Seeing in 3D: New Problems In Accessibility

Virtual worlds such as Second Life are becoming an increasingly popular place to learn, socialise, and do business. However, these 3D virtual worlds are not accessible to people who are visually impaired, effectively creating a digital divide. This paper discusses the barriers to access for blind and visually impaired people to these increasingly popular environments, and asks the question to the CHArt community, 'Can we engage in 3D digital worlds without vision?