It has been one of the most popular and politically correct things to say, over time, that Second Life helps people with disabilities to live a bit of a fuller life. Sure, going out to clubs and partying is nice, but I believe that content creators could push the envelope.
I couldn't resist having that thought when I recently visited (or revisited) some reproductions of famous real life landmarks lately. Here I was, in a rough copy of the Marienplatz in Munich, Germany. While it could be better, it still gave a bit of a feel of the historic city.
You could say the same when visiting the Dresden Gallery, a real palace of art. Or if you took a look at the official sims created by the Mexico tourist board. There are more, such as sites dedicated to the Eiffel Tower and Cologne Cathedral. Yet that is not enough.
All of these places have one thing in common, which is making some RL sites available to anybody who is connected to SL. Think of this for a second: people with physical handicaps have to face hardship all the time. Traveling internationally requires more time and effort than for the rest of us. This is why SL could become a bit more of a heaven for people with disabilities.
I believe that private interests or governments should do more to create sims that let these people discover their beautiful countries, landmarks and cultures.
Not everyone has the same priviledge of being free to travel and having enough money to do so. Therefore, poorer users would also get a glimpse of what seems so far away, or so impossible to access.
Even those of us who do travel on a regular basis would have to gain from the spreading of touristic sims. We'd be able to get a sneak peek of places we may not consider seriously... and end up going there.
Social media are known for creating a buzz and getting the word out about yourself. SL, since it provides a 3D environment and the power to script, it has potential for more than a typical Web site, Facebook page or Twitter feed. It's high time that touristic attractions use it, at least for the benefit of those who would feel better because of it.
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