Literature Reviews

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

• An Evaluation of SingleTapBraille Keyboard: A Text Entry Method that Utilizes Braille Patterns on Touchscreen Devices

  Maraim Alnfiai, Srinivas Sampalli (2016) — ASSETS '16: Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  SingleTapBraille is a touchscreen keyboard that allows blind users to enter text by tapping braille dot patterns anywhere on the screen, eliminating the need to locate specific key positions. Unlike QWERTY keyboards that require users to slide their …

  • braille
  • text entry
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • blind accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • keyboard
  • Android
  • single-hand operation
  • TalkBack

• Tactile Accessibility: Does Anyone Need a Haptic Glove?

  Andrii Soviak, Anatoliy Borodin, Vikas Ashok, Yevgen Borodin, Yury Puzis, I.V. Ramakrishnan (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents FeelX, a low-cost haptic glove system designed to enable blind users to tactilely explore graphical user interfaces (GUIs) by moving their hands on any flat surface such as a desk or table. The fundamental problem addressed is tha…

  • blindness
  • haptic technology
  • tactile accessibility
  • screen reader
  • GUI accessibility
  • braille
  • assistive technology
  • wearable technology

• Customizable 3D Printed Tactile Maps as Interactive Overlays

  Brandon Taylor, Anind Dey, Dan Siewiorek, Asim Smailagic (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents an end-to-end system that enables visually impaired individuals to independently design, customize, and interact with 3D printed tactile maps. Traditional tactile map production has been limited by high costs (Braille embossers ra…

  • tactile maps
  • tactile graphics
  • 3D printing
  • visual impairment
  • navigation
  • orientation and mobility
  • braille
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • digital fabrication

• BrailleSketch: A Gesture-based Text Input Method for People with Visual Impairments

  Mingzhe Li, Mingming Fan, Khai N. Truong (2017) — Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper presents BrailleSketch, a gesture-based text input method for touchscreen smartphones designed for people with visual impairments who already know the Braille alphabet. Rather than requiring users to tap specific screen locations or use mu…

  • text entry
  • braille
  • gesture interaction
  • visual impairment
  • mobile accessibility
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • auto-correction

• Increasing access to information for the print disabled through electronic documents in SGML

  Bart Bauwens, Jan Engelen, Filip Evenepoel, Chris Tobin, Tom Wesley (1994) — Proceedings of the First Annual ACM Conference on Assistive Technologies (Assets '94)

  This paper describes work by the CAPS Consortium (Communication and Access to Information for People with Special Needs), an EU-funded project, and ICADD (International Committee on Accessible Document Design) to build accessibility into SGML (Standa…

  • document accessibility
  • SGML
  • structured documents
  • print disability
  • braille
  • large print
  • standards
  • accessible publishing
  • European accessibility

• Mathematics on the Web: Emerging Opportunities for Visually Impaired People

  Cristian Bernareggi, Dominique Archambault (2007) — Proceedings of the 2007 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from the @Science European thematic network surveys the state of the art in making mathematical content on the web accessible to visually impaired people, arguing that MathML adoption is the key to unlocking accessibility. The authors expl…

  • mathematical accessibility
  • visual impairment
  • blind users
  • MathML
  • braille
  • screen readers
  • STEM accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • web standards
  • education accessibility

• Personalization of User Interfaces for Browsing XML Content Using Transformations Built on End-User Requirements

  Benoît Encelle, Nadine Baptiste-Jessel (2007) — Proceedings of the 2007 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from IRIT at the University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse presents a model for generating personalized multimodal user interfaces for browsing XML content, driven by end-user requirements rather than developer-imposed defaults. The authors ide…

  • personalization
  • multimodal interaction
  • user profiles
  • content adaptation
  • XML
  • model-based user interfaces
  • braille
  • text-to-speech

• Refreshable Braille Oral Appliance

  M. A. Naomi Jobrack (2015) — Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents preliminary research toward developing a Refreshable Braille Oral Appliance (RBOA) — a refreshable Braille display embedded in an oral retainer that would allow users to read Braille with their tongue. The envisioned device connec…

  • braille
  • haptics
  • refreshable display
  • deaf accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • tactile perception
  • sensory substitution
  • oral appliance

• Browser-Independent Accessible Math

  Neil Soiffer (2015) — Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper describes the re-architecture of MathPlayer (version 4) from Design Science, transforming it from an Internet Explorer-only plugin into a standalone library that any assistive technology can use to make mathematical notation accessible in …

  • MathML
  • STEM accessibility
  • screen readers
  • speech generation
  • braille
  • navigation
  • assistive technology
  • mathematics accessibility

• HoliBraille: Multipoint Vibrotactile Feedback on Mobile Devices

  Hugo Nicolau, Kyle Montague, Tiago Guerreiro, André Rodrigues, Vicki L. Hanson (2015) — Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper introduces HoliBraille, a hardware prototype that enables both Braille input and output on standard mobile touchscreen devices using vibrotactile motors. The system attaches six small vibration motors to a 3D-printed case that fits over a …

  • braille
  • blind and low vision
  • haptic technology
  • mobile accessibility
  • vibrotactile feedback
  • deafblindness
  • assistive technology
  • multitouch