Literature Reviews

Reviewed research papers, articles, and publications relevant to digital accessibility.

• "It only needs to work for one of us": Rethinking DIY Deaf Tech Through Situated Co-Design

  Shuxu Huffman, Robin Angelini, Raja Kushalnagar, Katta Spiel (2025) — Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '25)

  This experience report documents how a Deaf open water swimmer (Huffman, the first author) and their hearing kayak partner collaboratively designed and built DeafSwim, a vibration-based communication system for use during long-distance open water swi…

  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • assistive technology
  • DIY assistive technology
  • co-design
  • participatory design
  • deaf culture
  • vibrotactile feedback
  • wearable technology

• Investigating the Implications of 3D Printing in Special Education

  Erin Buehler, Niara Comrie, Megan Hofmann, Samantha McDonald, Amy Hurst (2016) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper investigates the use of 3D printing in special education settings through case studies at three sites serving students with cognitive, motor, and visual impairments, and presents GripFab, a simplified 3D modeling tool designed for occupati…

  • 3D printing
  • digital fabrication
  • special education
  • assistive technology
  • DIY assistive technology
  • occupational therapy
  • STEM accessibility
  • co-design

• Designing Accessible Adaptations for an Electronic Toolkit with Blind and Low Vision Users

  Jacqueline Johnstone, Madhuka Nadeeshani, Hanmin Chen, Mohith Vemula, Erica J Tandori, Kate Stephens, Hashini Senaratne, Kirsten Ellis, Swamy Ananthanarayan (2024) — ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents the co-design and evaluation of accessible adaptations to an existing modular electronic toolkit (Bricktronics) to make electronics learning accessible to blind and low vision (BLV) users. Computational and electronics toolkits ar…

  • blind and low vision
  • electronics education
  • co-design
  • digital fabrication
  • 3D printing
  • NFC
  • tactile design
  • STEM accessibility
  • modular toolkit

• Co-Designing Programmable Fidgeting Experience with Swarm Robots for Adults with ADHD

  Samira Pulatova, Lawrence H Kim (2024) — ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper explores how small tabletop swarm robots can provide customisable fidgeting experiences for adults with ADHD through co-design sessions with 16 diagnosed participants. Fidgeting — repetitive body movements or object manipulation — has been…

  • ADHD
  • fidgeting
  • swarm robots
  • co-design
  • emotional regulation
  • sensory stimulation
  • neurodiversity
  • tangible interaction
  • customisation

• Co-designing Robot Dogs with and for Neurodivergent Individuals: Opportunities and Challenges

  Ha-Kyung Kong, Derek Xie, Ankith Chandra, Rachel Lowy, Arielle F Maignan, Sehoon Ha, Chung Hyuk Park, Jennifer G Kim (2024) — ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper explores how robot dogs might support the daily lives of neurodivergent individuals through a series of three co-design workshops conducted over five weeks. While social robots have been studied in clinical and educational settings for neu…

  • neurodiversity
  • social robotics
  • co-design
  • participatory design
  • autism
  • ADHD
  • emotional support
  • human-robot interaction

• Inclusion as a Process: Co-Designing an Inclusive Robotic Game with Neurodiverse Classrooms

  Patricia Piedade, Isabel Neto, Ana Cristina Pires, Rui Prada, Hugo Nicolau (2024) — Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '24)

  This paper documents a seven-month co-design process in which researchers worked with 80 children (18 of whom were neurodivergent) across four neurodiverse classrooms in Lisbon, Portugal, to design an inclusive tabletop robotic game. The children, ag…

  • neurodiversity
  • children
  • co-design
  • inclusive play
  • robotics
  • participatory design
  • education