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Capabilities and Affordances of Virtual Worlds for People with Lifelong Disability

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Building Sustainable Information Systems

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Abstract

Using technology is of great value for people with lifelong disability (PWLD). The Internet can help PWLD to be more independent, to be socially active, and to participate in a range of activities. Virtual worlds (VWs) offer an environment with technology capabilities for interaction, rendering, and communication. The ability to take advantage of these capabilities may depend on the technology and the ability of the person utilizing it. Using a qualitative study we aimed to explore the differences of ability required to use these capabilities and make capabilities into affordances for PWLD. We found there were differences in PWLD’s ability to utilize the capabilities offered and conclude there is a need for standards for universal design to create sustainable VWs suitable for all.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molde University College, University of Agder, 422, 4604, Kristiansand, Norway

    Karen Stendal

  2. Molde University College, 2110, 6402, Molde, Norway

    Judith Molka-Danielsen

Authors
  1. Karen Stendal
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  2. Judith Molka-Danielsen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen Stendal .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Caaulfield East, Victoria, Australia

    Henry Linger

  2. Monash University, Caulfield East, Victoria, Australia

    Julie Fisher

  3. Box Hill Institute, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia

    Andrew Barnden

  4. National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Chris Barry

  5. National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Michael Lang

  6. City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

    Christoph Schneider

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Stendal, K., Molka-Danielsen, J. (2013). Capabilities and Affordances of Virtual Worlds for People with Lifelong Disability. In: Linger, H., Fisher, J., Barnden, A., Barry, C., Lang, M., Schneider, C. (eds) Building Sustainable Information Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7540-8_42

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7540-8_42

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7539-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7540-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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