Literature Reviews

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

• WeLi: A Smartwatch Application to Assist Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

  Hui Zheng, Vivian Genaro Motti (2017) — Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This poster paper presents WeLi (Wearable Life), a smartwatch application designed to assist students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in post-secondary educational environments. The system was developed for and deployed at Mas…

  • wearable technology
  • intellectual disability
  • developmental disability
  • special education
  • self-regulation
  • assistive technology
  • smartwatch

• HoloLearn: Wearable Mixed Reality for People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD)

  Beatrice Aruanno, Franca Garzotto, Emanuele Torelli, Francesco Vona (2018) — Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This paper presents HoloLearn, a mixed reality application built for Microsoft HoloLens that aims to help people with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) learn to perform everyday domestic tasks and improve their autonomy. The system was designed coll…

  • mixed reality
  • neurodevelopmental disorders
  • intellectual disability
  • HoloLens
  • wearable technology
  • virtual assistant
  • daily living skills
  • assistive technology

• Using a Telepresence Robot to Improve Self-Efficacy of People with Developmental Disabilities

  Natalie Friedman, Alex Cabral (2018) — Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '18)

  This student research paper investigates whether telepresence robots can improve the self-efficacy and wellbeing of people with developmental disabilities (DD) by enabling them to remotely explore public spaces. People with DD often depend on others …

  • developmental disability
  • telepresence
  • robotics
  • self-efficacy
  • community participation
  • social accessibility
  • wellbeing
  • intellectual disability

• A Study on Customizing Interaction in Adaptable Games

  Caio Pinheiro de Carvalho, Suzane Santos dos Santos, Gabriel de Magalhães Escudeiro, Kelly Vale Pinheiro, Nelson Cruz Sampaio Neto, Marcelle Pereira Mota (2019) — Proceedings of the 18th Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC)

  This paper from the Federal University of Pará (Brazil) investigates customization features for adaptable games designed as assistive technology tools for children with disabilities, where healthcare professionals configure the games to match each ch…

  • game accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • cognitive accessibility
  • intellectual disability
  • personalization
  • cerebral palsy
  • autism
  • rehabilitation

• Supporting Engagement and Comprehension Online Through Multiple Means of Expression

  Boris N. Goldowsky, Peggy Coyne (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from CAST (the organization that developed the Universal Design for Learning framework) examines how offering multiple means of expression — writing, drawing, and audio recording — in online academic discussions affects engagement among st…

  • Universal Design for Learning
  • education accessibility
  • multimedia
  • learning disabilities
  • intellectual disability
  • reading accessibility
  • inclusive design
  • multimodal interaction

• Learning Games for the Cognitively Impaired People

  Maria Claudia Buzzi, Marina Buzzi, Erico Perrone, Beatrice Rapisarda, Caterina Senette (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from the Italian National Research Council (CNR-IIT) presents an open-source web platform delivering personalized cognitive learning games for people with Down syndrome, with a particular focus on delaying the onset of early Alzheimer's di…

  • cognitive accessibility
  • Down syndrome
  • game-based learning
  • intellectual disability
  • tele-rehabilitation
  • dementia prevention
  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • educational technology

• A Platform to Support Personalized Training of People with Disabilities

  Carlos Cardonha, Andrea Britto Mattos, Rodrigo Laiola Guimarães (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from IBM Research Brazil presents a two-component platform for creating and delivering personalized vocational training courses to people with multiple types of disabilities. The system consists of a web-based course-authoring portal for i…

  • intellectual disability
  • educational technology
  • personalization
  • vocational training
  • mobile accessibility
  • inclusive design

• Accessibility barriers to online education for young adults with intellectual disabilities

  Erin Buehler, William Easley, Amy Poole, Amy Hurst (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents an emic ethnographic account of the accessibility barriers that young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) encounter when using online education tools in a postsecondary environment. The authors—researchers and educators in …

  • intellectual disability
  • cognitive accessibility
  • e-learning accessibility
  • higher education
  • file management
  • password management
  • information retrieval
  • navigation
  • ethnography

• Identifying Challenges and Opportunities in Computer-Based Vocational Training for Low-Income Communities of People with Intellectual Disabilities

  Vagner Figueredo de Santana, Rodrigo Laiola Guimarães, Andrea Britto Mattos (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents findings from a qualitative field study of computer-mediated vocational training for low-income students with intellectual disability (ID) at APAE DE SÃO PAULO, a Brazilian NGO that provides educational support, vocational trainin…

  • intellectual disability
  • vocational training
  • digital inclusion
  • developing countries
  • educational technology
  • workplace accessibility
  • Global South accessibility
  • supported employment

• Able to Read My Mail: An Accessible e-Mail Client with Assistive Technology

  Horacio Saggion, Daniel Ferrés, Leen Sevens, Ineke Schuurman, Marta Ripollés, Olga Rodríguez (2017) — Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents Kolumba, an accessible web-based email client developed as part of the EU-funded Able to Include project, specifically designed for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). The tool addresses a critical gap in…

  • intellectual disability
  • cognitive accessibility
  • text simplification
  • pictograph communication
  • workplace accessibility
  • natural language processing
  • assistive technology
  • user-centred design