Games for enhancing basic reading and maths skills: A systematic review of educational game design in supporting learning by people with learning disabilities

Abstract The development of games for people with learning disabilities is one way to enhance the quality of learning and respond to the need for inclusive special educational support. Recently, game researchers have highlighted the need for paying more attention to identifying the game design choices that can strengthen learning. This paper reviews recent studies in the field of games that aim at supporting people with difficulties in learning, particularly in basic reading and maths skills. We identify the major characteristics and learning outcomes of the reviewed studies, as well as key design principles that have been used in games for enhancing basic reading and maths skills. The results show that people with specific learning difficulties have positive improvements in the quality of learning. We also found specific gamification elements that have been used to promote the learning of basic reading and maths skills. However, we call for research, which would explicitly examine the effects of game design choices on learning. Currently, the studies that address learning disabilities do not specifically define which kind of games and game design the results refer to, while game design studies do not clarify how these games influence learning. Thus, there is a need to rethink previous empirical studies on game settings for people with learning difficulties via advancing the role of game design in empirical intervention studies.