Literature Reviews

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

• "Not There Yet": Feasibility and Challenges of Mobile Sound Recognition to Support Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

  Jeremy Zhengqi Huang, Hriday Chhabria, Dhruv Jain (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents the first longitudinal field study of a mobile sound recognition system used by Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people in their daily lives. The researchers deployed SoundWatch, a smartwatch-based app that uses a deep learning mode…

  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • sound recognition
  • wearable technology
  • smartwatch
  • assistive technology
  • machine learning
  • field study
  • human-AI interaction
  • privacy

• User Perceptions and Preferences for Online Surveys in American Sign Language: An Exploratory Study

  Rachel Boll, Shruti Mahajan, Tish Burke, Khulood Alkhudaidi, Brittany Henriques, Isabelle Cordova, Zoey Walker, Erin T. Solovey, Jeanne Reis (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents SL-Surveys, an interactive prototype survey tool designed from the ground up for American Sign Language (ASL) rather than retrofitting text-based survey platforms with ASL video content. The research team, which included Deaf ASL-…

  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • American Sign Language
  • survey design
  • user experience
  • ASL-centric design
  • video interface
  • accessibility research methods
  • participatory design

• 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

• Working at the Intersection of Race, Disability and Accessibility

  Harrington, Christina N., Desai, Aashaka, Lewis, Aaleyah, Moharana, Sanika, Ross, Anne Spencer, Mankoff, Jennifer (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper argues that accessibility research has systematically overlooked race as a meaningful construct, treating it at best as a shallow demographic variable while studying disability in isolation. The authors — a racially diverse team from Carne…

  • intersectionality
  • race
  • disability
  • social justice
  • critical race theory
  • accessibility research
  • equity
  • inclusion
  • research methods

• 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

• A Large-Scale Mixed-Methods Analysis of Blind and Low-vision Research in ACM and IEEE

  Thoo, Yong-Joon, Jeanneret Medina, Maximiliano, Froehlich, Jon E., Ruffieux, Nicolas, Lalanne, Denis (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper provides the most comprehensive mapping to date of research on technology for blind and low-vision (BLV) people published across ACM and IEEE venues between 2010 and 2022. The authors combined quantitative bibliometric methods — specifical…

  • blind and low vision
  • systematic review
  • bibliometrics
  • visual impairment
  • literature review
  • research trends
  • assistive technology
  • HCI

• A feasibility study on the use of audio-based ecological momentary assessment with persons with aphasia

  Hester, Yolanda, Billah, Syed Masum, Shinohara, Kristen (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents a feasibility study investigating whether audio-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) can be used to evaluate word-finding difficulties (anomia) in people with aphasia outside clinical settings. Aphasia, a language disorder …

  • aphasia
  • ecological momentary assessment
  • smartwatch
  • audio data collection
  • anomia
  • assistive technology
  • feasibility study
  • speech-language pathology

• 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

• TouchPilot: Designing a Guidance System that Assists Blind People in Learning Complex 3D Structures

  Xiyue Wang, Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper introduces TouchPilot, a step-by-step guidance system designed to help blind people independently learn complex 3D structures through interactive 3D printed models (I3Ms). While existing I3Ms allow blind users to trigger audio labels by po…

  • 3D printed models
  • tactile learning
  • blindness
  • computer vision
  • guidance systems
  • interactive models
  • science education
  • museum accessibility
  • hand tracking

• Designing While Blind: Nonvisual Tools and Inclusive Workflows for Tactile Graphic Creation

  Lauren Race, Chancey Fleet, Danielle Montour, Lindsay Yazzolino, Marco Salsiccia, Claire Ferrari, Sheri Wells-Jensen, Amy Hurst (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This experience report examines the challenges and opportunities of Blind-led tactile graphic design, documenting a project where a team of four Blind designers, one sighted designer, and one sighted researcher collaborated to create tactile graphics…

  • tactile graphics
  • blindness
  • co-design
  • inclusive design
  • nonvisual design
  • assistive technology
  • design tools