Literature Reviews

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

• I, Robot? Exploring Ultra-Personalized AI-Powered AAC; an Autoethnographic Account

  Tobias M Weinberg, Ricardo E. Gonzalez Penuela, Stephanie Valencia, Thijs Roumen (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This paper is a multi-month autoethnographic study by an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) user-researcher who fine-tuned a personalized large language model on his own communication data and then used it as the suggestion engine in hi…

  • AAC
  • autoethnography
  • large language models
  • personalization
  • agency
  • identity
  • privacy
  • fine-tuning
  • speech impairment
  • AI-mediated communication

• "It's Complicated": Negotiating Accessibility and (Mis)Representation in Image Descriptions of Race, Gender, and Disability

  Cynthia L. Bennett, Cole Gleason, Morgan Klaus Scheuerman, Jeffrey P. Bigham, Anhong Guo, Alexandra To (2021) — CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  This qualitative study investigates how screen reader users who are also Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), non-binary, and/or transgender navigate the complex landscape of image descriptions, particularly regarding how appearance characteri…

  • image descriptions
  • alt text
  • screen readers
  • visual impairments
  • race
  • gender
  • disability
  • AI bias
  • representation
  • intersectionality
  • identity

• (In)Visibility in Disability and Assistive Technology

  Heather A. Faucett, Kate E. Ringland, Amanda L. L. Cullen, Gillian R. Hayes (2017) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a meta-analysis examining how visibility operates in the experience of disability and the design of assistive technologies. The authors analyze data from three of their previous studies—Autcraft (a Minecraft server for children wi…

  • invisible disability
  • hidden disability
  • stigma
  • assistive technology design
  • identity
  • social interactions
  • disclosure
  • mainstreaming
  • chronic illness

• "Wear It Loud": How and Why Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Users Customize Their Devices

  Halley P. Profita, Abigale Stangl, Laura Matuszewska, Sigrunn Sky, Raja Kushalnagar, Shaun K. Kane (2018) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper investigates why and how hearing aid and cochlear implant users aesthetically customize their devices, exploring the intersection of assistive technology, identity, and social acceptability. The research addresses a significant problem: he…

  • hearing aids
  • cochlear implants
  • deafness
  • DIY assistive technology
  • social acceptability
  • stigma
  • self-expression
  • online communities
  • identity

• "That's in the eye of the beholder": Layers of Interpretation in Image Descriptions for Fictional Representations of People with Disabilities

  Emory James Edwards, Kyle Lewis Polster, Isabel Tuason, Emily Blank, Michael Gilbert, Stacy Branham (2021) — Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '21)

  This paper investigates how to create accurate and sensitive image descriptions for fictional representations of people with disabilities — a challenge that arises when real subjects cannot be consulted about their preferred identity terminology. The…

  • image accessibility
  • alt text
  • image descriptions
  • disability representation
  • design systems
  • ableism
  • blind and low vision
  • co-design
  • identity

• "It's Just Part of Me:" Understanding Avatar Diversity and Self-presentation of People with Disabilities in Social Virtual Reality

  Kexin Zhang, Elmira Deldari, Zhicong Lu, Yaxing Yao, Yuhang Zhao (2022) — Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper investigates how people with disabilities (PWD) perceive, design, and use avatars for self-presentation and disability disclosure in social virtual reality (VR) platforms. The researchers employed a two-part methodology: first, a systemati…

  • social virtual reality
  • avatars
  • disability disclosure
  • self-presentation
  • deaf and hard of hearing
  • visual impairments
  • identity
  • inclusive design
  • virtual worlds

• Experiences of Autistic Twitch Livestreamers: "I have made easily the most meaningful and impactful relationships"

  Terrance Mok, Anthony Tang, Adam McCrimmon, Lora Oehlberg (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '23)

  This paper presents a reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with 10 autistic adult Twitch livestreamers, exploring how autism uniquely shapes their experiences as content creators on a live video platform. The researchers first conducted a format…

  • autism
  • livestreaming
  • social accessibility
  • online communities
  • neurodiversity
  • identity
  • Twitch
  • qualitative research

• "I Try to Represent Myself as I Am": Self-Presentation Preferences of People with Invisible Disabilities through Embodied Social VR Avatars

  Ria J. Gualano, Lucy Jiang, Kexin Zhang, Tanisha Shende, Andrea Stevenson Won, Shiri Azenkot (2024) — ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates how people with invisible disabilities want to represent their disability identity through avatars in social virtual reality environments. While prior research has explored avatar-based disability disclosure for blind and d/De…

  • invisible disability
  • virtual reality
  • avatars
  • self-presentation
  • disability disclosure
  • identity
  • social VR
  • ADHD
  • chronic conditions
  • neurodiversity

• Is it Part of Me? Exploring Experiences of Inclusive Avatar Use For Visible and Invisible Disabilities in Social VR

  Katrin Angerbauer, Phoenix Van Wagoner, Tim Halach, Jonas Vogelsang, Natalie Hube, Andria Smith, Ksenia Keplinger, Michael Sedlmair (2024) — ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates the lived experiences of people with disabilities (PWD) using inclusive avatars — avatars featuring disability signifiers — in the social VR platform VRChat. While prior research has documented accessibility barriers and haras…

  • virtual reality
  • avatars
  • invisible disability
  • visible disability
  • social VR
  • identity
  • self-representation
  • harassment
  • inclusion