BBC Micro AT

BBC Micro Assistive Technology Museum

Work In Progress: This area aims to give an idea of the enormous array of assistive technology, accessible games and activities designed around the 1981 Acorn BBC Micro computer.

It was an enormously influential and important time for accessible assistive technology. Some of it you can try out for yourself here.

Latest News: Blog posts on BBC Micro Accessibility

More BBC Micro Accessibility Links

Note anything marked with an * may not work directly in your browser. Using the BeebEm emulator may be a better way with Text To Speech, Touch-screen and Switch 'Breakout Box' access. Dropbox link here for much of the software below. If anything is missing herein that you would like to see, or if you are the original owner and would like it removed, please get in touch.

YouTube playlist here for mobile users.

AAC COMMUNICATION*
• Beebliss (1984)
• D.O.R.I.S. (1982,1985)
• Elfin Keyboard Emulator (1985)
• Eye-Control AAC (1985)
• Malcolm+ (1984)
• Flash Cards (1986)
• Photonic Wand - video (1984)
• Prompt3 (1986)
• SPOC + SPOC Promo (1983)
• Stephen Hawking - AAC (1984)
• Synrel Blissymbols (1987)
• Tarka Keyboard Emulator
• Welsh + Key-guard (1984)
• Widgit Using Pictures (1988)
• Widgit Using Bliss Symbols (1988)

BLIND ACCESS - DAVID CALDERWOOD
• Pontoon (1983,2025)
• Asteroids (~1984)
• Fruit-Machine (~1983)
• Golf (~1986)
• Mad Bomber (1985) *
• Noughts and Crosses (~1983)
• Pac-Man (~1985)
• Pinball Wizard (1983) *
• Pontoon (1983) *
• Pontoon - audio gameplay
• Beeb Gammon (+ tactile board)
• Sphinx Adventure (1982) *

• St.Dunstan's Review (1987)
• Micro User on Cassette (1986)
• Open University: Sound Alternative (1985)
• The Prestel Directory (1985)
• BeeBug - Games for Blind (1985)
• Computer Talk - VDU group (1983-88)
• Vic Computing (1981-1983)

BLIND ACCESSIBLE VARIOUS
• Directions (1984)
• Football Manager (1984) *
• Look and Think Games (1984) - press "M"
• Master Mind (1986)
• Othello (1986)
• Target (1983) *
• "Blaster Games" (St Dunstan's)
• SonSnap (Andy Able)

• Various Text Games *
• Lords of Time (1983) *
• Loveletters (1952,2019)
• Now Press RETURN (1982,2019)

• BeebEm Screen Reader
• Dr.Thomas Vincent (1982)
• MicroBrailler (1983)
• Perkins Brailler to BBC (1984)
• RCEVH Screen Reader (1985)
• RCEVH Project (1982-89)

CONCEPT KEYBOARD*
• Concept Keyboard Podd (1988)*
• CK Podd (demo)
• Prompt3 (1986)
• Concept Keyboard Dropbox
• ESA Concept Keyboard Archive

DEAF SUBTITLED VIDEO-DISC GAME*
• Educational Quiz (1985)

EYE CONTROL
• Frog Game (1985)
• AAC Communication (1985)
• Eyewatch Marconi (1990)

FITNESS GAMES*
• Pad Switch Games (1986)
• The Get Fit Set (1987)

JOYSTICK GAMES*
• Joystick Games 1 (1986)
• Joystick Games 2 (1986)
• Joystick Games 3 (1989)

MICROMIKE VOICE*
• MicroMike CITY
• MicroMike
• MicroMike Olympics
• Sue's Using Switches (1985)
• Turtle Programs (1985)

MUSCLE CONTROL*
• Muscle Switch Game (~1985)

SWITCH ACCESSIBLE*
• Alien Attack (1985)
• Arcade Adventures (1988)
• Arcade Challenge (1990)
• Brickout (1988)

• Compaid Switch Games 1 (1985)

• Compaid Switch Games 2 (1985)
• Fat Man (1984)

• First Steps (1986)
• MARDIS Games Disc (1987)
• Single Input Progs (1987)
• Shocker (1988)
• Snakes and Ladders (1987) v2
• SPOC (1983)
• Spot On Games (1988)
• Switch On (1986)
• Switch On Actions (1988)
• Switch On Travel (1988)
• TC Switch Programmes (1995,2000)
• War of the Worlds (1988)

TOUCH SCREEN*
• Microvitec Touchtech 501
• Just Touch (1985)
• Switch On (1986)
• Switch On Actions (1988)
• Touch and Paint (1987)
• Touch Basics (1987)
• Touch Games 1 (1987)
• Touch Games 2 (1988)
• Touch Funfair (1990)

