Literature Reviews

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

• Simplify or Help? Text Simplification Strategies for People with Dyslexia

  Luz Rello, Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Stefan Bott, Horacio Saggion (2013) — Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper evaluates two automatic lexical simplification strategies designed to make text more accessible for people with dyslexia. The research addresses a key gap: while previous tools for dyslexic readers focused on text presentation (fonts, spac…

  • dyslexia
  • text simplification
  • readability
  • cognitive accessibility
  • eye tracking
  • lexical simplification
  • natural language processing
  • user study

• Eye Tracking Scanpath Analysis on Web Pages: How Many Users?

  Sukru Eraslan, Yeliz Yesilada, Simon Harper (2016) — Proceedings of the Ninth Biennial ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications (ETRA)

  This paper investigates how many participants are needed for reliable eye tracking scanpath analysis on web pages — a question that has been debated in usability research for over 30 years but never specifically addressed for scanpath studies. While …

  • eye tracking
  • scanpath analysis
  • usability testing
  • sample size
  • web accessibility
  • research methods
  • visual attention

• Detecting Readers with Dyslexia Using Machine Learning with Eye Tracking Measures

  Luz Rello, Miguel Ballesteros (2015) — Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents the first machine learning model to automatically detect readers with dyslexia using eye tracking data. The authors trained a Support Vector Machine (SVM) binary classifier on a dataset of 1,135 readings from 97 Spanish-speaking p…

  • dyslexia
  • eye tracking
  • machine learning
  • detection
  • support vector machine
  • reading accessibility
  • learning disabilities

• GazeTheWeb: A Gaze-Controlled Web Browser

  Raphael Menges, Chandan Kumar, Daniel Müller, Korok Sengupta (2017) — Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents GazeTheWeb, an open-source web browser designed to be operated entirely through eye gaze input, targeting people with severe motor impairments who cannot use conventional mouse and keyboard input. Built on the Chromi…

  • eye tracking
  • gaze interaction
  • web browser
  • motor impairment
  • assistive technology
  • alternative input

• Do Web Users with Autism Experience Barriers When Searching for Information Within Web Pages?

  Sukru Eraslan, Victoria Yaneva, Yeliz Yesilada, Simon Harper (2017) — Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper provides empirical evidence that adults with high-functioning autism experience real barriers when searching for information on web pages, using eye tracking to reveal the underlying differences in visual attention patterns. The study empl…

  • autism
  • eye tracking
  • web accessibility
  • cognitive accessibility
  • scanpath analysis
  • visual attention
  • neurodivergence
  • user study
  • information search
  • web searching
  • WCAG
  • open data
  • weak central coherence
  • stimulus overselectivity

• Closed ASL Interpreting for Online Videos

  Raja Kushalnagar, Matthew Seita, Abraham Glasser (2017) — Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper introduces "closed interpreting," a concept analogous to closed captioning but for sign language interpretation of online videos. While many deaf viewers prefer ASL interpreters over captions (as verbatim captioning speed often exceeds rea…

  • American Sign Language
  • ASL
  • Deaf and hard of hearing
  • sign language interpreting
  • video accessibility
  • closed captioning
  • online video
  • user study
  • personalization
  • education accessibility
  • multimedia accessibility
  • eye tracking
  • split attention

• Detecting Autism Based on Eye-Tracking Data from Web Searching Tasks

  Victoria Yaneva, Le An Ha, Sukru Eraslan, Yeliz Yesilada, Ruslan Mitkov (2018) — Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates whether eye-tracking data collected during everyday web tasks can be used to distinguish between people with and without autism, potentially enabling a low-cost, accessible screening approach. The study collected gaze data fro…

  • autism
  • eye tracking
  • machine learning
  • web accessibility
  • cognitive accessibility
  • screening
  • diagnostic classification
  • visual attention
  • user study
  • gaze data
  • web searching
  • open data
  • neurodivergence

• Adaptable User Interfaces for People with Autism: A Transportation Example

  Claudia De Los Rios Perez (2018) — Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents early-stage research into developing an accessibility framework for adaptable user interfaces tailored to people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), using public transportation as the application domain. The author …

  • autism
  • adaptive user interface
  • transportation accessibility
  • ontology
  • semantic web
  • user interface design
  • cognitive accessibility
  • personalization
  • eye tracking
  • map accessibility
  • web accessibility
  • responsive design

• Exploring the Role of Tunnel Vision Simulation in the Design Cycle of Accessible Interfaces

  Rie Kamikubo, Keita Higuchi, Ryo Yonetani, Hideki Koike, Yoichi Sato (2018) — Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This paper investigates whether gaze-contingent tunnel vision simulation can serve as a reliable tool within the design cycle for accessible web interfaces, enabling sighted developers to experience and evaluate prototypes under simulated visual fiel…

  • low vision
  • tunnel vision
  • retinitis pigmentosa
  • simulation
  • eye tracking
  • accessible design
  • design methodology
  • usability testing
  • web accessibility
  • visual field loss

• See-Thru: Towards Minimally Obstructive Eye-Controlled Wheelchair Interfaces

  Corten Clemente Singer, Björn Hartmann (2019) — Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents See-Thru, an eye-tracking interface for controlling power wheelchairs that replaces the conventional obstructive computer screen with a transparent wire-frame device containing spatially arranged LEDs. The fundamental problem with…

  • eye tracking
  • eye-gaze control
  • power wheelchair
  • motor disability
  • assistive technology
  • field of view
  • navigation
  • user interface design
  • user study