Literature Reviews

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

• Effects of Target Expansion on Selection Performance in Older Computer Users

  Faustina Hwang, Nic Hollinworth, Nitin Williams (2013) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This research investigates target expansion as an assistive technique for improving mouse pointing performance in older computer users. Target expansion dynamically enlarges clickable targets as the cursor approaches, conserving screen space while pr…

  • older adults
  • motor impairment
  • pointing
  • mouse
  • target acquisition
  • input devices
  • interaction techniques

• A Comparison of Touchscreen and Mouse for Real-World and Abstract Tasks with Older Adults

  Sung-Hee Kim, Kailun Zhang, Joanna McGrenere, Kellogg S. Booth, Claudia Jacova (2020) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study investigates whether input device choice (touchscreen vs. mouse) affects performance on computerized cognitive tests for older adults, with implications for the C-TOC (Cognitive Testing on Computer) project developing self-administered onl…

  • older adults
  • aging
  • touchscreen
  • input devices
  • cognitive testing
  • motor control
  • Fitts Law
  • pointing
  • dragging

• Speed-Dial: A Surrogate Mouse for Non-Visual Web Browsing

  Syed Masum Billah, Vikas Ashok, Donald E. Porter, IV Ramakrishnan (2017) — Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper presents Speed-Dial, a system that uses an off-the-shelf Microsoft Surface Dial as a surrogate mouse for non-visual web browsing. The core problem it addresses is the fundamental mismatch between how sighted and blind users interact with t…

  • screen readers
  • web accessibility
  • blindness
  • haptic technology
  • input devices
  • semantic web
  • assistive technology
  • non-visual interaction

• Exploratory study of web navigation strategies for users with physical disabilities

  J. Eduardo Pérez, Myriam Arrue, Xabier Valencia, Lourdes Moreno (2014) — Proceedings of the 11th Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This exploratory study examined the web navigation strategies of 11 users with upper-body physical impairments, revealing substantial heterogeneity in how people with similar disability types interact with websites. Participants used a wide range of …

  • motor accessibility
  • physical disability
  • assistive technology
  • web navigation
  • input devices
  • adaptive interfaces
  • user research

• A Usability Evaluation of Two Virtual Aids to Enhance Cursor Accessibility for People with Motor Impairments

  J. Eduardo Pérez, Xabier Valencia, Myriam Arrue, Julio Abascal (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from the University of the Basque Country presents and evaluates two virtual cursor enhancements designed to help people with motor impairments perform pointing and clicking tasks during web browsing. The "circular cursor" creates a transl…

  • motor accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • input devices
  • pointing devices
  • web accessibility
  • usability testing
  • cursor enhancement

• 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

• Touchpad Mapper: Exploring Non-Visual Touchpad Interactions for Screen-Reader Users

  Ather Sharif, Venkatesh Potluri, Jazz R. X. Ang, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Jennifer Mankoff (2024) — Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This technical note introduces Touchpad Mapper, a system that repurposes the laptop touchpad — a widely available but underutilized input device for screen-reader users — as a spatial interface for exploring 2D digital content non-visually. The autho…

  • screen readers
  • blindness
  • touchpad
  • interaction design
  • input devices
  • image exploration
  • video accessibility
  • non-visual interaction