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• SoundWatch: Exploring Smartwatch-based Deep Learning Approaches to Support Sound Awareness for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users

  Dhruv Jain, Hung Ngo, Pratyush Patel, Steven Goodman, Leah Findlater, Jon Froehlich · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '20)

  This paper presents SoundWatch, a smartwatch-based sound awareness system that uses deep learning to classify environmental sounds in real time and provide visual and haptic notifications to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) users. The research addresses the finding from prior…

  deaf accessibility · hard of hearing · sound awareness · deep learning · wearable technology

• Web-ALAP: A Web-based LaTeX Editor for Blind Individuals

  Safa Arooj, Shaban Zulfiqar, Muhammad Qasim Hunain, Suleman Shahid, Asim Karim · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '20)

  This paper presents Web-ALAP (Web-Accessible LaTeX-based Authoring and Presentation), an open-source, web-based LaTeX editor designed specifically for blind and visually impaired users. The system addresses a critical gap in STEM accessibility: while LaTeX is widely used in…

  blindness · STEM accessibility · mathematics accessibility · screen readers · web accessibility

• Designing and Evaluating Head-based Pointing on Smartphones for People with Motor Impairments

  Muratcan Cicek, Ankit Dave, Wenxin Feng, Michael Xuelin Huang, Julia Katherine Haines, Jeffry Nichols · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '20)

  This paper presents a calibration-free head-based pointing (HBP) system for Android smartphones that uses the standard front-facing camera to enable people with motor impairments to control an on-screen cursor through head movements. The system was designed by a team including…

  motor accessibility · head tracking · alternative input · mobile accessibility · Fitts law

• A Portable Hong Kong Sign Language Translation Platform with Deep Learning and Jetson Nano

  Zhenxing Zhou, Yisiang Neo, King-Shan Lui, Vincent W.L. Tam, Edmund Y. Lam, Ngai Wong · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents a portable platform for translating Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) into spoken language using deep learning and edge computing hardware. The system addresses a significant communication gap: Hong Kong has over 155,000 deaf or hard of hearing…

  sign language recognition · deep learning · edge computing · mobile accessibility · deaf and hard of hearing

• Navigating Graduate School with a Disability

  Dhruv Jain, Venkatesh Potluri, Ather Sharif · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '20)

  This paper presents a three-person autoethnography by computer science Ph.D. students at the University of Washington, each with a different disability: Dhruv Jain (hard of hearing, congenital bilateral sensorineural hearing loss), Venkatesh Potluri (congenitally blind with…

  education accessibility · disability identity · autoethnography · accommodation · STEM accessibility

• Comparing Accessibility Evaluation Plug-ins

  Tânia Frazão, Carlos Duarte · 2020 · Proceedings of the 17th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from the University of Lisbon systematically compares eight free Chrome browser extensions for automated accessibility evaluation: Microsoft Accessibility Insights, ACCESS Assistant Community, ARC Toolkit, aXe Chrome Plugin, Lighthouse, Tenon Check, TotalValidator,…

  automated testing · accessibility testing · WCAG · web accessibility · evaluation tools

• Creating Accessible Online Floor Plans for Visually Impaired Readers

  Anuradha Madugalla, Kim Marriott, Simone Marinai, Samuele Capobianco, Cagatay Goncu · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a generic model for converting online graphics—specifically house floor plans—into accessible formats for blind and severely vision-impaired users. The model supports both fully automatic and semi-automatic transcription, allowing sighted users to correct…

  visual impairment · blindness · floor plans · tactile graphics · image recognition

• Experimental Analysis of a Spatialised Audio Interface for People with Visual Impairments

  Jacobus C. Lock, Iain D. Gilchrist, Grzegorz Cielniak, Nicola Bellotto · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper evaluates a spatialised audio interface designed to help people with visual impairments find objects in indoor environments. Part of the ActiVis project, the system uses a Google Project Tango mobile device with RGB-D cameras for localization and Aftershokz…

  visual impairment · blindness · navigation · spatial audio · bone conduction

• Socio-Technical Aspirations for Children with Special Needs: A Study in Two Locations – India and Finland

