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• Scaffolding Digital Literacy Through Digital Skills Training for Disabled People in the Global South

  Laxmi Gunupudi, Maryam Bandukda, Giulia Barbareschi, Tigmanshu Bhatnagar, Aanchal Singh, Satish Mishra, Amit Prakash, Catherine Holloway · 2024 · ASSETS 2024: 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents a digital skills training intervention for 138 blind and partially sighted (BPS) and deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) people across India and Kenya, grounded in Vygotsky's Scaffolding Theory. The study addresses the digital divide facing disabled people in…

  digital literacy · digital skills · scaffolding · visual impairment · hearing impairment

• "I look at it as the king of knowledge": How Blind People Use and Understand Generative AI Tools

  Rudaiba Adnin, Maitraye Das · 2024 · ASSETS 2024: 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This study investigates how blind individuals use and make sense of mainstream generative AI tools, based on semi-structured interviews with 19 blind participants who regularly use tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, and Be My AI (the GenAI-powered…

  generative AI · blindness · visual impairment · ChatGPT · mental models

• "It's an independent living skill, but covered with fun!": Prompting At-Home Skill Development for Children with Vision Impairment

  Vinitha Gadiraju, Lucia Jayne, Shaun K. Kane · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This study investigates how to design tools that support independent living skill development for blind or visually impaired (BVI) children within their home environments. The research involved five families with BVI children in grades 4-6, using a three-phase methodology:…

  visual impairment · children · independent living skills · expanded core curriculum · parent-teacher collaboration

• "We Musicians Know How to Divide and Conquer": Exploring Multimodal Interactions To Improve Music Reading and Memorization for Blind and Low Vision Learners

  Leon Lu, Chase Crispin, Audrey Girouard · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates how multimodal assistive technologies (MATs) combining sound, vibration, and touch can improve music reading and memorization for blind or low-vision (BLV) musicians and learners. The study involved nine BLV participants from The FMDG Music School in New…

  visual impairment · music accessibility · Braille music · multimodal interaction · vibrotactile feedback

• AltCanvas: A Tile-Based Editor for Visual Content Creation with Generative AI for Blind or Visually Impaired People

  Seonghee Lee, Maho Kohga, Steve Landau, Sile O'Modhrain, Hari Subramonyam · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents AltCanvas, a generative AI-powered illustration tool that enables blind or visually impaired (BVI) users to create visual content through a novel tile-based interface. The system addresses a fundamental gap between two existing approaches: accessible…

  visual impairment · generative AI · image creation · tactile graphics · sonification

• A Recipe for Success? Exploring Strategies for Improving Non-Visual Access to Cooking Instructions

  Franklin Mingzhe Li, Ashley Wang, Patrick Carrington, Shaun K. Kane · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024)

  This paper investigates how people with vision impairments access and follow cooking recipes, identifying practices, challenges, and design opportunities for more accessible kitchen technologies. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 blind cooks (ranging…

  blind · visual impairment · cooking accessibility · recipe access · assistive technology

• "Pretty Much an Advocate as Well": Investigating the Experiences of Self-Employed Individuals with Visual Impairments

  Mei-Lian Vader, Marjory Pineda, Foad Hamidi, Ravi Kuber · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This paper from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County explores the experiences of 14 self-employed individuals with visual impairments in the United States, examining how technology shapes their work as small business owners and independent contractors. Participants…

  blindness · visual impairment · self-employment · entrepreneurship · workplace accessibility

• An Investigation of the Experiences of Orientation and Mobility Trainers in India

  Rohit Asave, Ravi Kuber, Foad Hamidi · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This qualitative study examines the experiences of twelve orientation and mobility (O&M) trainers working across urban and rural settings in India, a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) where infrastructure, resources, and cultural attitudes toward disability differ markedly…

  orientation and mobility · visual impairment · Global South accessibility · training · blindness

• Translating Color: Sonification as a Method of Sensory Substitution within the Museum

