Reimagining Sex Education with Autistic Youth Through a Playable Online Game

• In Event: Interrogating and Advancing Inclusive and Accessible Tech/Media Engagement for Neurodiverse Learners

Abstract

Autistic youth are often excluded from accessible and affirming sexual health education. Glitter (a pseudonym) a web-based game designed with autistic youth using participatory research methods and human centered design addresses this gap. Blending visual novel storytelling with point-and-click exploration, Glitter follows three autistic high schoolers as they navigate crushes, youth culture, identity, and big feelings. Players explore diverse digital environments, meet new characters and friends, and learn through the choices they make during interactive conversations. This paper illustrates how Glitter – designed specifically for autistic and queer, trans, and gender diverse youth – reimagines sexual health education by offering an immersive, playful, and justice-driven approach in which disabled youth are not only learners but decision-makers, content creators, and future worldmakers.

Authors

• Jenny Sperling, University of Oklahoma

• Jaye Capretto, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

• Gale Hann, University of Oklahoma