As blind and low-vision (BLV) players engage more deeply with games, accessibility features have become essential. While some research has explored tools and strategies to enhance game accessibility, the specific experiences of these players with mobile games remain underexamined. This study addresses this gap by investigating how BLV users experience mobile games with varying accessibility levels. Through interviews with 32 experienced BLV mobile players, we explore their perceptions, challenges, and strategies for engaging with mobile games. Our findings reveal that BLV players turn to mobile games to alleviate boredom, achieve a sense of accomplishment, and build social connections, but face barriers depending on the game's accessibility level. We also compare mobile games to other forms of gaming, highlighting the relative advantages of mobile games, such as the inherent accessibility of smartphones. This study contributes to understanding BLV mobile gaming experiences and provides insights for enhancing accessible mobile game design.

Create a synthesized voice that sounds just like you. Imagine losing the ability to speak and communicate with your loved ones. What if you could preserve your unique voice and continue expressing yourself, even when speaking becomes challenging? Apple's Personal Voice and Live Speech features are groundbreaking accessibility tools designed to do exactly that. These innovative technologies allow you to create a synthesized voice that sounds just like you, giving individuals at risk of losing their speech a powerful way to maintain their personal communication style.

TEL-AVIV, Israel–(BUSINESS WIRE)–accessiBe has recently launched a pioneering web accessibility tool powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The solution simplifies the way companies and site owners can make their content accessible to users with disabilities by using AI to automatically apply accessibility standards to their websites. The AI solution scans and analyzes the website and, within 48 hours, applies the necessary modifications so that the site transmits compliant and accessible content to the end users. The AI also re-scans for new and revised content daily which benefits sites that feature dynamic or fast-changing content. After two years of development, accessiBe was eventually launched in 2018 in Israel where it went through successful pilot efforts.

The door to education is communication, some say. And the big technology companies are opening that door more widely than ever before, not only as their products become more accessible to people with specialized needs, but also as educators find more ways to use those features in the classroom and beyond. The biggest technology companies -- think Apple, Google and Microsoft -- include language accessibility tools in their vast array of products, and those features are available to pretty much any user. And the companies have been actively improving those tools in recent years. Each of the tech giants has a group that promotes accessibility, said Luis Perez, technical assistance specialist at the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials, who himself has a visual disability.

Microsoft stumbled into the accessibility market about three years ago, with the launch of the Xbox One Elite controller. The Elite wasn't designed to help people with disabilities play video games -- in fact, it was built for hardcore players who wanted more mapping options by adding rear paddle buttons, more sensitive triggers and interchangeable analog sticks to the classic dual-grip Xbox gamepad. It just so happened these features were also in high demand at organizations like AbleGamers, whose goal is to make gaming accessible to anyone with disabilities via education, community support and the creation of custom controllers. Around this time, Xbox's inclusive lead for product research and accessibility, Bryce Johnson, reached out to AbleGamers with a proposal. Johnson and a small team of developers had just submitted a prototype of an accessibility-focused controller to the annual Xbox hackathon, and they wanted feedback on the design.

FCC rules require TV stations to provide closed captions that convey speech, sound effects, and audience reactions such as laughter to deaf and hard of hearing viewers. YouTube isn't subject to those rules, but thanks to Google's machine-learning technology, it now offers similar assistance. YouTube has used speech-to-text software to automatically caption speech in videos since 2009 (they are used 15 million times a day). Today it rolled out algorithms that indicate applause, laughter, and music in captions. More sounds could follow, since the underlying software can also identify noises like sighs, barks, and knocks.

FCC rules require TV stations to provide closed captions that convey speech, sound effects, and audience reactions such as laughter to deaf and hard of hearing viewers. YouTube isn't subject to those rules, but thanks to Google's machine-learning technology, it now offers similar assistance. YouTube has used speech-to-text software to automatically caption speech in videos since 2009 (they are used 15 million times a day). Today it rolled out algorithms that indicate applause, laughter, and music in captions. More sounds could follow, since the underlying software can also identify noises like sighs, barks, and knocks.

FCC rules require TV stations to provide closed captions that convey speech, sound effects, and audience reactions such as laughter to deaf and hard of hearing viewers. YouTube isn't subject to those rules, but thanks to Google's machine-learning technology, it now offers similar assistance. YouTube has used speech-to-text software to automatically caption speech in videos since 2009 (they are used 15 million times a day). Today it rolled out algorithms that indicate applause, laughter, and music in captions. More sounds could follow, since the underlying software can also identify noises like sighs, barks, and knocks.

FCC rules require TV stations to provide closed captions that convey speech, sound effects, and audience reactions such as laughter to deaf and hard of hearing viewers. YouTube isn't subject to those rules, but thanks to Google's machine-learning technology, it now offers similar assistance. YouTube has used speech-to-text software to automatically caption speech in videos since 2009 (they are used 15 million times a day). Today it rolled out algorithms that indicate applause, laughter, and music in captions. More sounds could follow, since the underlying software can also identify noises like sighs, barks, and knocks.