Using Spatial Audio in Game Technology for Expressing Mathematical Problems to Blind Students

Game technology often offers solutions to problems that are difficult or impossible to solve in traditional educational settings. Maturing spatial audio technology being developed to enhance the playing experience of gamers is increasingly recognized as a promising method for relaying complex educational scenarios to blind students. The subject of mathematics is a prime example of complex information in education that has challenged teachers of blind students, the students themselves, and researchers for many years. This is especially prevalent in relation to mathematics with inherent spatial attributes or complex sequences that are most effectively portrayed in the traditional medium using visual diagrams or spatially organized symbols on a page. This chapter discusses the alternative uses of spatial sound in gaming industry for overcoming some of the problems associated with presenting some of these complex attributes in mathematics to blind students. The authors also present a theoretical framework designed to offer guidelines to audio game designers focused on presenting complex information to blind students using spatial sound technology. Furthermore, the authors present results of a pilot study examining the presentation of trigonometric shapes using game surround sound tools.