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EnCity: A Serious Game for Empowering Young People with Down’s Syndrome Aikaterini Bourazeri∗, Tyrone Bellamy-Wood and Sylvester Arnab Disruptive Media Learning Lab Frederick Lanchester Library Coventry University Coventry, CV1 5DD ∗Email: [email protected] Abstract—Down’s syndrome (also known as trisomy 21) is providing at the same time a personalised environment that a genetic disorder caused by the presence of a third copy of would motivate them and capture their attention over the long- chromosome 21 in a baby’s cell. With education and proper care term. In this paper we propose the development of a virtual the quality of life of these people can be improved, and with the right support people with Down’s syndrome can have an reality (VR) game, the EnCity game, for empowerment and active role in the community. In this paper we examine how a inclusivity of people with Down’s syndrome into the society. virtual reality serious game, the EnCity game, could engage and The development of this serious game will provide the encourage young people with Down’s syndrome to have a more required education, training and motivation, and therefore active involvement in the community. Players should complete people with disabilities will succeed in having an autonomous mini games related to everyday tasks (e.g. preparing a meal, shopping in the supermarket, paying a bill, buying a ticket to and vital role in the community. In an animated environment visit a museum or gallery), and through these mini-games players which portrays a typical city with services and amenities such will gain the appropriate training and encouragement for leading as post office, health centre, bank, supermarket, pharmacy and their lives without requiring help from their families or social so on, people will undertake real-life activities (e.g. shopping, services. banking transactions, visits to doctors, museums or libraries, Keywords - Down’s syndrome, empowerment, inclusivity, serious etc). At the end of the game, people will have acquired the games. required training and also motivation to pursue an independent life and be active members of our community. I. INTRODUCTION This paper is structured as follows. In Section II we in- Down’s syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the troduce Down’s syndrome and the role of people with this presence of a third copy of chromosome 21 in a baby’s cell. disorder in the community. Section III presents serious games According to Down’s Syndrome Association, one in every and how they can be used as an effective mechanism for thousand babies is born in the UK with Down’s syndrome. teaching and learning, and reviews several serious games that 750 babies with this syndrome are born each year, and there have been developed for people with cognitive disabilities. are approximately 40,000 people in the UK with this disorder Section IV presents the game mechanics and aesthetics, and [1]. The quality of life, life expectancy and their role in proposes a new interface design for EnCity game. Section V the community have significantly changed over the years as presents some limitations and the future work for EnCity game education and support have been improved. There are now and we conclude in Section VI with some remarks about how more opportunities for these people to live an independent empowerment and inclusivity can enable people with Down’s life, but still more work remains to be done to ensure that syndrome. they have the same opportunities as the general population. There is a small but increasing percentage of people with II. DOWN’S SYNDROME Down’s syndrome who lead their lives and leave their family Down’s syndrome is a genetic disorder which is neither an homes, however the lack of their empowerment and inclusivity inherited condition nor a disease as people with Down’s syn- in the community prevents a large amount of these people drome do not suffer from this condition. In 2013, 8.5 million from enjoying everyday life experiences and having a fully of individuals were recorded with this syndrome worldwide. independent life. The majority of them choose to stay with People with the syndrome typically have learning disabilities their families and meet their needs from social services. People without implying, however, that they cannot learn at their own with Down’s syndrome typically have learning disabilities, but pace. Education and proper care can improve the quality of with appropriate teaching and training they can have an active their life and with the right training these people can have a role in the community and reach their goals. dynamic role in our community (in USA 20% of these adults Serious games have proved to be an effective and engaging do paid work) [4]. Education and support have improved the mechanism for people with disabilities [2], [3]. These serious quality of life of these people, and their life expectancy has games should be configurable and adaptable to users’ needs been increased. Many of the children with Down’s syndrome attend their local mainstream schools, while others may require they learn at their own pace and evaluate their outcomes in a more specialised education [5]. their own time without peer pressure [12], [13]. Learning and The majority of young people with this syndrome choose personal development are now more enjoyable and users only to stay with their families and meet their needs from social progress when they have mastered in knowledge or skills. services. Independent living may not be a realistic option These graphical environments with ‘real-life’ settings convey for many people with Down’s syndrome, however if an messages in a more meaningful and interesting way enabling enriched and inclusive community is provided, these people users to relate the game concepts to their daily life. Serious will develop self-respect and a positive attitude towards daily games are very effective in teaching and training as they activities. There are now more opportunities for these people communicate the learning objectives in a very efficient and to live an independent life, but still more work should be done productive way. to ensure that young people with Down’s syndrome lead their Serious games have proved to be an effective and engaging lives away from their family homes and enjoy the general mechanism for people with disabilities [2], [3]. These serious population life experiences. games should be adaptive and adjustable to users’ needs If people with Down’s syndrome are to have a good and preferences, providing at the same time a personalised quality of life, they should make their own choices and be environment which triggers learning and captures the atten- given the opportunity to be responsible for their life and tion for long-term. People perceive games according to their function effectively in their community. Providing choices and disabilities, interests, skills and capabilities. A serious game opportunities to these people will help us understand what for people with cognitive disabilities should minimise the really prevents them from a social inclusion and also what are accessibility obstacles, use simple and direct language, allow their individual needs, interests and abilities. Developing new enough time during the gameplay and every action should be skills and abilities for independent living and social inclusivity followed by feedback [14]. Some of the tasks these games will minimise the gap between people who have semi-skilled target include meal preparation, cleaning, laundry, time and or skilled, part-time or full-time jobs and those who do not money management, road skills and so on. e-Adventure game have access to a working environment. Constant education and authoring tool [15] is used to create games for people with learning are very important for developing problem-solving cognitive disabilities with main emphasis on their education skills and personal control. With further government policies in order to increase the opportunities for their employment. and regulations, community support and encouragement, peo- “My first day at work” educational game [16] encourages ple with Down’s syndrome will have an active and agile role the workers’ embodiment in a new company. In this game in our community [6]. players have already been employed and are taught the re- quired skills and competencies for a successful integration into III. SERIOUS GAMES &COGNITIVE DISABILITIES their team. Players should use the standard equipment and Serious games are digital games, simulations and virtual materials available in the office such as computers, printers environments widely used for primary purposes (e.g. teaching, and fax, learn how to read incoming emails, compose and learning and training) other than pure entertainment. They are send new emails and download files. Players also learn basic experiential environments where features such as communica- social interaction skills such as how to talk to colleagues with tion, negotiation, leadership or time management are as impor- respect and ask them for advice and help. This game is an tant, if not more than fun or entertainment [7]. Serious games adventure quest and players should complete different tasks are met quite often in military, government and healthcare with assigned by the company’s management board by interacting extensive use in education and learning as they are engaging with different objects and characters. Different accessibility and appealing to all people despite their age or background features (e.g. control the game using the mouse, keyboard or [8], [9], [10]. They are user-centric and players are actively speech commands and receive feedback either visually or by involved in situations and scenarios relevant to their ‘real-life’ audio) help players with visual disabilities or limited hand circumstances. Trying to achieve the game’s objectives, users mobility.

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