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• Beyond Audio Description: Exploring 360° Video Accessibility with Blind and Low Vision Users Through Collaborative Creation

  Lucy Jiang, Mahika Phutane, Shiri Azenkot · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper investigates how to make 360-degree videos accessible to blind and low vision (BLV) users while preserving their immersive nature — a challenge that goes well beyond simply adding traditional audio description (AD). The researchers conducted a two-part study with 14…

  audio description · 360 video · video accessibility · blind and low vision · co-design

• The Guide Has Your Back: Exploring How Sighted Guides Can Enhance Accessibility in Social Virtual Reality for Blind and Low Vision People

  Jazmin Collins, Crescentia Jung, Yeonju Jang, Danielle Montour, Andrea Stevenson Won, Shiri Azenkot · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper presents the first exploration of using sighted guides to enhance accessibility in social virtual reality for blind and low vision (BLV) people. The researchers built a VR prototype in Unity deployed on Meta Quest 2 headsets, featuring three simulated park…

  virtual reality · social VR · blind and low vision · sighted guide · navigation

• Understanding Challenges and Opportunities in Body Movement Education of People who are Blind or have Low Vision

  Madhuka De Silva, Sarah Goodwin, Leona Holloway, Matthew Butler · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper provides a comprehensive investigation of the challenges and opportunities in teaching body movement — including dance, sports, martial arts, yoga, and fitness — to people who are blind or have low vision (BLV). The researchers conducted a three-phase study:…

  blind and low vision · body movement · education · dance · sports

• The Potential of a Visual Dialogue Agent In a Tandem Automated Audio Description System for Videos

  Abigale Stangl, Shasta Ihorn, Yue-Ting Siu, Aditya Bodi, Mar Castanon, Lothar D Narins, Ilmi Yoon · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper presents and evaluates a tandem AI-based audio description (AD) system for videos that combines two complementary tools: NarrationBot, which delivers automated minimum viable descriptions (MVD) of video content, and InfoBot, a visual dialogue agent that allows users…

  audio description · blind and low vision · visual question answering · visual dialogue · AI

• Comparing Natural Language and Vibro-Audio Modalities for Inclusive STEM Learning with Blind and Low Vision Users

  Justin R. Brown, Stacy A. Doore, Justin K. Dimmel, Norbert Giudice, Nicholas A. Giudice · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This study evaluates a multimodal touchscreen diagram system (MDS v 2.0) built on an iPhone that provides blind and low vision (BLV) users with two non-visual methods for accessing graphical STEM content: natural language (NL) descriptions delivered via VoiceOver text-to-speech,…

  blind and low vision · STEM accessibility · data visualization · haptic technology · multimodal interaction

• Understanding Digital Content Creation Needs of Blind and Low Vision People

  Lotus Zhang, Simon Sun, Leah Findlater · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This mixed-method study investigates the digital content creation needs, interests, and experiences of blind and low vision (BLV) people through a large-scale survey (N=165) and follow-up interviews (N=15). The research addresses a gap in accessibility research, which has…

  blind and low vision · content creation · creativity · digital accessibility · screen readers

• AudioQ: A Debugging Extension for Visually Impaired Developers

  Sehej Kumar, Shreyas Kotla · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This extended abstract presents AudioQ, a Visual Studio Code extension designed to improve the debugging experience for visually impaired software developers. The extension addresses a specific gap in current accessibility tools: while screen readers can read code and error…

  software development · blind and low vision · screen readers · debugging · IDE accessibility

• 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

• Azimuth: Designing Accessible Dashboards for Screen Reader Users

  Srinivasan, Arjun, Harshbarger, Tim, Hilliker, Darrell, Mankoff, Jennifer · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents Azimuth, a prototype system that converts JSON-based dashboard specifications into web-based dashboards optimized for screen reader navigation, accompanied by automatically generated textual descriptions to support comprehension and interaction. Dashboards —…

  data visualization · screen readers · dashboards · blind and low vision · co-design

• Understanding Curators' Practices and Challenge of Making Exhibitions More Accessible for People with Visual Impairments

  Huang, Yuru, Zhang, Jingling, Jin, Xiaofu, Fan, Mingming · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper examines exhibition accessibility from the perspective of curators — a stakeholder group that plays a critical role in making museums and galleries accessible but has been largely overlooked in accessibility research. Through semi-structured interviews with 22…

  museum accessibility · blind and low vision · curators · assistive technology · exhibition design

• Cripping Data Visualizations: Crip Technoscience as a Critical Lens for Designing Digital Access

  Stacy Hsueh, Beatrice Vincenzi, Akshata Murdeshwar, Marianela Ciolfi Felice · 2023 · ASSETS 2023: The 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper applies crip technoscience as a critical, generative framework for rethinking how accessible data visualizations are designed. The authors argue that current approaches to visualization accessibility largely treat access as a technical problem to be solved by…

  data visualization · crip technoscience · crip theory · blind and low vision · speculative design

• Multimodal 3D printed urban maps for blind people. Evaluations and scientific investigations

  Malgorzata Telesinska · 2023 · ASSETS 2023: The 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This poster paper presents a multimodal 3D printed urban map prototype that embeds capacitive touch sensors directly into the map body to provide location-specific audio descriptions when touched. The research, conducted at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland,…

  tactile maps · 3D printing · blind and low vision · multimodal interaction · audio-tactile

• Speaking with My Screen Reader: Using Audio Fictions to Explore Conversational Access to Interfaces

  Mahika Phutane, Crescentia Jung, Niu Chen, Shiri Azenkot · 2023 · ASSETS 2023: The 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper explores whether and how human-like conversational assistants could extend the screen reader experience for blind and low vision (BLV) users. Current screen readers provide linear, impersonal access to interfaces through keyboard-driven cursor navigation and…

  screen readers · conversational agents · blind and low vision · design fiction · voice assistants

