ABSTRACT VIEW
Abstract NUM 1015

JAGUARS ADVENTURERS: AN ACCESSIBLE BILINGUAL SERIOUS GAME TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND ECOTOURISM IN COLOMBIA’S NATIONAL PARKS
K. Villalba, H. Robles, M. Jimeno
Universidad del Norte (COLOMBIA)
Jaguars Adventurers is an open, bilingual, and fully accessible educational resource designed to promote sustainable development and ecotourism in Colombia’s national parks. Responding to the rapid growth of nature tourism and the need for greater equity in access to education and recreational experiences, this initiative aims to foster a more inclusive and sustainable relationship between communities, including individuals with visual impairments and their natural environment. The resource integrates serious games as an innovative, engaging learning strategy that enhances language skills in both English and Spanish through the simulation of real-world scenarios. By prioritizing universal design principles from the outset, Jaguars Adventurers ensures that users with diverse abilities can fully engage with the content. Accessibility is a core component, supported by technologies such as screen readers, voice commands, and adaptable interfaces, with development anchored in platforms like Unity to enable flexible, inclusive experiences. The project follows a Design based research approach, involving biodiversity experts, educators, local communities, and individuals with visual impairments; agile, iterative development of prototypes; pilot testing in educational institutions; and comprehensive evaluation using usability testing and data analysis. This ensures the resource is pedagogically sound, user-centered, and responsive to real accessibility needs.

Keywords: Accessible Education, Sustainable Development, Serious Games, Ecotourism, Inclusive Learning.

Event: ICERI2025
Track: Active & Student-Centered Learning
Session: Gamification & Game-based Learning
Session type: VIRTUAL