Literature Reviews

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

• Exploring an Ambiguous Technique for Eyes-Free Mobile Text Entry

  Dylan Gaines (2018) — Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This student research competition paper from Michigan Technological University presents Tap123, an ambiguous eyes-free keyboard for mobile text entry that does not require users to tap specific keys. The system is motivated by the limitations of exis…

  • blindness
  • low vision
  • text entry
  • mobile accessibility
  • eyes-free interaction
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • input methods
  • ambiguous keyboard

• Why Is Gesture Typing Promising for Older Adults? Comparing Gesture and Tap Typing Behavior of Older with Young Adults

  Yu-Hao Lin, Suwen Zhu, Yu-Jung Ko, Wenzhe Cui, Xiaojun Bi (2018) — Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This study from Stony Brook University investigates whether gesture typing (gliding a finger continuously across keys to spell words) is a viable alternative to traditional tap typing for older adults on smartphones. Text entry is one of the most sig…

  • older adults
  • text entry
  • gesture typing
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • motor control
  • aging
  • input methods

• Physical Usability and the Mobile Web

  Shari Trewin (2006) — Proceedings of the 2006 International Cross-Disciplinary Workshop on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper systematically compares the physical usability challenges faced by desktop web users with motor impairments and mobile web users, identifying where their needs overlap and diverge. Trewin first catalogs the interaction landscape for users …

  • motor accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • physical disability
  • device independence
  • input methods
  • keyboard accessibility
  • target size
  • text entry

• A Simple Solution: Solution Migration from Disabled to Small Device Context

  Yeliz Yesilada, Tianyi Chen, Simon Harper (2010) — Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper demonstrates how accessibility solutions developed for motor-impaired desktop users can be migrated to benefit small-device (mobile) users who experience similar input difficulties. The authors had previously replicated a study originally …

  • motor accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • input methods
  • situational impairment
  • error correction
  • universal design
  • assistive technology

• Empowering Accessible Gesture Input Design with Gesture-A11Y

  Mihail Terenti, Laura-Bianca Bilius, Ovidiu-Ciprian Ungurean, Radu-Daniel Vatavu (2025) — Proceedings of the 22nd International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava (Romania) introduces Gesture-A11Y, the first open-access web-based tool and database for accessible gesture input design, containing over 22,000 gesture records collected from 122 users with visua…

  • gesture interaction
  • motor accessibility
  • visual impairment
  • mobile accessibility
  • wearable technology
  • open data
  • input methods
  • wheelchair accessibility

• GestureCalc: An Eyes-Free Calculator for Touch Screens

  Bindita Chaudhuri, Leah Perlmutter, Justin Petelka, Philip Garrison, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Richard E. Ladner (2019) — Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This full research paper presents GestureCalc, an eyes-free, target-less gesture-based calculator for touch screens, along with a rigorous three-session longitudinal evaluation with eight screen reader users. The system replaces the spatial button la…

  • gesture-based interaction
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • blindness
  • visual impairment
  • screen reader
  • eyes-free interaction
  • mobile accessibility
  • calculator
  • input methods
  • conceptual metaphor
  • longitudinal study

• Demonstration of GestureCalc: An Eyes-Free Calculator for Touch Screens

  Leah Perlmutter, Bindita Chaudhuri, Justin Petelka, Philip Garrison, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Richard E. Ladner (2019) — Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents GestureCalc, an eyes-free, target-less digital calculator for touch screen devices that replaces traditional button-based input with intuitive gesture-based input. The core problem is that existing calculator apps re…

  • gesture-based interaction
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • blindness
  • visual impairment
  • screen reader
  • eyes-free interaction
  • mobile accessibility
  • calculator
  • input methods

• "I just went into it assuming that I wouldn't be able to have the full experience": Understanding the Accessibility of Virtual Reality for People with Limited Mobility

  Martez Mott, John Tang, Shaun Kane, Edward Cutrell, Meredith Ringel Morris (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents the first in-depth investigation of VR accessibility for people with limited mobility, a population largely overlooked in VR research that has focused primarily on rehabilitation applications rather than mainstream consumer VR use…

  • virtual reality
  • motor accessibility
  • physical disability
  • ability assumptions
  • inclusive design
  • input methods
  • wheelchair accessibility
  • emerging technology

• The Reliability of Fitts's Law as a Movement Model for People with and without Limited Fine Motor Function

  Ather Sharif, Victoria Pao, Katharina Reinecke, Jacob O. Wobbrock (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper investigates a foundational assumption in HCI and assistive technology research: that Fitts's law reliably measures pointing performance. Fitts's law, introduced in 1954, models the relationship between the time to complete a pointing move…

  • motor accessibility
  • input methods
  • research methods
  • pointing devices
  • assistive technology
  • usability testing
  • HCI

• Eyelid Gestures on Mobile Devices for People with Motor Impairments

  Mingming Fan, Zhen Li, Franklin Mingzhe Li (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents a novel approach to mobile device interaction for people with severe motor impairments: using eyelid gestures detected by the smartphone's front-facing camera. While existing eye-based interaction research has primarily focused on…

  • motor accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • input methods
  • gesture interaction
  • eye tracking
  • assistive technology
  • spinal cord injury
  • computer vision