This week we took a trip to visit a virtual community for disabled people. What struck me immediately was the silence, i’ve grown accustomed to pleasing background noise in SL. Their auditorium is fantastic, as shown above. ‘Gentle Heron’, the organisations director, gave a short talk. It was interesting to hear the considerations given to the design of the environment. The place is very serene, intended to be calming. Interestingly, their is no stairs, even though we are in a virtual world where these mobility barriers are not relevant, ramps are still included as they are familiar to disabled people.
She mentioned how even blind people can use the environment, which is incredible to consider. Each seat is numbered which allows the person to be present. This kind of social interaction must be invaluable to quite insulated people.
It was also mentioned how graphics in this environment must me optimised for the visually impaired. Type must be as readable as possible and cream, textured backgrounds are better than solid white. This could be useful for me to know if I ever get the opportunity to design for the visually impaired.
We were taken to a couple of art galleries, which seem to be quite common in SL. The artworks above are particularly intriguing as they were created in SL. A kind of virtual photography which I would never even have imagined. The opportunity for the disabled to practice and exhibit art as though you might in the real world must be enriching.
We then went to a garden filled with poetry, apparently a popular hang out spot. The poetry is really unique, a real insight into the mind of a disabled person. It sort of challenges your perception of disabled. It gives you an idea of what their life must be like. The focus seemed to be very much on the abilities of these people, not the disabilities.
Is One Life Enough? 