Filament Games Blog

For all your game-based learning needs
all gamebasedlearning gamedev edtech staffinsights

The Limits of Automated Accessibility Testing in Games

For many digital products, automated accessibility tools like axe, Lighthouse, or WAVE can catch common issues such as poor color contrast, missing alt text, or improper focus order. These tools serve an important role in a complete accessibility pipeline. They work well for documents, websites, and apps that follow structured layouts and predictable user flows.…

// Brandon Pittser

Designing for POUR: How Accessibility Principles Can Elevate Educational Games

Earlier this week, we published a glossary of WCAG 2.1 AA terms for game developers – a plain-language breakdown of the technical vocabulary behind today’s most important accessibility standards. In that post, we briefly introduced the POUR framework: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust. Now we’re following up with a deeper dive. POUR offers a flexible design…

// Brandon Pittser

Accessibility Terms for Game Developers: A WCAG 2.1 AA Glossary

Meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards is a requirement for many game-based learning tools used in schools or public agencies, and compliance is a complex process. Even experienced developers and designers might come across terms like programmatic labeling or pointer cancellation without being clear on what they actually require. Fortunately, we’re here to help! This glossary…

// Brandon Pittser

what’s new in game-based learning – june 2025

Summer break is near, but the momentum in game-based learning isn’t slowing down. From dopamine-driven design to coding clubs for girls, this month’s stories show how games are motivating learners, bridging skill gaps, and making a difference across industries and continents. Gamification’s Grip on Engagement A recent feature in Entrepreneur explains why gamification continues to…

// Brandon Pittser

Universal Design for Learning: A Framework for Inclusive Game Development

In game development, accessibility is often seen as a layer to add. Universal Design for Learning flips that mindset. It starts with the assumption that learners are diverse – and builds flexibility into every part of the experience. Originally developed for classrooms, UDL has since become a powerful framework for designing anything that teaches. For…

// Brandon Pittser

Accessibility in Educational Games: What the Law Requires (and What Comes Next)

As educational games continue to reshape classrooms, questions around accessibility are becoming more urgent – and more complex. Developers and educators alike must navigate a patchwork of federal laws that shape how accessible these tools must be for learners with disabilities. Here’s a breakdown of the major policies that impact accessibility obligations for digital learning…

// Brandon Pittser

Game-based Learning and Accessibility

Designing for accessibility means recognizing that barriers are built, not inherent. In digital learning spaces, the shape of those barriers often comes down to interface decisions, input assumptions, and who gets considered a default user. Recent shifts in the games industry suggest a broader awareness of this responsibility. From open-source sign language datasets to systemic…

// Brandon Pittser
© 2025 Filament games. All rights reserved.