Literature Reviews

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

• Path-Guided Indoor Navigation for the Visually Impaired Using Minimal Building Retrofitting

  Dhruv Jain (2014) — Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS 2014)

  This paper presents the design and evaluation of a cellphone-based indoor navigation system that provides step-by-step path guidance for visually impaired users in unfamiliar buildings with minimal infrastructure requirements. The system combines inf…

  • indoor navigation
  • visual impairment
  • wayfinding
  • assistive technology
  • infrared
  • dead reckoning
  • mobile accessibility
  • developing countries

• Enhancing Internet Search Abilities for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Sri Lanka

  Theja K. Arachchi, Laurianne Sitbon, Jinglan Zhang, Ruwan Gamage, Priyantha Hewagamage (2021) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study examines how young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Sri Lanka, who had never previously used the Internet, learned to perform web searches using Google in their native Sinhala language. Ten participants aged 18-30 from two spe…

  • intellectual disabilities
  • web search
  • digital literacy
  • eLearning
  • cognitive accessibility
  • developing countries
  • health information
  • participatory design
  • Global South

• Iconic Communication System by XML Language: (SCILX)

  Nathalie Cindy Kuicheu, Laure Pauline Fotso, François Siewe (2007) — Proceedings of the 2007 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from the University of Yaoundé I (Cameroon) and De Montfort University (UK) presents SCILX, an XML-based iconic communication system that extends traditional iconic interfaces to enable communication through the Internet. Previous iconic s…

  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • iconic communication
  • XML
  • literacy
  • digital divide
  • Global Accessibility
  • healthcare accessibility
  • communication accessibility
  • developing countries

• Thailand's National Digital Divide Strategic Framework

  Proadpran Punyabukkana, Suchai Thanawastien, Ajin Jirachiefpattana (2008) — Proceedings of the 2008 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents Thailand's Digital Divide Strategic Framework (2008-2010), a national plan developed by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to address ICT accessibility for three target populations: the poor, people with disa…

  • accessibility policy
  • digital divide
  • assistive technology
  • web accessibility
  • universal design
  • developing countries
  • government policy
  • Global Accessibility

• Accessibility Perspectives on Enabling South African Sign Language in the South African National Accessibility Portal

  Louis Coetzee, Guillaume Olivrin, Ilse Viviers (2009) — Proceedings of the 2009 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of embedding animated South African Sign Language (SASL) content into the South African National Accessibility Portal (NAP), a government-backed information sharing platform for the disability…

  • sign language
  • deaf accessibility
  • web accessibility
  • localization
  • South Africa
  • digital divide
  • animated sign language
  • developing countries

• (Voice) website creation and access using phones

  Arun Kumar, Sheetal K. Agarwal, Priyanka Manwani, Ketki Dhanesha (2010) — Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This challenge paper from IBM Research India presents Spoken Web, a platform that enables people to create and access "voice websites" (VoiceSites) entirely through phone calls using speech and DTMF (touch-tone) input. The system takes a fundamentall…

  • voice interface
  • developing countries
  • digital divide
  • low literacy
  • user-generated content
  • mobile accessibility
  • multilingual access

• Developing countries; developing experiences: approaches to accessibility for the real world

  Brian Kelly, Sarah Lewthwaite, David Sloan (2010) — Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper critically examines the limitations of relying solely on technical accessibility guidelines like WCAG to achieve digital inclusion, particularly in the context of developing countries. The authors argue that the WAI model — which depends o…

  • accessibility policy
  • social inclusion
  • disability studies
  • WCAG limitations
  • developing countries
  • digital divide
  • cognitive accessibility

• The National Accessibility Portal: An Accessible Information Sharing Portal for the South African Disability Sector

  L. Coetzee, N. Govender, I. Viviers (2007) — Proceedings of the 2007 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria describes the development of South Africa's National Accessibility Portal (NAP), a five-year research and development initiative led by the Meraka Institute in part…

  • global accessibility
  • digital divide
  • multilingual accessibility
  • developing countries
  • information sharing
  • community participation
  • inclusive design
  • Global South accessibility

• 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