Building the Most Accessible Vehicle

Gamers with Disabilities Discuss Accessibility

By Paul Lane, Abilities Expo Ambassador, KMET 1490 AM Radio Host, Tech Zone vlogger

Ihave been a gamer all my life. The first gaming console that my family ever had was The Odyssey which dazzled us with such cutting-edge wonders as pong, tennis and soccer. We thought it was so high-tech when my father bought the game home. The players resemble lower case l in the alphabet. I used to play that game for hours.

Then I moved up to the Intellivision I really thought I was doing something then. When I approached my young adulthood I was introduced to Super Mario Brothers, Tecmo Bowl, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out and everyone's favorite, The Legend of Zelda.

Journalist Challenges Developers to Improve Access

Now I'm strictly an Xbox gamer. However, ever since my injury and the ensuing quadriplegia, it's been very difficult to play video games like I used to. Since I cover the technology field on my radio program, I am always on the lookout always for things that will benefit our community and break down the barriers between ability and disability.

We want to be included even when it comes to gaming! Take, for instance, this Pokémon craze. Are there any challenges first play? As I was doing research for one of my shows, I came across an insightful article by Daily Dot journalist Selena Larson that discussed the challenges when it comes to playing games like Pokémon. Selena agreed to come on my show and share her observations and acumen on gaming and delve into ways to improve access.

About the Author:

Paul Amadeus Lane has been a C-6 quadriplegic since January 21, 1993. He's been a broadcast journalist since 2007 and currently hosts "In The Fast Lane" on KMET-AM 1490 ABC News Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Pacific time. Beginning in July, Paul will be co-hosting a brand new television morning show. You can always connect with Paul at www.paulonwheels.com and see him on his Youtube channel, Tech Zone with Paul Lane.