Literature Reviews

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

• Evaluation of a Non-Visual Molecule Browser

  Andy Brown, Steve Pettifer, Robert Stevens (2003) — Proceedings of the 6th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '04)

  This paper evaluates Kekulé, software designed to allow visually impaired users to explore chemical molecular structures — diagrams that are typically presented as two-dimensional graph schematics showing atoms (nodes) connected by bonds (edges). Mol…

  • STEM accessibility
  • non-visual interaction
  • blindness and low vision
  • diagram accessibility
  • synthesized speech
  • data visualization
  • graph accessibility
  • science education
  • accessible graphics

• Haptic User Interface Design for Students with Visual Impairments

  Hyung Nam Kim (2009) — Proceedings of the 11th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '09)

  This short paper explores the design of haptic user interfaces to help students with visual impairments understand science concepts related to heat and temperature — topics where common misconceptions are prevalent even among sighted students and whe…

  • haptic technology
  • visual impairment
  • STEM accessibility
  • science education
  • multimodal interaction
  • participatory design
  • assistive technology

• Demonstration: Screen Reader Support for a Complex Interactive Science Simulation

  Taliesin L. Smith, Clayton Lewis, Emily B. Moore (2016) — ASSETS '16: Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This demonstration presents an accessible version of "Balloons and Static Electricity," a PhET interactive science simulation that teaches electrostatic charge concepts. PhET simulations are run over 75 million times annually, yet most are inaccessib…

  • screen reader
  • STEM education
  • interactive simulation
  • PhET
  • blind accessibility
  • ARIA
  • accessible description
  • science education
  • keyboard navigation

• Design and Evaluation of a Multimodal Science Simulation

  Brianna J. Tomlinson, Prakriti Kaini, Siyan Zhou, Taliesin L. Smith, Emily B. Moore, Bruce N. Walker (2018) — Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '18)

  This demonstration paper presents a multimodal version of PhET's John Travoltage interactive physics simulation, designed to support learners with and without visual impairments in exploring static electricity concepts. The key design goal was creati…

  • STEM accessibility
  • sonification
  • multimodal interface
  • visual impairment
  • science education
  • PhET
  • auditory display
  • screen readers
  • universal design
  • inclusive design

• For one or for all? Survey of educator perceptions of Web Speech-based auditory description in science interactives

  Brett L. Fiedler, Taliesin L. Smith, Jesse Greenberg, Emily B. Moore (2022) — Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates how educators perceive a Web Speech API-based auditory description feature called Voicing, implemented in two PhET Interactive Simulations (John Travoltage and Gravity Force Lab: Basics) used globally for science education. Un…

  • auditory description
  • web speech
  • science education
  • interactive simulations
  • universal design
  • educator perceptions
  • surveys

• TouchPilot: Designing a Guidance System that Assists Blind People in Learning Complex 3D Structures

  Xiyue Wang, Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa (2023) — Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper introduces TouchPilot, a step-by-step guidance system designed to help blind people independently learn complex 3D structures through interactive 3D printed models (I3Ms). While existing I3Ms allow blind users to trigger audio labels by po…

  • 3D printed models
  • tactile learning
  • blindness
  • computer vision
  • guidance systems
  • interactive models
  • science education
  • museum accessibility
  • hand tracking

• Engaging Visually Impaired People in Science Museums Through an Immersive Workshop: Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities

  Xiyue Wang, Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa (2025) — ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates how science museums can become more accessible to visually impaired visitors through the design and evaluation of an immersive, tactile workshop. Conducted at Miraikan (The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation) i…

  • museum accessibility
  • science education
  • blindness
  • low vision
  • tactile learning
  • inclusive design
  • participatory design
  • informal learning
  • multisensory
  • assistive technology