As we get closer and closer to the 2023 FIRST® Robotics Competition Season, we wanted to share some updates with respect to accessibility that we have been working on. We also want to take a moment to thank Team 1023, Bedford Express, for working with us to share ideas on ways we can improve the experience for all participants.
For years, we have shipped a ramp that was able to be used for Drive Team members with limited mobility. It is specifically designed to allow an individual in a wheelchair to access the Driver Station. We recognize that while this ramp was available, we did not do the best job of making this known to our teams. This season, language has been added to the Game Manual about this ramp, and you may even notice it being used in the Game Animation. Please note that these ramps will be available at most events, and we recommend connecting with your local Program Delivery Partner to confirm it will be available.
Additionally, here are a few other accessibility updates and reminders:
- New this season, pre-recorded videos played at events will have closed captions.
- As noted in the Game Manual, if a team needs a text-based version of the game manual to be used with assistive devices, please reach out to frcteamadvocate@firstinspires.org
- Quiet Rooms are strongly suggested to be available at all FIRST Robotics Competition Events. A Quiet Room provides students, mentors, and volunteers a place during the competition to get away from the common competition stressors of noise and motion. This place can lead to increased happiness and decreased levels of stress. Please connect with your local Program Delivery Partner for information specific to an event.
- A guide was created to help Program Delivery Partners improve accessibility at their events.
- We recognize that the seating around the fields at FIRST® Championship was not fully inclusive to teams who have members with limited mobility. To help remedy this, we are working on solutions to ensure the team can sit together.
- Every venue we are in for a FIRST Robotics Competition event is different and in order to help ensure we can provide accommodations, we suggest reaching out to your local Program Delivery Partner if someone on your team needs an accommodation ahead of time so they can plan accordingly. If you have any questions about accommodations at local events, you can reach out to accomodations@firstinspires.org and/or frcteamadvocate@firstinspires.org
Finally, we recognize that there is still more that can be done to create accessible environments. If you have suggestions on what we can do to improve the accessibility of FIRST Robotics Competition, please reach out to frcteamadvocate@firstinspires.org.