Literature Reviews

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

• The PhonicStick: A Joystick to Generate Novel Words Using Phonics

  Rolf Black (2011) — The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This short paper introduces the PhonicStick, a novel joystick-based device that enables non-speaking children to explore letter sounds (phonics) and blend them into words. The motivation stems from a key limitation of existing Voice Output Communicat…

  • AAC
  • phonological awareness
  • literacy
  • joystick
  • cerebral palsy
  • phonics
  • assistive technology
  • children
  • voice output
  • alternative input

• Using a Computer Intervention to Support Phonological Awareness Development of Nonspeaking Adults

  Ha Trinh (2011) — The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This short paper presents a pilot study investigating whether a computer-based intervention delivered on an iPad can help adults with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) develop phonological awareness — the ability to identify and manipulat…

  • phonological awareness
  • literacy
  • severe speech and physical impairments
  • computer-based intervention
  • iPad
  • cerebral palsy
  • AAC
  • mainstream technology

• iSCAN: A Phoneme-based Predictive Communication Aid for Nonspeaking Individuals

  Ha Trinh, Annalu Waller, Keith Vertanen, Per Ola Kristensson, Vicki L. Hanson (2012) — Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2012)

  This paper presents iSCAN (Interactive Sound-based Communication Aid for Non-speakers), a phoneme-based predictive communication system designed for people with severe speech impairments (SSI) who lack conventional literacy skills. The core problem i…

  • augmentative and alternative communication
  • phoneme-based communication
  • predictive text
  • word prediction
  • severe speech impairment
  • cerebral palsy
  • assistive technology
  • phonological awareness
  • motor impairment

• Dytective: Towards Detecting Dyslexia Across Languages Using an Online Game

  Luz Rello, Kristin Williams, Abdullah Ali, Nancy Cushen White, Jeffrey P. Bigham (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents Dytective, a browser-based game designed to screen for risk of dyslexia across English and Spanish languages. At least 10% of the global population has dyslexia, and in Spain over 40% of school dropout is attributed to it. Current…

  • dyslexia
  • screening
  • learning disabilities
  • game-based assessment
  • multilingual
  • reading accessibility
  • early detection
  • phonological awareness

• Towards the Prediction of Dyslexia by a Web-based Game with Musical Elements

  Maria Rauschenberger, Luz Rello, Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Emilia Gomez, Jeffrey P. Bigham (2017) — Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents DysMusic, a web-based serious game prototype that aims to predict the risk of dyslexia in pre-reading children using musical elements rather than linguistic tasks. Current dyslexia screening tools rely on reading and writing abili…

  • dyslexia
  • screening
  • serious games
  • gamification
  • music
  • auditory perception
  • pre-readers
  • children
  • phonological awareness
  • web-based assessment
  • usability testing
  • language independence
  • early detection
  • learning disabilities

• Towards Language Independent Detection of Dyslexia with a Web-based Game

  Maria Rauschenberger, Luz Rello, Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Jeffrey P. Bigham (2018) — Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This paper presents MusVis, a web-based game designed to detect dyslexia in children using musical and visual elements that are language independent, potentially enabling screening before children learn to read. Dyslexia affects 5-15% of the world’s …

  • dyslexia
  • screening
  • serious games
  • language independent
  • auditory processing
  • visual perception
  • children
  • learning disabilities
  • early detection
  • phonological awareness