Literature Reviews

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

• Supporting People with Acquired Brain Injury to Use a Reminding App; Narrow-deep vs. Broad-shallow User Interfaces

  Matthew Jamieson, Marilyn Lennon, Breda Cullen, Stephen Brewster, Jonathan Evans (2022) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study compares two contrasting user interface approaches for smartphone reminder apps used by people with acquired brain injury (ABI). "Broad-shallow" interfaces show lots of information on fewer screens (requiring scrolling), while "narrow-deep…

  • acquired brain injury
  • cognitive accessibility
  • user interface design
  • assistive technology
  • memory aids
  • prospective memory
  • mobile apps

• Towards Designing Mobile Apps for Independent Travel: Exploring Current Barriers and Opportunities for Supporting Young Adults with Down's Syndrome

  A. M. Khan, P. Langdon, J. Bichard, P. J. Clarkson, S. Tunnard, L. Dubiel, P. Dunlop, M. Lennon (2021) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This comprehensive study uses a three-cycle Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology to understand barriers to independent travel for young adults with Down's Syndrome (DS) and develop a smartphone app prototype to address them. The research i…

  • Down syndrome
  • intellectual disabilities
  • independent travel
  • public transport accessibility
  • wayfinding
  • mobile apps
  • participatory action research
  • co-design
  • navigation
  • cognitive accessibility

• WordMelodies: Supporting the Acquisition of Literacy Skills by Children with Visual Impairment through a Mobile App

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Cristian Bernareggi, Barbara Leporini, Sergio Mascetti (2023) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  WordMelodies is a freely available mobile application designed to teach literacy skills to primary school children, with particular attention to accessibility for children with visual impairments or blindness (VIB). The app was developed through an i…

  • visual impairment
  • literacy education
  • mobile apps
  • children
  • screen reader
  • touchscreen accessibility
  • inclusive education
  • edutainment

• All the Way There and Back: Inertial-Based, Phone-in-Pocket Indoor Wayfinding and Backtracking Apps for Blind Travelers

  Chia Hsuan Tsai, Fatemeh Elyasi, Peng Ren, Roberto Manduchi (2024) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents two iOS apps designed to help blind travelers navigate indoor building environments without requiring external infrastructure like Bluetooth beacons or visual markers. The Wayfinding app uses a known floor plan to compute and guid…

  • indoor navigation
  • wayfinding
  • blind and low vision
  • inertial sensors
  • dead reckoning
  • mobile apps
  • orientation and mobility
  • smartwatch

• Image Recognition Tools for Blind and Visually Impaired Users: An Emphasis on the Design Considerations

  Sandra Fernando, Chiemela Ndukwe, Bal Virdee, Ramzi Djemai (2025) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This research examines the current landscape of image recognition tools (IRT) designed for blind and visually impaired users, evaluating their capabilities against user needs and ISO ergonomic design standards. The authors conducted both a comprehens…

  • image recognition
  • computer vision
  • blind and low vision
  • assistive technology
  • AI
  • deep learning
  • mobile apps
  • design guidelines

• Social Media Apps: A Paradigm for Examining Usability of Mobile Apps for Working-Age Adults with Mild-Moderate Cognitive Disabilities

  Morris Huang, Greg McGrew, Cathy Bodine (2025) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This empirical usability study examines how working-age adults (18-65) with mild-to-moderate cognitive disabilities interact with five mainstream social media apps: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Tumblr. The research addresses a signif…

  • cognitive disability
  • intellectual disability
  • traumatic brain injury
  • social media
  • mobile apps
  • usability testing
  • inclusive design
  • user interface design

• Designing Post-Trauma Self-Regulation Apps for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

  Krishna Venkatasubramanian, Tina-Marie Ranalli (2022) — Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper explores how to design mobile apps that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) engage in post-trauma self-regulation (PTSR) — activities that help manage negative emotional effects like anxiety, grief, and stre…

  • intellectual disability
  • developmental disability
  • trauma-informed care
  • self-regulation
  • mental health
  • mobile apps
  • inclusive design
  • cognitive accessibility