Recent News

A 23 de Outubro de 2023, a investigadora do projeto GameIN Carla Sousa esteve, em representação da equipa, no II Encontro de Psicólogos da Freguesia de Cascais Estoril. Neste evento, foi explorado o potencial papel dos jogos e recursos desenvolvidos na saúde psicológica, com foco nos profissionais da área e populações vulneráveis.

On 23rd October (2024) GameIN project researcher Carla Sousa represented the team at the 2nd Meeting of Psychologists from the Parish of Cascais Estoril. The event explored the potential role of developed games and resources in psychological health, with a focus on professionals in the field and vulnerable populations.

On October 4th, 2024, the GameIN project, represented by Cátia Casimiro, presented at the 18th European Conference on Games Based Learning. In this presentation, tittled “Empowering Neurodiverse Voices in Research Ethics through a Playful Card-Based Approach”, it was shown the results of the validation of the cards developed about the ethical considerations through the use of a playful approach. The validation with a neurodiverse population (neurodivergents, academic peers and support workers) showed that the cards still need further development.

On September 26th, 2024, Cátia Casimiro presented at the 10th European Communication Conference organized by ECREA, the results of her Systematic Literature Review on communication accessibility for neurodivergents.

GameIN were mentioned at MAIS magazine, from APPACDM NGO, due to the GameIN fieldwork activities with 20 participants with intellectual disabilities. Tue inclusive GameIN research, within the realm of “Nothing with us, without us” have been carried on at APPACDM Ajuda, since January 2024.

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Three GameIN researcher fellows participated in the training school, between May 8th-10th, 2024, with the theme “Advancing Media Accessibility through Research Methods and Innovative Approaches”, which focused on the different approaches to media accessibility.

GameIN project was represented in this school by the PhD students Cátia Casimiro João Léste and Pedro Fernandes.

Inclusive games developed at University Lusófona and the GameIN project were presented at the event “O Futuro da Tecnologia junto das Pessoas com Deficiência e ou Incapacidade”.

At the “III Congresso Internaciomal de Humanismo, Direitos Humanos e Cidadania”, GameIN presented some reflections on game design for playful media and the recent outputs on accessibility research and ethical concerns within the GameIN project.

In a recent collaborative milestone, GameIN Project (2022.07939.PTDC) played a crucial role in creating and launching the book “Media Literacy and Assistive Technologies for Empowerment in Autism”. Created under a cooperation with the COST Action a-STEP (CA19104) and ASDigital (2020-1-PT01-KA226-SCH-094961). 

The book – published by Edições Universitárias Lusófonas – is accessible on an open access basis, either as a full document or by chapters.

On 10 October 2023, GameIN met with the management of APPACDM Lisbon to start the fieldwork for GameIN research.

At this important moment, it was defined how to start the process of co-creating the GameIN kit and how to guarantee peer-to-peer research, including all the interlocutors needed to design playable media accessible to all.

On October the 5-6th, 2023, Carla Almeida and Filipe Luz participated in the ECGBL23 – 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning, to present “Barriers and hindrances to the effective use of games in education: systematic literature review and intervention strategies”

The feedback received was very useful, which could help the development of the further WPs of the GameIN Project.

On October the 5-6th, 2023, Wilson Almeida and Filipe Luz participated in the ECGBL23 – 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning, to present the Game Influenza at Educational Games Competition.

On August 22th, 2023, GameIN researchers Carla Sousa, José Neves and Joana Barros presented remotly a paper at the Conference on Games 2023. Entitled “Towards Cognitive Accessibility in Digital Game Design: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Adults with Intellectual Disability”, this paper have demonstrated the ongoing activities of GameIN.

On August 23th, 2023, Pedro Fernandes and Filipe Luz presented a paper at the Conference on Games 2023, that was the result of previous tests on developing games with alternative controllers. The used of hybrid games shows a great potential to engage players on performative games experiences, which could led to an interesting approach when developing games for people with intellectual disabilities

On September 4th, 2023, Cátia Casimiro and Joana Barr0s participated in the YECREA Workshop on methodological issues of researching “Contested Visibilities”, where they had the chance to present the ethical barriers faced when doing research with people with intellectual disabilities and the difficulties with data collection and analysis, respectively. The feedback received will help in the development of the ethical guidelines of the GameIN Project.

On July 7th, 2023, Carla Sousa and Cátia Casimiro participated in the 3rd KLAARA Conference – Conference on Accessible Language and Communication, where they gave the workshop “GameIN: Practical and Methodological Path for the Creation and Use of Accessible Games for People with Disabilities”. The workshop consisted of the presentation of the state of the art on accessible games, the several approaches developed by GLOW and Lusófona University, the premises and plan, and future directions of the GameIN Project.

“GameIN: Proposing Methodological Disruptions in the Study of Inclusive Games” was presented at the 2023 edition of the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR).Between 9 and 13 July, the city of Lyon welcomed researchers from around the globe to present papers and discuss this year’s theme: “Inhabiting the planet: Challenges for media, communication and beyond”. Several CICANT researchers participated in the conference.

GameIN conducted its first joint face-to-face meeting on May 22, 2023, where researchers from Lusófona University and NOVA University, which is also part of this consortium, participated. During this meeting it was possible to establish a follow-up of the first months of this project, reflecting on the scientific outputs achieved and in order to prepare the field work with institutions in the area of social inclusion and disability.

On July 3rd and 4th, 2023, the COST Action a-STEP held its first international training school in Elbasan, Albania. The training had the theme “Building Bridges with Participatory Research”, which focused on doing participatory research with people with disabilities, mainly people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Intellectual Disability (ID), through the use of Assistive Technologies (AT). GameIN project (2022.07939.PTDC) was represented in this school by two participants and research fellows.

GameIn researchers Micaela Fonseca and Wilson Almeida presented at research Meet-up hosted by IADE’s UNIDCOM | SDI Lab., on 22th May, the GLOW Lab: GameIN as a case study in Game-based formats to enhance creativity and innovation funnels.

No passado dia 5 de Maio, o projecto GameIN foi apresentado à comunidade de jogos, no evento Óbidos Vila Gaming 2023, tendo sido partilhado os objectivos e âmbito desta investigação.

mais informação em: https://www.obidosvilagaming.pt/

As LeiriaTalks foram um evento organizado pelo projecto GameIN e a LeiraCON com o intuito de promover o debate e a partilha de investigação no âmbito dos jogos inclusivos.

Realizado em Leiria no dia 25 de Março de 2023, este evento teve 9 comunicações presenciais e 3 online.

No passado dia 8 de Março de 23, a associação APPACDM, investigadores do projecto GameIN e alunos da licenciatura em videojogos da Universidade Lusófona, juntaram-se numa visita ao museu Bordalo Pinheiro e a uma sessão de partilha de interesses no laboratório de game design da referida licenciatura.

Com o intuito do desenvolvimento cooperativo de jogos com ambas as instituições, o GameIN associa-se assim a esta iniciativa da licenciatura de videojogos, para dar início a sessões de criação e modificação de jogos para utilização inclusiva.

A 16 de Dezembro de 2022 decorreu a primeira reunião do projecto GameIn com a presença de todos os investigadores. Apesar do início oficial estar agendado para 1 de Dezeembro, toda a equipa esteve reunida para um melhor equadramento do trabalho de investigação que é esperado para os próximos 36 meses.