – namely, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making – is paired with mechanics and narrative structures commonly used in educational games. The post also connects these competencies to real-world contexts, encouraging developers to consider how games align with the broader environments where learners grow and thrive.
This recent webinar examined how existing accessibility standards fall short when applied to educational games. Panelists emphasized that compliance alone does not ensure usability, and that rigid frameworks often miss the nuances of real-time interactivity. Instead, the discussion focused on flexible design practices, user feedback loops, and early-stage planning. The result is a vision of accessibility that is responsive, grounded, and built with actual learners in mind.
In this article, readers are introduced to a curated library of tools and insights for building accessible learning games. The roundup includes resources on WCAG and Section 508 compliance, guidance on Universal Design for Learning, and best practices for UI, control schemes, and hardware compatibility. It also links to a whitepaper proposing a new accessibility model that reflects the specific demands of game-based learning. Whether you’re beginning a new build or improving an existing one, this post offers a strong foundation.
We’ve done a deep exploration of accessibility this summer, and if we’ve learned one thing, it’s that accessibility is not a simple switch to flip. Through thoughtful implementation and mindful consideration, accessibility fosters an entire culture of iteration, inclusion, and empathy. Whether you’re designing your first educational game or revising a classroom favorite, we hope these insights help you do it with more intention. Ready to build something that works for every learner? Let’s talk.