From feature to function. Rethinking videogame accessibility as distributed learning

Videogame accessibility is conventionally framed as accommodation, treating design interventions as compensatory mechanisms. This paper proposes an alternative conceptualization grounded in extended and distributed cognition, arguing that accessibility features function as pedagogical operators that redistribute cognitive labour across the player-game interface rather than merely compensating for deficits. The analysis applies the Game Accessibility Guidelines framework to Minecraft Education through heuristic evaluation, systematically assessing compliance across motor, cognitive, visual, hearing, speech, and general accessibility domains. Results indicate substantial alignment with basic and intermediate guidelines addressing common accessibility needs, including control remapping, interface scaling, text-to-speech, and tutorial support, while advanced guidelines targeting less prevalent conditions remain partially or wholly unimplemented. Interpreting these findings through extended cognition theory reveals that implemented features most effectively redistribute perceptual, motor, and memorial demands across common dimensions of embodied variation, whereas persistent gaps involve more complex redistributions or less standardised technical solutions. The reconceptualization of accessibility features as pedagogical operators offers a theoretically grounded framework for understanding how inclusive design shapes learning in Game-Based educational contexts.