• A Case for Improving the Accessibility of Electrical and Computer Engineering Education -- Starting with a Blind Student's Autoethnography

  Trisha Kulkarni, Gene S-H Kim, Aya Mouallem · 2023 · ASSETS 2023: The 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This short paper presents an autoethnographic account of Trisha Kulkarni, the first blind student to complete the introductory electrical and computer engineering (ECE) and making course (E40M) at Stanford University. The course is a required eight-to-ten-week course for…

  STEM accessibility · electrical engineering · blind and low vision · autoethnography · higher education

• Understanding Strategies and Challenges of Conducting Daily Data Analysis (DDA) Among Blind and Low-vision People

  Chutian Jiang, Wentao Lei, Emily Kuang, Teng Han, Mingming Fan · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper investigates how blind and low-vision (BLV) people perform what the authors term Daily Data Analysis (DDA) — the common, everyday tasks of analyzing and deriving insights from data such as splitting expenses, computing stock portfolio changes, and calculating…

  blind and low vision · data accessibility · screen readers · spreadsheets · data analysis

• Understanding Peer-to-Peer Instructional Support in an Online Community for Blind Audio Producers

  Abir Saha, Darren Gergle, Anne Marie Piper · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper examines how blind and low-vision audio producers seek and provide instructional support through an online text-based Q&A mailing list community centered around using Logic Pro, a professional digital audio workstation (DAW), with the VoiceOver screen reader. The…

  screen readers · blind and low vision · audio production · peer support · online communities

• Playing with Feeling: Exploring Vibrotactile Feedback and Aesthetic Experiences for Developing Haptic Wearables for Blind and Low Vision Music Learning

  Leon Lu, Jin Kang, Chase Crispin, Audrey Girouard · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper explores how musical haptic wearables (MHWs) using vibrotactile feedback can support music learning for blind and low-vision (BLV) people, and investigates the role of material aesthetics in shaping the user experience of such devices. The researchers conducted five…

  blind and low vision · assistive technology · haptic feedback · vibrotactile · music learning

• Toward supporting quality alt text in computing publications

  Candace Williams, Lilian de Greef, Ed Harris, Leah Findlater, Amy Pavel, Cynthia Bennett · 2022 · Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates the state of alternative text for figures in computing research publications, an understudied context where figures often convey dense, complex visual information quite different from social media or news imagery. The researchers conducted two…

  alternative text · scientific figures · data visualization · screen readers · document accessibility

• 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

• A Dataset of Alt Texts from HCI Publications: Analyses and Uses Towards Producing More Descriptive Alt Texts of Data Visualizations in Scientific Papers

  Sanjana Shivani Chintalapati, Jonathan Bragg, Lucy Lu Wang · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper examines the quality and availability of alt text for data visualizations in scientific publications, focusing on papers from the HCI and accessibility communities (CHI and ASSETS conferences, 2010-2020). The authors processed over 25,000 paper PDFs and found that…

  alt text · data visualization · scientific documents · blind and low vision · document accessibility

• Lessons Learned from Designing, Deploying and Testing an Accessible BLE Beacon-based Wayfinding System in a Multi-Floor Indoor Environment

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

  This paper documents the practical guidelines and design decisions involved in deploying a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon-based indoor wayfinding system in a three-story college campus building. The system builds on GuideBeacon, a previously developed proximity-based indoor…

  indoor navigation · wayfinding · BLE beacon · blind and low vision · mobile accessibility

• Diffscriber: Describing Visual Design Changes to Support Mixed-Ability Collaborative Presentation Authoring

  Yi-Hao Peng, Jason Wu, Jeffrey Bigham, Amy Pavel · 2022 · Proceedings of the 35th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST)

  This paper presents Diffscriber, a system that identifies and describes visual design changes made to slide presentations, enabling blind and visually impaired (BVI) presenters to meaningfully participate in collaborative slide authoring with sighted collaborators. The research…

  blind and low vision · mixed-ability collaboration · presentation accessibility · authoring tools · screen readers

• Distance Meetings During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Are Video Conferencing Tools Accessible for Blind People?

  Barbara Leporini, Marina Buzzi, Marion Hersh · 2021 · Proceedings of the 18th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper evaluates the accessibility of three major video conferencing platforms — Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams — for blind users who rely on screen readers and keyboard navigation. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic when video conferencing became essential for…

  screen readers · video conferencing · blind and low vision · keyboard accessibility · COVID-19

• COVID-19 Highlights the Issues Facing Blind and Visually Impaired People in Accessing Data on the Web

  Alexa F. Siu, Danyang Fan, Gene S-H Kim, Hrishikesh V. Rao, Xavier Vazquez, Sile O'Modhrain, Sean Follmer · 2021 · Proceedings of the 18th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This mixed-methods study examines how blind and visually impaired (BVI) people experienced accessing data-driven information on the web during the COVID-19 pandemic — a period when data visualizations such as infection curves, maps of hotspots, and trend charts became central to…

  data visualization · blind and low vision · web accessibility · COVID-19 · screen readers

• Interdependent Variables: Remotely Designing Tactile Graphics for an Accessible Workflow

  Lilian de Greef, Dominik Moritz, Cynthia Bennett · 2021 · Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This experience report documents how a team of blind and sighted colleagues at Apple created an accessible collaborative workflow for a data visualization research project. Rather than focusing on making end products accessible, the paper addresses the less-explored challenge of…

  tactile graphics · blind and low vision · data visualization · collaboration · accessible workflow