Social Inclusion for Children with Disabilities: The Role of ICT in Play and Entertainment Activities

Abstract

Family associations, educational and university institutions, political and health systems, companies and local agencies, and third sector organizations are involved in and committed to consolidate the historical and cultural path of children’s right to play, including children with disabilities. The objective of this paper is to explore the potential role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and in particular of the digital games to create opportunities for social inclusion through playful and entertainment activities for children with disabilities. Starting from the analysis on the role of “play” in the life of children, the main goals and requirements of entertainment are presented with the aim to highlight how the adoption of digital technological solutions can enable social inclusion for disabled children. Guidelines for digital game design are presented together with advanced digital solutions for engaging children with disabilities and increasing their participation and communication capabilities. Robotics, interactive platforms and devices and artificial intelligence algorithms are considered in this analysis. Finally, ICT challenges, innovative approaches and future applications in the context of social inclusion are reported.