Literature Reviews

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

• The One-Key Challenge: Searching for a Fast One-Key Text Entry Method

  I. Scott MacKenzie (2009) — Proceedings of the 11th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '09)

  This paper presents SAK (Scanning Ambiguous Keyboard), a novel one-key text entry method designed for people who can only operate a single switch input. The design combines two established techniques — scanning keyboards (where items are highlighted …

  • text entry
  • switch access
  • scanning keyboard
  • ambiguous keyboard
  • motor disability
  • assistive technology
  • input methods
  • human-computer interaction

• Blind People and Mobile Touch-based Text-Entry: Acknowledging the Need for Different Flavors

  João Oliveira, Tiago Guerreiro, Hugo Nicolau, Joaquim Jorge, Daniel Gonçalves (2011) — The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates how individual differences among blind people affect their performance with different touchscreen text-entry methods. Thirteen blind participants (ages 24-62) were evaluated using four methods on a Samsung Galaxy S: QWERTY (st…

  • blindness and low vision
  • text entry
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • ability-based design
  • personalization
  • braille
  • input methods

• TypeInBraille: A Braille-Based Typing Application for Touchscreen Devices

  Sergio Mascetti, Cristian Bernareggi, Matteo Belotti (2011) — The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents TypeInBraille, a novel text entry application for touchscreen smartphones that allows blind users to type using Braille code rather than the standard on-screen QWERTY keyboard. While screen readers like VoiceOver hav…

  • blindness and low vision
  • braille
  • text entry
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • input methods

• Elderly Text-Entry Performance on Touchscreens

  Hugo Nicolau, Joaquim Jorge (2012) — Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '12)

  This paper presents an empirical study of how elderly users perform text-entry tasks on touchscreen devices, examining both mobile phones and tablets. Fifteen participants aged 67 to 89 (mean 79) were asked to copy sentences on an HTC Desire smartpho…

  • touchscreen accessibility
  • text entry
  • aging
  • motor accessibility
  • tremor
  • mobile accessibility
  • virtual keyboard
  • older adults
  • input methods

• Move&Flick: Design and Evaluation of a Single-Finger and Eyes-Free Kana-Character Entry Method on Touch Screens

  Ryosuke Aoki, Ryo Hashimoto, Akihiro Miyata, Shunichi Seko, Masahiro Watanabe, Masayuki Ihara (2014) — Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS '14)

  This demonstration paper presents Move&Flick, a Japanese Kana-character text entry method designed for visually impaired users on touchscreen devices. Standard touchscreen text entry for visually impaired people is burdensome: users must explore the …

  • text entry
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • visual impairment
  • mobile accessibility
  • gesture interaction
  • Japanese accessibility
  • eyes-free interaction
  • input methods

• KeyGlasses: Semi-transparent Keys on Soft Keyboard

  Mathieu Raynal (2014) — Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents KeyGlass, a text entry system designed to reduce pointer travel distance on soft (on-screen) keyboards by dynamically adding predicted character keys near the most recently typed character. Standard soft keyboards use QWERTY or AZ…

  • text entry
  • soft keyboard
  • character prediction
  • motor accessibility
  • input methods
  • assistive technology

• Design of and Subjective Response to On-body Input for People with Visual Impairments

  Uran Oh, Leah Findlater (2014) — Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates on-body input — using the skin as an input surface — as an alternative or complement to touchscreen interaction for people with visual impairments. Since blind users do not need the visual display of a mobile device, on-body i…

  • mobile accessibility
  • on-body interaction
  • gesture interaction
  • blindness
  • wearable technology
  • eyes-free interaction
  • social acceptability
  • input methods

• OnScreenDualScribe with Point-and-Click Interface: A Viable Computer Interaction Alternative based on a Virtual Modified Numerical Keypad

  Kavita Krishnaswamy, Patricia Ordóñez, Phillip Beckerle, Stephan Rinderknecht, Torsten Felzer (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents a first-person evaluation of the OnScreenDualScribe (OSDS) Point-and-Click Interface, a virtual keyboard designed for people who cannot use a standard keyboard or mouse effectively. The first author, who has Spinal Muscular Atroph…

  • text entry
  • motor disability
  • virtual keyboard
  • assistive technology
  • word prediction
  • spinal muscular atrophy
  • input methods
  • alternative input

• Development and Theoretical Evaluation of Optimized Phonemic Interfaces

  Gabriel J. Cler, Cara E. Stepp (2017) — Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper presents the development and computational evaluation of optimized phonemic communication interfaces for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users. Unlike traditional letter-based (orthographic) interfaces like QWERTY keyboard…

  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • motor disability
  • input methods
  • interface design
  • speech synthesis
  • communication accessibility
  • optimization

• Predictive Link Following Plug-In For Web Browsers

  Lyle Pierson Stachecki, John Magee (2017) — Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents the first public release of a target-aware pointing assistance plug-in for web browsers that uses Predictive Link Following to help people with motor impairments select links on web pages. Web browsing is challenging…

  • motor accessibility
  • web accessibility
  • mouse replacement interface
  • eye tracking
  • assistive technology
  • pointing assistance
  • browser extension
  • input methods