TOY/CASSETTE/ROBOT CONTROL*
• MARDIS Toy Control (1987)
• Spot On Games (1988)
• Sue's Using Switches (1985)
• Switch On (1986)
• Turtle Programs (1985)

VARIOUS ART & MUSIC*
• Just Touch (1985)
• Hybrid Music 5000 & 6000 (1990)
• Soundshow (switch)
• Soundspace (touch)
• Soundstage (motion)
• Sound Worlds Flyer
• Review
• BeebEm Music 5000 AT
• MicroMike CITY (~1985)
• Morag's Mosaics (198*)
• Sue's Using Switches (1985)
• Touch and Paint (1987)
• Strachey's Love Letters (1952)

LOW PRESSURE ONE FINGER GAMES
• Backgammon (1984)
• Bandit (1990)
• Beeb Chess (1982)
• Draughts (1983)
• Flood It (2011)
• Hangman (1985)
• Patience (1982)
• Pontoon (1982)
• Snooker (1983)
• Strip Poker (1985) 16+ only!
• Quiz British Isles (1983)
• Quiz Europe (1983)
• Waffle (2022)
• Wordle (2022)

LOW PRESSURE TEXT ADVENTURES
• Adrian Mole (1985)
• Growing Pains (1987)
• London Adventure (1986)
• The Archers (1987)
• The Magic Sword (1985)

ONE KEY ACTION GAMES
• Asterisk Tracker
• Astro
• Blitz
• Canyon Bomber
• Catacastles
• SINe City

VARIOUS CHEATS
• Arcadians
• Chuckie Egg
• Frak
• Killer Gorilla
• Mr.Ee!
• Planetoid
• Repton
• Rocket Raid
• Snapper
• The Sentinel
• Thrust
• Cheat It Again Joe (1988)

VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL GAMES
• Beans on Toast (1984)
• Firework Safety (1980s)
• Maths Tutor (1988)

• Podd (1984)
• Educational Software Archive

VIEWDATA AND TELETEXT
• BeebFax 1981, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86
• Prestel 1985 Demo
• Ceefax in Braille (1985)*
• Deaf-Blind Teletext use
• Knightmare Teletext Adventure
• Spooky Adventure

BOOKS & OTHER PRINTED MATERIAL
• SEN archive
• With a Little Help from the Chip (1985)
• Hybrid Music 5000 (Retro-Kit)
• Joystick Games 1 Manual
• Katie's Garden Manual

• Touchtech 501 Manual (Microvitec)
• Touch Games 2 Manual
• Touch Funfair Manual
• Touchtech Acorn User Review
• Touchtech Paul Blenkhorn Review
• Touchtech 501 (Retro-Kit)

• Horizon and the Computer Literacy Project (2023)
• Technology Past, Present & Future (Jane Seale 2023)
• The Acorn Companion (1994)
• Special Needs IT (1993)
• A-Z SEN Acorn Computers (1992)
• Educational Software Catalogue (1991)
• Micros with SEN Children (1988)
• Primary Contact (1985)
• The (SEMERC) Top 30
• 25 Years of SEQUAL (p61-64)
• Beeb, Braille and the Blind (1983)
• Book Repository Mirror

VIDEO
• YouTube Playlist
• SEMERC Manchester show 1989
• Christopher & MicroMike
• Micro Mike
• Blind Pinball Game (1983)
• A Little Help From the Chip (BBC)
- see chapter 1 20:05 (Micro Mike Helicopter Rescue), 35:40 (Elfin switch access to Acornsoft Snooker). Chapter 3 Learning 9:38 (switch Frogger) and 12:33 (Ivor the Engine on laser-disc).

VARIOUS BBC MICRO OVERSPILL
• BBCMicro.co.uk Accessible Games
• Micro User Blind Magazine Access
• David Calderwood article (TAVIP)
• Computer Talk (1983-2009)
• BBC Domesday system

• The Computer Literacy Project (1980-1989)
• BBC Update (1981)
• The Mighty Micro (1979)
• Now the Chips are Down (1978)
• UN 1981 Year of the Disabled (1976, 1981)
• MAVIS (1975-1981)

Credits: Many thanks to BBCMicro.co.uk (for the modified Brilliant Computing switch titles), Brilliant Computing, Colin McDougall, David Calderwood (Yakety Yak Software for the Blind), Dr Thomas Vincent, Flax Cottage, Jeff Hughes, Julia Cosgrove, Matt Godbolt, Pitfall Jones, Phil Mainwaring (MicroBrailler) and many others.

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