Literature Reviews

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

• Jod: Examining Design and Implementation of a Videoconferencing Platform for Mixed Hearing Groups

  Mittal, Anant, Gupta, Meghna, Poddar, Roshni, Naik, Tarini, Kuppuraj, Seethalakshmi, Fogarty, James, Kumar, Pratyush, Jain, Mohit (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of Jod (a Hindi word meaning "link"), a web-based videoconferencing platform purpose-built for mixed hearing group communication. Current platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet prese…

  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • videoconferencing
  • sign language
  • mixed hearing groups
  • visual layout
  • captioning
  • accessible communication
  • Indian Sign Language
  • participatory design

• Towards a Social Justice Aligned Makerspace: Co-designing Custom Assistive Technology within a University Ecosystem

  Higgins, Erin, Oliver, Zaria, Hamidi, Foad (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper explores how university makerspaces can serve as sites for co-designing custom Do-It-Yourself assistive technology (DIY-AT) while simultaneously engaging with social justice issues faced by students with disabilities. Conducted at the Univ…

  • DIY assistive technology
  • 3D printing
  • digital fabrication
  • makerspaces
  • co-design
  • social justice
  • higher education
  • disability rights
  • participatory design

• Reimagining Machine Learning's Role in Assistive Technology by Co-Designing Exergames with Children Using a Participatory Machine Learning Design Probe

  Jared Duval, Laia Turmo Vidal, Elena Márquez Segura, Yinchu Li, Annika Waern (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper fundamentally reframes the role of machine learning in assistive technology, arguing that ML models do not need to be accurate to be valuable — they can serve as sources of play and motivation rather than diagnostic tools. The researchers …

  • machine learning
  • participatory design
  • exergames
  • children
  • sensory processing
  • physical therapy
  • co-design
  • game accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • design probe

• Accessibility Research and Users with Multiple Disabilities or Complex Needs

  Arthur Theil, Craig Anderton, Chris Creed, Nasrine Olson, Raymond John Holt, Sayan Sarcar (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This workshop paper argues that accessibility research has historically oversimplified disability by focusing on single categories of impairment, and calls for a fundamental shift toward inclusive research that addresses the needs of people living wi…

  • multiple disabilities
  • complex needs
  • assistive technology
  • research methodology
  • inclusive design
  • deafblindness
  • participatory design
  • disability studies

• A11yFutures: Envisioning the Future of Accessibility Research

  Jennifer Mankoff, Kelly Avery Mack, Jason Wiese, Kirk Andrew Crawford, Foad Hamidi (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This workshop paper proposes a framework for understanding the evolution of accessibility research through three "waves" and argues that the field needs to broaden significantly into what the authors call "third wave accessibility." The first wave of…

  • accessibility research
  • disability studies
  • inclusive design
  • intersectionality
  • research methodology
  • disability culture
  • participatory design

• Co-designing new keyboard and mouse solutions with people living with motor impairments

  Rodolfo Cossovich, Steve Hodges, Jin Kang, Audrey Girouard (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This short paper describes a co-design process for developing accessible alternatives to traditional keyboard and mouse interfaces, conducted in collaboration with people living with motor impairments. The study involved three phases: an initial surv…

  • co-design
  • motor impairment
  • input devices
  • rapid prototyping
  • keyboard
  • mouse
  • human interface devices
  • participatory design

• Barriers and Benefits: The Path to Accessible Makerspaces

  Katherine H. Allen, Audrey K. Balaska, Reuben M. Aronson, Chris Rogers, Elaine Schaertl Short (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper investigates the intersection of makerspace culture and the disability community, exploring how makerspaces can better support the development of assistive technologies by and for disabled makers. The researchers conducted eleven semi-stru…

  • makerspaces
  • DIY assistive technology
  • co-design
  • inclusion
  • accessibility barriers
  • maker culture
  • digital fabrication
  • participatory design

• Developing and Deploying a Real-World Solution for Accessible Slide Reading and Authoring for Blind Users

  Zhuohao Zhang, Gene S-H Kim, Jacob O. Wobbrock (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '23)

  This paper presents A11yBoard for Google Slides, a multi-device multimodal system that makes presentation slide reading and authoring accessible to blind users. Presentation software like PowerPoint and Google Slides relies on 2-D "artboard" canvases…

  • screen reader accessibility
  • presentation software
  • blind and low vision
  • multimodal interaction
  • participatory design
  • content creation
  • assistive technology
  • Google Slides

• Watch Your Language: Using Smartwatches to Support Communication

  Humphrey Curtis, Timothy Neate (2023) — ASSETS '23: Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents the first participatory design and evaluation of AAC smartwatch applications co-designed directly with people who have complex communication needs (CCNs), specifically people living with aphasia — an acquired language impairment m…

  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • AAC
  • smartwatch
  • aphasia
  • wearable technology
  • participatory design
  • total communication
  • non-verbal communication

• Tackling the Lack of a Practical Guide in Disability-Centered Research

  Emma J. McDonnell, Kelly Avery Mack, Kathrin Gerling, Katta Spiel, Cynthia L. Bennett, Robin N. Brewer, Rua Mae Williams, Garreth W. Tigwell (2023) — ASSETS '23: Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This workshop paper proposes a structured effort to develop a practical guide for conducting disability-centered accessibility research. The authors — a team of eight researchers across multiple institutions, several of whom are disabled scholars — a…

  • disability justice
  • research methods
  • participatory design
  • power dynamics
  • disability studies
  • research ethics
  • positionality