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The warrior chooses a weapon from a selection of swords and battle-axes, then begins creeping through the dungeon.

Suddenly, there’s a growl in the dark ahead. Red eyes glow in the distance. The warrior jumps to the side to avoid a deadly bolt of magic.

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Scenes like this happen over and over in video games. We take it for granted that we’ll be able to hit the controller buttons needed to move our character once we see or hear the signs that some zombie, orc or gangster is about to attack. Or maybe it’s a case of swinging a digital bat at the right time, or jumping Mario safely across a chasm.

But what if you can’t see the screen, hear the sounds, or work controls designed for people with 10 working fingers?

That’s a challenge faced by many who want to enjoy the relaxation, the fun, the camaraderie of gaming, but face barriers due to disabilities.

“I had a car accident in July 1994 and lost my sight and also became a paraplegic,” says Calgarian Mike Hambly. “I loved video games when I was a kid … it was something I never even thought about (doing again) – I never even thought about using computers.”