Microsoft’s wildly popular Kinect gaming system could have changed the game for players who have disabilities such as cerebral palsy and would otherwise be unable to use a gaming controller. But Microsoft dropped the ball on this one.

The Microsoft Kinect device responds to how you move — your hand can be the controller. But the Xbox 360 motion sensor device is a complete FAIL for any person seated in a wheelchair.  Microsoft developed Kinect so that only people who are standing are recognized by the full-body motion-control system.

Susanna Martini has cerebral palsy and her family Christmas present was the Kinect gaming system. Susanna said she couldn’t wait to play the Kinect XBox 360 controller-free games with her husband and 3-year old daughter. However, as reported by KomoNews, Susanna went from wildly excited to really disappointed. She said, “Kinect has no clue that I even exist, it’s like I’m completely invisible to it.”

Microsoft’s PR quickly issued the following statement: “The initial wave of Kinect games were designed to be very active to take advantage of the sensor’s ability to track full-body motion, and as a result, may be difficult or simply not possible to play in a seated position. We’re working to improve Kinect’s skeletal tracking technology in ways that will help developers create games that incorporate seated play.”

Susanna said she didn’t expect to be able to play soccer on the Kinect, “but I want to be able to play one game.” As Kinect is now, Susanna is completely left out when her family plays.

Prior to Kinect’s release, it was discovered that players with black skin had trouble being recognized by Microsoft’s facial recognition element in the device. Some people might wonder if Kinect was primarily created for white-skinned people who can stand and dance.

Microsoft also wanted to point out that “seated users can enjoy controller-free entertainment features like ESPN on XBox Live, Zune, and Video Kinect.” Wow, seriously Microsoft? That is super weak. There are thousands of gamers who use wheelchairs. Does Microsoft really think watching someone on ESPN is the same as playing a game? Maybe it does since it made Kinect so that gamers in wheelchairs can only be spectators there too.

As a mother of gamer who happens to need a wheelchair full-time to get around, I’m really aggravated at Microsoft. A wheelchair may be her seat but it is also her legs and how she walks. Thanks so very much Microsoft for look of utter disappointment on her face when she too was not recognized by the Kinect and was instead forced to be an onlooker and a virtual outsider among her gaming friends. So what if she was raised to participate in life instead of being merely a spectator…?

I hope lots of people “yell” about this issue as Microsoft needs to rectify this discriminating oversight immediately. Microsoft is a major player and it should be ashamed.