  Silvia Dini, Luca Andrea Ludovico, Sergio Mascetti, Maria Joaquina Valero Gisbert · 2023 · Proceedings of the 20th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This extended abstract proposes using sonification — the technique of translating data into sound — to make the chromatic elements of contemporary artworks accessible to people with visual impairments or blindness (VIB). The research addresses a fundamental challenge in museum…

  sonification · museum accessibility · visual impairment · sensory substitution · art accessibility

• On the independent and sustainable mobility of people with visual impairments

  Gabriele Galimberti · 2023 · Proceedings of the 20th International Web for All Conference (W4A '23)

  This doctoral consortium extended abstract outlines a research project investigating the factors that enable or hinder independent mobility for people with blindness or visual impairments (BVI), with a particular focus on the link between mobility autonomy and environmental…

  visual impairment · blind and low vision · independent living · public transportation · navigation

• A Large-Scale Mixed-Methods Analysis of Blind and Low-vision Research in ACM and IEEE

  Thoo, Yong-Joon, Jeanneret Medina, Maximiliano, Froehlich, Jon E., Ruffieux, Nicolas, Lalanne, Denis · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper provides the most comprehensive mapping to date of research on technology for blind and low-vision (BLV) people published across ACM and IEEE venues between 2010 and 2022. The authors combined quantitative bibliometric methods — specifically documents bibliographic…

  blind and low vision · systematic review · bibliometrics · visual impairment · literature review

• VisPhoto: Photography for People with Visual Impairments via Post-Production of Omnidirectional Camera Imaging

  Naoki Hirabayashi, Masakazu Iwamura, Zheng Cheng, Kazunori Minatani, Koichi Kise · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper introduces VisPhoto, a novel photography system that fundamentally reimagines how people with visual impairments (PVI) take photographs. Rather than helping users aim a conventional camera at a target in real-time (the dominant approach in prior work), VisPhoto…

  visual impairment · blindness · photography · computer vision · object detection

• The Accessibility of Data Visualizations on the Web for Screen Reader Users: Practices and Experiences During COVID-19

  Danyang Fan, Alexa Fay Siu, Hrishikesh Rao, Gene Sung-Ho Kim, Xavier Vazquez, Lucy Greco, Sile O'Modhrain, Sean Follmer · 2023 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This comprehensive mixed-methods study examines data visualization accessibility through three complementary investigations: an accessibility audit of 87 COVID-19 visualizations, an online survey of 127 screen reader users, and contextual inquiry with 12 participants. The…

  data visualization · screen readers · visual impairment · web accessibility · accessibility audit

• 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 iterative design process…

  visual impairment · literacy education · mobile apps · children · screen reader

• Enhancing Blind Visitor's Autonomy in a Science Museum Using an Autonomous Navigation Robot

  Seita Kayukawa, Daisuke Sato, Masayuki Murata, Tatsuya Ishihara, Hironobu Takagi, Shigeo Morishima, Chieko Asakawa · 2023 · Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  Museums have historically struggled to offer blind visitors the same self-directed, exploratory experience that sighted visitors take for granted. Prior solutions — tactile tours, audio guides, or pre-fixed navigation routes — either require a human escort or constrain visitors…

  blind navigation · autonomous navigation robot · museum accessibility · visual impairment · indoor navigation

• PathFinder: Designing a Map-less Navigation System for Blind People in Unfamiliar Buildings

  Masaki Kuribayashi, Tatsuya Ishihara, Daisuke Sato, Jayakorn Vongkulbhisal, Karnik Ram, Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, Shigeo Morishima, Chieko Asakawa · 2023 · Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  Map-based indoor navigation systems for blind travellers (CaBot, NavCog, BLE-beacon apps) work well when a prebuilt map exists, but building and maintaining those maps is labour-intensive and has only been done for a tiny fraction of the world's buildings. Engel et al. reported…

  map-less navigation · blind navigation · indoor navigation · intersection detection · sign recognition

• Understanding the Touchscreen-based Nonvisual Target Acquisition Task Performance of Screen Reader Users

  Hwayeon Joh, Yun Jung Lee, Uran Oh · 2022 · Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2022)

