Literature Reviews

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

• "That's in the eye of the beholder": Layers of Interpretation in Image Descriptions for Fictional Representations of People with Disabilities

  Emory James Edwards, Kyle Lewis Polster, Isabel Tuason, Emily Blank, Michael Gilbert, Stacy Branham (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '21)

  This paper investigates how to create accurate and sensitive image descriptions for fictional representations of people with disabilities — a challenge that arises when real subjects cannot be consulted about their preferred identity terminology. The…

  • image accessibility
  • alt text
  • image descriptions
  • disability representation
  • design systems
  • ableism
  • blind and low vision
  • co-design
  • identity

• What difference does tech make? Conceptualizations of Disability and Assistive Technology among Kenyan Youth

  Giulia Barbareschi, Norah Shitawa Kopi, Ben Oldfrey, Catherine Holloway (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '21)

  This paper examines how young Kenyans without disabilities conceptualize both disability and assistive technology (AT), addressing a significant gap in accessibility research that has predominantly focused on Global North perspectives. While over 80%…

  • disability stigma
  • assistive technology
  • Global South
  • Kenya
  • youth attitudes
  • disability perception
  • qualitative research
  • social model of disability

• "It is fascinating to make these beasts fly": Understanding Visually Impaired People's Motivations and Needs for Drone Piloting

  Vinitha Gadiraju, Sanika Moharana, Aisha Azhar, Kimberley Gans, Shane T. Mueller, Jenna L. Gorlewicz (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '21)

  This paper investigates the motivations, interests, and accessibility needs of blind and visually impaired (BVI) people regarding drone piloting. While drones have been explored as assistive tools for BVI users — helping with navigation, obstacle det…

  • visual impairment
  • blindness
  • drones
  • assistive technology
  • accessible interaction
  • multimodal feedback
  • inclusive design
  • user research

• Opportunities for Supporting Self-efficacy Through Orientation & Mobility Training Technologies for Blind and Partially Sighted People

  Maryam Bandukda, Catherine Holloway, Aneesha Singh, Giulia Barbareschi, Nadia Berthouze (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper examines how orientation and mobility (O&M) training shapes the self-efficacy beliefs of blind and partially sighted (BPS) people and identifies opportunities for technology to better support O&M training. The researchers conducted semi-st…

  • orientation and mobility
  • blind and low vision
  • self-efficacy
  • assistive technology
  • navigation
  • training
  • rehabilitation
  • independent living
  • social support

• Aided Nonverbal Communication through Physical Expressive Objects

  Stephanie Valencia, Mark Steidl, Michael Rivera, Cynthia Bennett, Jeffrey Bigham, Henny Admoni (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents an in-depth case study of co-designing a physical expressive "sidekick" device to support nonverbal communication for an augmented communicator (AC) named Mark, who has cerebral palsy and uses a head-switch-operated AAC device. Wh…

  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • nonverbal communication
  • co-design
  • participatory design
  • cerebral palsy
  • physical disability
  • robotics
  • tangible interaction
  • assistive technology

• Interdependent Variables: Remotely Designing Tactile Graphics for an Accessible Workflow

  Lilian de Greef, Dominik Moritz, Cynthia Bennett (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This experience report documents how a team of blind and sighted colleagues at Apple created an accessible collaborative workflow for a data visualization research project. Rather than focusing on making end products accessible, the paper addresses t…

  • tactile graphics
  • blind and low vision
  • data visualization
  • collaboration
  • accessible workflow
  • remote work
  • interdependence
  • inclusive design

• Measuring Text Comprehension for People with Reading Difficulties Using a Mobile Application

  Andreas Säuberli (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This extended abstract presents a mobile touchscreen application designed to measure text comprehension for people with reading difficulties, specifically targeting users of Easy Language — simplified text used to make information accessible to peopl…

  • readability
  • intellectual disability
  • easy language
  • reading accessibility
  • cognitive accessibility
  • mobile application
  • comprehension assessment

• Improving Mealtime Experiences of People with Visual Impairments

  SeungA Chung, Soobin Park, Sohyeon Park, Kyungyeon Lee, Uran Oh (2021) — Proceedings of the 18th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates the mealtime challenges faced by people with visual impairments (PVI) and explores how assistive technology can support more independent dining experiences. While most accessibility research for PVI has focused on navigation a…

  • visual impairment
  • assistive technology
  • independent living
  • daily living
  • computer vision
  • voice interface
  • haptic technology
  • social accessibility

• COVID-19 Highlights the Issues Facing Blind and Visually Impaired People in Accessing Data on the Web

  Alexa F. Siu, Danyang Fan, Gene S-H Kim, Hrishikesh V. Rao, Xavier Vazquez, Sile O'Modhrain, Sean Follmer (2021) — Proceedings of the 18th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This mixed-methods study examines how blind and visually impaired (BVI) people experienced accessing data-driven information on the web during the COVID-19 pandemic — a period when data visualizations such as infection curves, maps of hotspots, and t…

  • data visualization
  • blind and low vision
  • web accessibility
  • COVID-19
  • screen readers
  • sonification
  • data literacy
  • accessible data
  • information access

• Distance Meetings During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Are Video Conferencing Tools Accessible for Blind People?

  Barbara Leporini, Marina Buzzi, Marion Hersh (2021) — Proceedings of the 18th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper evaluates the accessibility of three major video conferencing platforms — Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams — for blind users who rely on screen readers and keyboard navigation. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic when video confer…

  • screen readers
  • video conferencing
  • blind and low vision
  • keyboard accessibility
  • COVID-19
  • remote work
  • usability