by Bill McIver, education specialist, SESA
As an instructor of persons with visual impairments, I have often been asked if there are computer games that a person who is blind can play. My response has always been "I don’t think so."
After doing some research with various vendors and organizations, I have discovered that there are a few programs which are written by and for the blind. These programs are all text-based programs. Some are interactive and others are primarily individual based. The titles which I am presently aware of are as follows: Baseball: The World Series Baseball Game and Information System; Guess the Capitals; Lost Treasures of Infocom (Volumes I & II); Atlantic City Black Jack; Casino; Destination Mars; Dodge City Desperado’s; Run for President; and Sounds Like (crossword style game). These are all IBM compatible programs and range in price from $15 - $50 with $20 being the average.
Alas, I have found only one game that may be accessed via an Apple computer. The A-Talk Game is a collection of four games including Trivia Talk, Fortune Talk, Password Talk, and Jeopardy Talk. These games are contained on one ProDos disk that costs about $35.
I will continue my search for computer software games that are accessible to blind individuals. At the present time, I am especially interested in Apple or Macintosh based games. If you know of any game style programs which may be accessible to persons who are blind, or if you wish more information on the programs listed, please contact me at 907-562-7372 or email: bmciver@sesa.org.
