What Do We Do?
At AccessForge, we empower businesses to transform accessibility challenges into opportunities for innovation and inclusivity. We specialize in designing and delivering solutions that ensure your products, services, and environments are accessible, equitable, and usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Through a combination of audits, user research, training, and strategic consulting, we identify barriers and provide actionable insights to remove them, helping you create seamless and engaging customer experiences. Our work goes beyond compliance—it's about fostering meaningful connections, building trust, and enhancing the value of your brand through accessibility. By partnering with AccessForge, you’re not just meeting standards; you’re setting a new benchmark for inclusivity and excellence.
Microsoft Adaptive Controller
Mark Barlet’s work at AbleGamers has been a catalyst for change in the gaming industry, driving accessibility to the forefront of design and innovation. One of his most notable contributions was his collaboration with Microsoft on the groundbreaking Xbox Adaptive Controller. As a passionate advocate for inclusive gaming, Mark worked closely with Microsoft’s development team, sharing invaluable insights from his experience with the gaming community and the needs of players with disabilities. His contributions helped shape the controller into a revolutionary device that empowers gamers of all abilities to fully engage with their favorite games, fostering a more inclusive and equitable gaming landscape.
At AccessForge, Mark carries forward this commitment to accessibility and innovation. The success of the Xbox Adaptive Controller exemplifies how inclusive design can transform customer experiences and open new opportunities for engagement. Mark now applies this expertise across industries, helping businesses create products, services, and environments that are accessible to all. Whether working with tech leaders or emerging startups, he is dedicated to breaking barriers and building a future where accessibility is at the core of every great experience.
Netflix Games
We partnered with Netflix Games to evaluate the playability and accessibility of one of their mobile games for players with cognitive and visual disabilities. Recognizing the growing demand for inclusive gaming experiences, Netflix Games sought to identify and address potential barriers impacting these user groups. This initiative aimed to ensure that the game met the diverse needs of all players, enhancing user satisfaction and accessibility compliance.
Celebrating the ADA at the Smithsonian
The Smithsonian Institution partnered with our team to bring their vision of an inclusive and accessible event to life, culminating in a groundbreaking expo celebrating the profound impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This event served as both a tribute to the progress made under the ADA and a platform for fostering deeper discussions about the future of accessibility. By working closely with the Smithsonian, we ensured that every detail of the expo was designed to meet and exceed accessibility standards, creating an experience where attendees of all abilities could fully engage and participate. As subject matter experts in accessibility, we played a pivotal role in shaping the event’s success. From curating a diverse lineup of exhibitors and speakers to conducting detailed accessibility audits, our efforts helped highlight the achievements enabled by the ADA while ensuring the event resonated with a broad audience. With participation from U.S. Senators, government officials, and key advocates, the expo became a landmark celebration of inclusion, showcasing how intentional design and collaboration can create transformative experiences for all.
PlayStation Adaptive Controller
Mark Barlet, founder of AbleGamers and now co-founder of AccessForge, has spent his career championing accessibility and inclusion. His groundbreaking work with Sony’s PlayStation team exemplifies this commitment. As subject matter experts, Mark and his team helped create the PlayStation Access Controller, a revolutionary device designed to break down barriers in gaming for individuals with disabilities. This innovative tool is more than just another adaptive device—it’s a user-centered solution that addresses new challenges and expands accessibility to reach even more players.
Building on a legacy of success, AccessForge is about driving forward creative, transformative solutions. Unlike previous industry efforts, such as the Microsoft Adaptive Controller, the PlayStation Access Controller represents a new standard in inclusive design, crafted not to replicate but to innovate. With Access Forge, Mark and his team are extending their expertise to industries worldwide, continuing the mission to create a more inclusive future for all.
Designing a New Exhibit that Includes Everyone
Collaborated with the Museum of Science Boston as subject matter experts to ensure accessibility and inclusivity in a groundbreaking exhibit on human anatomy. The project aimed to create an engaging, multi-station experience that inspired curiosity and provided hands-on learning about how the human body works. By advising on research methodology, facilitating focus groups, conducting accessibility audits, and offering design recommendations, Mark Barlet helped the museum integrate accessibility into every stage of the exhibit's development.
The result was an inclusive exhibit that featured tactile models, adjustable interactive stations, captioned videos, and audio descriptions, ensuring visitors of all abilities could fully engage with the content. Beyond creating an accessible visitor experience, the collaboration equipped the museum team with valuable strategies for incorporating accessibility into future projects. This exemplifies commitment to advancing accessibility and creating enriching, inclusive experiences in public spaces.