This study examined the impact of cooperative video gaming on disability-related biases and social exclusion using a treatment-only, explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Participants included two distinct groups: students studying disability services and students with disabilities. Both groups engaged in a structured cooperative video game intervention, with data collected at three time points: pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Grounded in Allport’s Intergroup Contact Theory, the study investigated whether cooperative gameplay could reduce explicit and implicit biases among disability services students and improve social connectedness among students with disabilities. Quantitative measures included the Multiple Disability Multidimensional Attitudes Scale (MDMAS), Disability Attitude Implicit Association Test (DA-IAT), Contact with Disabled Persons Scale (CDP), UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Belonging Engagement and Self-Confidence Scale (BES). Follow-up interviews explored participants’ experiences and perceptions of the intervention. Results showed that cooperative video gaming reduced explicit biases in some domains but had no significant effect on implicit bias. While short-term gains were observed in belonging and engagement, these effects diminished by follow-up, and loneliness scores remained unchanged. Findings suggest that while cooperative gaming may offer a promising approach to bias reduction, sustained or more intensive interventions may be necessary to promote lasting social inclusion for students with disabilities.
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