Towards Inclusive Avatars: Disability Representation in Avatar Platforms

TL;DR

This study explores how digital avatars can effectively support disability representation, highlighting user preferences, strategic uses, and design recommendations for inclusive avatar platforms.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights from interviews with disabled users and offers design guidelines to improve avatar platforms for better identity expression.

Findings

Participants prefer to represent disabilities when feeling safe and supported.

Avatars serve as tools for signaling abilities and raising awareness.

Avatars can be more accessible than traditional communication methods.

Abstract

Digital avatars are an important part of identity representation, but there is little work on understanding how to represent disability. We interviewed 18 people with disabilities and related identities about their experiences and preferences in representing their identities with avatars. Participants generally preferred to represent their disability identity if the context felt safe and platforms supported their expression, as it was important for feeling authentically represented. They also utilized avatars in strategic ways: as a means to signal and disclose current abilities, access needs, and to raise awareness. Some participants even found avatars to be a more accessible way to communicate than alternatives. We discuss how avatars can support disability identity representation because of their easily customizable format that is not strictly tied to reality. We conclude with design recommendations for creating platforms that better support people in representing their disability and other minoritized identities.