Literature Reviews

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

• Inclusive Improvisation: Exploring the Line between Listening and Playing Music

  Alon Ilsar, Gail Kenning, Sam Trolland, Ciaran Frame (2022) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper explores how Digital Musical Instruments (DMIs) designed for professional performance can be adapted into Accessible Digital Musical Instruments (ADMIs) with minimal hardware and software changes. The authors present the AirSticks, a gestu…

  • accessible digital musical instruments
  • ADMI
  • gesture recognition
  • music accessibility
  • improvisation
  • dementia
  • leukodystrophy
  • empowerment
  • inclusive design
  • motion tracking

• 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

• The TalkingBox.: Revealing Strengths of Adults with Severe Cognitive Disabilities

  Filip Bircanin, Laurianne Sitbon, Bernd Ploderer, Andrew Azaabanye Bayor, Michael Esteban, Stewart Koplick, Margot Brereton (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents a case study of TalkingBox, a tangible communication device co-designed with Chris (pseudonym), a young adult with a severe cognitive disability, and his support network at a community day centre in Brisbane, Australia. Chris is m…

  • intellectual disability
  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • tangible interaction
  • co-design
  • participatory design
  • cognitive accessibility
  • empowerment
  • social interaction

• Inclusive improvisation through sound and movement mapping: from DMI to ADMI

  Alon Ilsar, Gail Kenning (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents a case study of adapting the AirSticks, a gestural Digital Musical Instrument (DMI) designed for expert percussionists, into an Accessible Digital Musical Instrument (ADMI) for people with disabilities. The AirSticks use Razer Hyd…

  • music accessibility
  • accessible digital musical instruments
  • gesture interaction
  • inclusive design
  • dementia
  • creative accessibility
  • assistive technology
  • empowerment

• Designing an App to Help Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Recognize Abuse

  Thomas Howard, Krishna Venkatasubramanian, Jeanine L M Skorinko, Pauline Bosma, John Mullaly, Brian Kelly, Deborah Lloyd, Mary Wishart, Emiton Alves, Nicole Jutras, Mariah Freark, Nancy A. Alterio (2021) — The 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2021)

  This paper presents the design of Recognize, a mobile app intended to teach individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) how to identify and report abuse. The work addresses a critical safety issue: abuse of people with I/DD is…

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

• From Information Seeking to Empowerment: Using Large Language Model Chatbot in Supporting Wheelchair Life in Low Resource Settings

  Wen Mo, Aneesha Singh, Catherine Holloway (2024) — Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper explores the deployment of Wheelpedia, a WhatsApp chatbot powered by GPT-4, as a design probe to support wheelchair users and professionals in Nigeria and Kenya over a two-month period. The WHO estimates that approximately 80 million peopl…

  • wheelchair
  • assistive technology
  • chatbot
  • large language model
  • low and middle-income countries
  • WhatsApp
  • information access
  • Global South
  • empowerment

• "An Old Bastard in Bright Orange Satin!": Zuzenna's Aphasia Diary: And Lessons Learned from DIY Augmentative and Alternative Communication

  Humphrey Curtis, Filip Bircanin, Timothy Neate (2025) — ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents a four-month qualitative study of Zuzenna, a stroke survivor living with aphasia in North London, and her self-made DIY communication diary that serves as an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. Against a backd…

  • aphasia
  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • DIY assistive technology
  • single-subject study
  • stroke recovery
  • self-expression
  • empowerment
  • qualitative research