Literature Reviews

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

• The Design and Prototyping of an App to Teach Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Empower Them Against Abuse

  Krishna Venkatasubramanian, Tina-Marie Ranalli, Jack Lanoie, Alexander Sinapi, Andrew Laraw Lama, Jeanine Skorinko, Mariah Freark, Nancy Alterio (2023) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents the design and prototyping of "Recognize," a mobile app that empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to independently learn about abuse. The work addresses a critical problem: people with I/DD are s…

  • intellectual disability
  • developmental disability
  • abuse prevention
  • self-advocacy
  • co-design
  • mobile app
  • e-learning
  • empowerment

• Building Narratives and Probing Concepts: Preparing Materials for Co-Design with Autistic Livestreamers

  Terrance Mok, Tyson Hartley, Anthony Tang, Adam McCrimmon, Lora Oehlberg (2025) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents scenario-based design (SBD) materials developed to facilitate future co-design sessions with autistic livestreamers on Twitch. Building on prior ethnographic research involving semi-structured interviews with 10 autistic adult str…

  • autism
  • livestreaming
  • Twitch
  • co-design
  • scenario-based design
  • neurodiversity
  • participatory design
  • social media accessibility

• Making and Accessibility: A Systematic Literature Review on the Multilayered Dimensions of Accessible Making

  Saquib Sarwar, David Wilson (2025) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This systematic literature review examines the intersection of making/fabrication and accessibility through analysis of 113 papers published at ACM conferences between 2010 and 2023. The authors investigate three research questions: which disability …

  • systematic literature review
  • making
  • fabrication
  • DIY assistive technology
  • makerspaces
  • 3D printing
  • co-design
  • participatory design
  • blind and visually impaired
  • tactile interfaces

• Breaking Barriers: Co-Designing Physical Activity Promoting Technologies with Older Adults Living Alone

  Muhe Yang, Karyn Moffatt (2025) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study investigates why physical activity (PA) promoting technologies fail to meet the needs of older adults living alone, and how technology might better support their exercise engagement. The researchers conducted a multi-stage design process w…

  • aging
  • co-design
  • physical activity
  • social support
  • older adults
  • health technology
  • participatory design
  • social isolation
  • wearable technology

• ChartMaster: A Tool for Interacting with Stock Market Charts using a Screen Reader

  Hong Zou, Jutta Treviranus (2015) — ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper presents ChartMaster, a tool enabling screen reader users to query interactive stock market charts, developed through an inclusive co-design process with visually impaired participants. The authors frame the problem in economic terms: 1.3 …

  • blindness
  • screen reader
  • data visualization
  • financial literacy
  • inclusive design
  • co-design
  • charts and graphs
  • multimodal interface

• Exploring New Paradigms for Accessible 3D Printed Graphs

  Michele Hu (2015) — ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper explores novel approaches to representing bar graphs for blind users using 3D printing technology, moving beyond traditional flat tactile graphics. Traditional tactile graphics (created with swell paper, embossers, or thermoform) use raise…

  • visual impairment
  • tactile graphics
  • 3D printing
  • data visualization
  • STEM education
  • co-design
  • bar graphs

• Designing Wearable Mobile Device Controllers for Blind People: A Co-Design Approach

  Catherine Feng (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This poster paper explores the design space of wearable controllers that enable blind people to operate their smartphones more efficiently while on the go, without needing to directly interact with the phone's touchscreen. Blind people rely heavily o…

  • blindness
  • wearable technology
  • mobile accessibility
  • co-design
  • interaction design
  • screen reader
  • gesture interaction
  • on-body interaction

• Uncovering Challenges and Opportunities for 3D Printing Assistive Technology with Physical Therapists

  Samantha McDonald, Niara Comrie, Erin Buehler, Nicholas Carter, Braxton Dubin, Karen Gordes, Sandy McCombe-Waller, Amy Hurst (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper investigates the feasibility and challenges of integrating 3D printing into physical therapy (PT) practice for creating customized assistive technology (AT). Physical therapists routinely modify standardized AT devices using temporary mate…

  • 3D printing
  • assistive technology
  • DIY assistive technology
  • physical disability
  • digital fabrication
  • education
  • rehabilitation
  • co-design

• Playing Music with the Head

  Emeline Brulé (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This short paper describes the co-design process leading to an open source music-playing software for M., a person living with severe motor, dexterity, and speech impairments in a nursing home in France. The system uses an infrared camera mounted on …

  • music accessibility
  • motor disability
  • co-design
  • participatory design
  • DIY assistive technology
  • open source
  • alternative input
  • creative arts
  • head tracking

• Improving Real-Time Captioning Experiences for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

  Saba Kawas, George Karalis, Tzu Wen, Richard E. Ladner (2016) — Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper takes a holistic, qualitative approach to understanding deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) university students' experiences with real-time captioning in mainstream classrooms, examining both human-based captioning (CART — Communication Access …

  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • real-time captioning
  • CART
  • automatic speech recognition
  • education
  • co-design
  • inclusive design
  • captioning
  • classroom accessibility