Literature Reviews

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

• Computer Anxiety and Interaction: A Systematic Review

  Thiago Donizetti dos Santos, Vagner Figueredo de Santana (2018) — Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This paper presents a systematic review of 111 papers on Computer Anxiety (CA) in the context of Human-Computer Interaction, synthesising research spanning 1986-2017 across four databases (Springer, ACM, IEEExplore, PubMed). Computer Anxiety is defin…

  • computer anxiety
  • older adults
  • aging
  • digital inclusion
  • self-efficacy
  • accessibility barriers
  • user experience
  • systematic review
  • technology adoption
  • digital divide

• Reading Between the Guidelines: How Commercial Voice Assistant Guidelines Hinder Accessibility for Blind Users

  Stacy M. Branham, Antony Rishin Mukkath Roy (2019) — Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents a qualitative document review of public-facing voice assistant design guidelines published by five leading commercial vendors — Amazon (Alexa), Google (Google Assistant), Microsoft (Cortana), Apple (Siri), and Alibaba (Xiao AI) — …

  • voice assistant
  • blind
  • visual impairment
  • conversational user interfaces
  • design guidelines
  • Alexa
  • Siri
  • Google Assistant
  • screen readers
  • accessibility barriers

• Access Differential and Inequitable Access: Inaccessibility for Doctoral Students in Computing

  Kristen Shinohara, Michael McQuaid, Nayeri Jacobo (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper investigates why the pipeline of students with disabilities pursuing doctoral degrees in computing remains so thin, despite increased support at the undergraduate level. In 2018, the NSF reported that only about 3% of math and computer sci…

  • education accessibility
  • disability rights
  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • blindness and low vision
  • digital accessibility
  • screen readers
  • accessibility barriers
  • organizational accessibility

• Sense and Accessibility: Understanding People with Physical Disabilities' Experiences with Sensing Systems

  Shaun K. Kane, Anhong Guo, Meredith Ringel Morris (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper examines how sensing systems — the increasingly pervasive technologies that mediate our interactions with the digital and physical world — create accessibility barriers for people with physical disabilities. Through an online survey of 40 …

  • physical disability
  • AI bias
  • AI fairness
  • sensors
  • ubiquitous computing
  • inclusive design
  • accessibility barriers
  • biometric authentication
  • digital divide
  • Internet of Things

• 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

• Maintaining the Accessibility Ecosystem: a Multi-Stakeholder Analysis of Accessibility in Higher Education

  Kelly Avery Mack, Natasha A. Sidik, Aashaka Desai, Emma J. McDonnell, Kunal Mehta, Christina Zhang, Jennifer Mankoff (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '23)

  This short paper examines how accessibility is created and maintained in higher education through the interactions of three key stakeholder groups: disabled students, professors, and disability service (DS) offices. The author team—comprising disable…

  • higher education
  • accommodations
  • disability services
  • accessibility barriers
  • organizational accessibility
  • stakeholder communication
  • autoethnography

• "I Want to Connect, But...": Exploring Socially Isolated Older Adults' Views on Social Engagement and Technology for Connecting

  Chia Hsin (Josette) Lee, Rachana Nataraj, Aqueasha Martin-Hammond (2025) — ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents a qualitative study examining how socially isolated older adults perceive social engagement and the role technology might play in supporting their connections. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 adults ag…

  • social isolation
  • older adults
  • aging
  • qualitative research
  • social technology
  • digital inclusion
  • loneliness
  • accessibility barriers