  This study investigates how screen reader users find and select targets on a smartphone touchscreen without visual cues, examining the effects of screen size, target size, and the ratio between them. Twelve participants with visual impairments (three totally blind, three with…

  touchscreen · screen readers · target acquisition · mobile accessibility · visual impairment

• Framework for Experiential Transcoding of Web Pages with Scanpath Trend Analysis

  Idil Ece Trabzon, Furkan Yagiz, Elmas Eda Karadavut, Mahmoud Elhewahey, Sukru Eraslan, Yeliz Yesilada, Simon Harper · 2022 · Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents EXTRA, an automated framework for experiential transcoding of web pages — a technique that restructures web content based on how sighted users actually interact with pages, rather than relying solely on source code analysis. The core problem the authors…

  screen readers · web transcoding · eye tracking · web page segmentation · content reordering

• How and Why We Run: Investigating the Experiences of Blind and Visually-Impaired Runners

  Sidas Saulynas, Mei-Lian Vader, Apoorva Bendigeri, Tristan King, Anirudh Nagraj, Ravi Kuber · 2022 · Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This qualitative study investigates the running experiences of 13 legally blind individuals in the United States, exploring where and how they run, what assistance they use, the challenges they face, and how technology could better support them. Participants ranged from casual…

  blindness · visual impairment · physical activity · assistive technology · wearable technology

• Sounds and (Braille) Cells: Co-Designing Music Technology with Blind and Visually Impaired Musicians

  William Payne · 2022 · Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper outlines a three-phase dissertation addressing the accessibility barriers that blind and visually impaired (BVI) musicians face when using music creation technologies. Music software has democratized composition, production, and songwriting for…

  visual impairment · blindness · music technology · braille music · co-design

• Where Are You Taking Me? Reflections from Observing Ridesharing Use By People with Visual Impairments

  Earl W. Huff Jr., Robin N. Brewer, Julian Brinkley · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents a methodological case study of conducting quasi-naturalistic observations of 17 blind or visually impaired participants using the Uber ridesharing service. Rather than reporting substantive findings about ridesharing accessibility (which are reserved for a…

  visual impairment · ridesharing · transportation accessibility · observation study · mobile accessibility

• Accessible Blockly: An Accessible Block-Based Programming Library for People with Visual Impairments

  Aboubakar Mountapmbeme, Obianuju Okafor, Stephanie Ludi · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents Accessible Blockly, a prototype library that augments Google's Blockly — the open-source library underlying most mainstream block-based programming environments (Scratch, MakeCode, AppInventor) — with keyboard and screen reader interaction capabilities.…

  block-based programming · screen readers · keyboard navigation · blind programmers · computer science education

• Uncovering Visually Impaired Gamers' Preferences for Spatial Awareness Tools Within Video Games

  Vishnu Nair, Shao-en Ma, Ricardo E. Gonzalez Penuela, Yicheng He, Karen Lin, Mason Hayes, Hannah Huddleston, Matthew Donnelly, Brian A. Smith · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper investigates how visually impaired players (VIPs) gain spatial awareness within 3D video games by comparing four leading spatial awareness tool (SAT) approaches. The researchers built Dungeon Escape, a 3D third-person adventure game using Unity, featuring four dungeon…

  game accessibility · visual impairment · blindness · spatial awareness · audio navigation

• Evaluating Haptic Technology in Accessibility of Digital Audio Workstations for Visual Impaired Creatives

  Christina Karpodini · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This doctoral consortium paper proposes a two-stage research programme to make Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) more accessible for musicians with visual impairments through haptic feedback. The author argues that modern music production has become an increasingly visual…

  haptic technology · visual impairment · music accessibility · digital audio workstation · vibrotactile feedback

• VRBubble: Enhancing Peripheral Awareness of Avatars for People with Visual Impairments in Social Virtual Reality

  Tiger F. Ji, Brianna Cochran, Yuhang Zhao · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2022)

  This paper introduces VRBubble, an audio-based interaction technique designed to make social virtual reality environments accessible to people with visual impairments (PVI). While social VR platforms like VRChat and Rec Room are growing rapidly as spaces for remote socialization…

  virtual reality accessibility · visual impairment · spatial audio · proxemics · social interaction