Literature Reviews

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

• A Sound Understanding — An In-Situ Deployment of an Accessible Audio-Media Player with People Living with Aphasia

  Filip Bircanin, Alexandre Nevsky, Madeline N Cruice, Ognjen Markovic, Timothy Neate (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Bircanin and colleagues argue that audio-only media — radio, podcasts, audiobooks — has been largely ignored in accessibility research and practice, even though it structures the daily lives of millions and is a significant barrier for people living …

  • aphasia
  • audio accessibility
  • podcasts
  • audiobooks
  • complex communication needs
  • in-situ deployment
  • research through design
  • generative AI
  • transcripts
  • co-design

• Finding the Signal in the Noise: An Exploratory Study on Assessing the Effectiveness of AI and Accessibility Forums for Blind Users' Support Needs

  Satwik Ram Kodandaram, Jiawei Zhou, Xiaojun Bi, IV Ramakrishnan, Vikas Ashok (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This exploratory interview study with 14 blind screen-reader users examines how they use accessibility-focused online forums (JFW, NVDA groups, AppleVis, r/Blind) and generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) to troubleshoot computer-interaction …

  • blind users
  • screen readers
  • accessibility forums
  • generative AI
  • ChatGPT
  • interview study
  • information foraging
  • troubleshooting
  • assistive technology

• Programmers Who Use Screen Readers in the Vibe Coding Era: Adaptation, Empowerment, and New Accessibility Landscape

  Nan Chen, Luna K. Qiu, Arran Zeyu Wang, Zilong Wang, Yuqing Yang (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This two-week, three-phase longitudinal study investigates how 16 blind and low-vision (BLV) programmers who rely on screen readers engage with advanced AI code assistants, specifically GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code. The study was motivated by…

  • screen readers
  • blind and low vision
  • AI code assistants
  • GitHub Copilot
  • vibe coding
  • generative AI
  • human-AI interaction
  • developer tools
  • programming accessibility

• RAVEN: Realtime Accessibility in Virtual ENvironments for Blind and Low-Vision People

  Xinyun Cao, Kexin Phyllis Ju, Chenglin Li, Venkatesh Potluri, Dhruv Jain (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  RAVEN is a GenAI-powered system enabling blind and low-vision (BLV) users to query and modify 3D virtual environments in real time through natural language. Rather than relying on developer-defined static accessibility features (such as fixed audio d…

  • blind and low vision
  • virtual environments
  • generative AI
  • 3D accessibility
  • natural language interaction
  • conversational programming
  • game accessibility
  • large language models
  • runtime accessibility

• Exploring the Role of Generative AI in Dementia Resilience Building Activities: Uncovering Opportunities and Challenges

  Sushant Kot, Margi Engineer, Elizabeth Gilman, Christopher Flathmann, Alisha Pradhan, Emma Dixon (2026) — ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction

  This qualitative HCI study examines how people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and mild-to-moderate dementia envision using commercially available generative AI applications in everyday life. Rather than designing for this population from the ou…

  • dementia
  • generative AI
  • large language models
  • resilience
  • cognitive accessibility
  • mild cognitive impairment
  • qualitative research
  • HCI
  • dementia advocacy
  • co-design

• ASL Educators' Perspectives on AI for Enhancing Student Learning in American Sign Language Education

  Saad Hassan, Laleh Nourian, Caluã de Lacerda Pataca, Michelle M Olson, Toni D'aurio, Kanupriya Agarwal, Syeda Mah Noor Asad, Garreth W. Tigwell, Matt Huenerfauth (2026) — CHI '26: Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  This CHI 2026 paper from a multi-institution US team (Tulane, Rochester Institute of Technology, Birmingham City University) investigates how AI could support American Sign Language (ASL) education — and centres, for the first time in this literature…

  • American Sign Language
  • ASL
  • sign language education
  • deaf educators
  • AI in education
  • signing avatars
  • conversational agents
  • feedback tools
  • deaf culture
  • generative AI
  • educator perspectives
  • higher education

• Exploring the Role of Social Support When Integrating Generative AI in Small Business Workflows

  Quentin Romero Lauro, Jeffrey P. Bigham, Yasmine Kotturi (2024) — Companion Publication of the 2024 Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW Companion '24)

  This paper investigates how small business owners from resource-constrained communities leverage their offline social networks to integrate generative AI technologies into their business workflows. The researchers interviewed 11 participants — seven …

  • generative AI
  • entrepreneurship
  • social support
  • technology adoption
  • digital divide
  • digital literacy
  • lean economies
  • human-computer interaction

• "I Felt Listened to": Evaluating an AI-Powered Reflection Tool for Care Partners

  Jazette Johnson, Hira Jamshed, Rachael Zuppke, Amanda Leggett, Emily Mower Provost, Robin N. Brewer (2025) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study evaluates CareJournal, an Amazon Alexa skill designed to support communication between older adult care receivers and their family caregivers through AI-assisted daily reflection. The research addresses the challenge of "articulation work"…

  • voice assistants
  • generative AI
  • caregiving
  • older adults
  • reflection
  • communication
  • Amazon Alexa
  • articulation work
  • care relationships

• An Autoethnographic Case Study of Generative Artificial Intelligence's Utility for Accessibility

  Kate S. Glazko, Momona Yamagami, Aashaka Desai, Kelly Avery Mack, Venkatesh Potluri, Xuhai Xu, Jennifer Mankoff (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '23)

  This paper presents an autoethnographic case study in which seven accessibility researchers—both with and without disabilities—explored generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools over a three-month period to assess their potential for supporting …

  • generative AI
  • accessibility
  • autoethnography
  • assistive technology
  • disability
  • ChatGPT
  • large language models

• AltCanvas: A Tile-Based Editor for Visual Content Creation with Generative AI for Blind or Visually Impaired People

  Seonghee Lee, Maho Kohga, Steve Landau, Sile O'Modhrain, Hari Subramonyam (2024) — Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents AltCanvas, a generative AI-powered illustration tool that enables blind or visually impaired (BVI) users to create visual content through a novel tile-based interface. The system addresses a fundamental gap between two existing ap…

  • visual impairment
  • generative AI
  • image creation
  • tactile graphics
  • sonification
  • accessible design tools
  • text-to-image
  • spatial cognition