Accessible communication in the metaverse
A review of the current situation of the leading platforms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.5954Keywords:
metaverse, accessibility, digital inclution, digital communication, plataformisation, virtualityAbstract
As the internet evolves into its third generation, metaverse platforms highlight potential inequalities that widen the digital divide. Based on this, the current accessibility of the most popular metaverses was examined to evaluate digital inclusion within the virtual ecosystem. A comparison of 10 platforms was conducted, assessing visual, auditory, speech, motor, and cognitive accessibility features against the criterio of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The findings show a fragmented accessibility landscape, characterized by differences between centralized and decentralized platforms. Centralized environments, often built with gamified mechanics, demonstrate better reactive accessibility standards, especially for motor and hearing disabilities. Conversely, decentralized metaverses suffer from systemic shortcomings stemming from the rigidity of their proprietary engines and architectures, leading to a lack of essential inclusion tools. Moving toward an intelligent, adaptive, and native graphics engine will be crucial for closing the digital gap in the next generation of virtual spaces and for promoting more inclusive virtual communication models and resources.
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