Increasing Participation in STEAM for Individuals with Disabilities through Video Game Design

In alignment with the conference theme of “Impacting Student Learning,” we will present a framework for operationalizing more accessible STEAM education for transdiagnostic IWD through informal video game design. Our framework rests on three pillars: (1) STEAM curriculum design focusing specifically on data practices within a CT framework, (2) informal learning with an emphasis on digital game design and development in an extended game-jam format, and (3) accessibility and usability using a transdiagnostic approach that highlights neurodiversity and adopts learner-centered, inclusive approaches (Figure 1). Our session will provide an overview of the theoretical and practical inputs that inform our approach, describe our learning experience design process (LXD: Schmidt et al., 2020), provide examples of curricular design elements to-date, share preliminary findings from formative evaluation efforts, and engage the audience in critical discussion.