AccessQuest: A Game-Based Approach to Digital Accessibility Education

Background: Despite growing awareness, the lack of digital accessibility continues to hinder meaningful inclusion. According to WebAIM's 2025 report, only 5. 2% of the top one million website homepages fully meet accessibility standards—a mere 3. 1 percentage points improvement in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) compliance over the past six years. This limited progress highlights a persistent skills gap in the technology industry, largely driven by software engineers’ insufficient foundational knowledge and technical competence in digital accessibility. Numerous studies indicate that formal education often fails to adequately equip future software professionals with the necessary accessibility competencies. Methods: We developed AccessQuest, a highly interactive serious game designed to teach five WCAG Level-A success criteria to computing students. AccessQuest is part of a design-based research project with two goals: advancing research knowledge and providing educational value, with each informing the other. This paper reports on the first iteration of the design-based research cycle, with future iterations planned to refine the game design based on the findings presented here. The game's effectiveness was evaluated using a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures, including pre- and post-tests, gameplay data analysis, post-gameplay surveys, and focus group discussions (N=67, all undergraduate computing students). Results: Learners demonstrated significant knowledge gains, with pre–post test scores rising from 2. 82 to 7. 49 (\ (p<0. 001\) ). For the open-ended questions in the post-survey concerning the application of WCAG in real-world contexts, participants scored an average of 6. 72 out of 10, with strong inter-rater agreement (\ (=0. 84\) ). Gameplay data reflected the learning curve effects, with longer times spent in Level 1 and progressively shorter durations in later levels, with no spikes. Focus group discussions revealed that students conceptualized accessibility as an inclusive design concern, recognized its ethical and business value, and described the game as engaging and relatable. Voluntary replays reflected curiosity and enjoyment, while participants suggested enhancements such as clearer navigation, pause functionality, and reward systems. Conclusions: AccessQuest shows promise as a scalable intervention for bridging the accessibility skills gap. It improved conceptual understanding and supported the application of knowledge in open-ended, real-world scenarios while leveraging gamification elements to sustain engagement and motivation. These findings highlight the potential of serious games to enhance accessibility education and better prepare future software professionals for inclusive technology design.