  Sumita Sharma, Krishnaveni Achary, Saurabh Srivastava, Blessin Varkey, Jaakko Hakulinen, Markku Turunen · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This cross-cultural qualitative study proposes extending Boujarwah et al.'s three-part framework for assistive technology design by adding a fourth dimension: socio-technical aspirations. The authors define this as "individual- or community-driven ambition and desire to own or…

  assistive technology design · cross-cultural research · special education · autism · ADHD

• VectorEntry: Text Entry Mechanism Using Handheld Touch-Enabled Mobile Devices for People with Visual Impairments

  Debasis Samanta, Tuhin Chakraborty · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This research develops VectorEntry, a gesture-based text entry system for touchscreen mobile devices designed specifically for people with visual impairments. The authors conducted two preliminary studies to understand how users with visual impairments perform directional…

  visual impairment · blindness · text entry · mobile accessibility · touchscreen

• O&M Indoor Virtual Environments for People Who Are Blind: A Systematic Literature Review

  Agebson Rocha Façanha, Ticianne Darin, Windson Viana, Jaime Sánchez · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This systematic literature review examines virtual environments designed to support indoor orientation and mobility (O&M) training for people who are blind. The authors analyzed 51 papers describing 32 distinct O&M virtual environments, filtering from an initial pool of 987…

  orientation and mobility · O&M training · virtual environments · blindness · visual impairment

• Use of an Indoor Navigation System by Sighted and Blind Travelers: Performance Similarities across Visual Status and Age

  Nicholas A. Giudice, Benjamin A. Guenther, Toni M. Kaplan, Shane M. Anderson, Robert J. Knuesel, Joseph F. Cioffi · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study evaluates an indoor navigation system using commercial iOS devices and Bluetooth beacons to guide blind and visually impaired (BVI) travelers through complex university buildings. The research compared two navigation conditions: a system-aided mode where participants…

  indoor navigation · blind and low vision · wayfinding · Bluetooth beacons · older adults

• Computer Vision-based Methodology to Support AAC

  Rúbia Eliza de Oliveira Schultz Ascari, Roberto Pereira, Luciano Silva · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a methodology for supporting augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) through personalized gestural interaction using computer vision and machine learning. The authors developed the PGCA (Personal Gesture Communication Assistant) system, which enables…

  AAC · augmentative and alternative communication · computer vision · machine learning · gesture recognition

• Spotlights and Soundscapes: On the Design of Mixed Reality Auditory Environments for Persons with Visual Impairment

  Keenan R. May, Brianna J. Tomlinson, Xiaomeng Ma, Phillip Roberts, Bruce N. Walker · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper explores the design of information-rich mixed reality (MR) auditory environments to help people with visual impairments form cognitive maps of unfamiliar indoor spaces. The research contrasts two approaches: soundscapes, where virtual objects in all directions emit…

  mixed reality · spatial audio · auditory display · cognitive maps · indoor navigation

• Design Guidelines and Recommendations for Multimodal, Touchscreen-based Graphics

  Jenna L. Gorlewicz, Jennifer L. Tennison, Hari Prasath Palani, Nicholas A. Giudice · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents comprehensive design guidelines for creating accessible graphics on touchscreen devices using vibration and audio feedback for people with visual impairments. Drawing on over eight years of research, the authors address a critical gap: while touchscreen…

  tactile graphics · touchscreen accessibility · haptic feedback · multimodal interaction · STEM accessibility

• X-Road: Virtual Reality Glasses for Orientation and Mobility Training of People with Visual Impairments

  Lauren Thevin, Carine Briant, Anke M. Brock · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents X-Road, an affordable and accessible virtual reality system designed for Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training of students with visual impairments. O&M classes teach essential navigation skills like crossing streets, but real-world training poses risks from…

  virtual reality · orientation and mobility · visual impairment · spatial cognition · accessible VR

• Design Guidelines for an Interactive 3D Model as a Supporting Tool for Exploring a Cultural Site by Visually Impaired and Sighted People

  Barbara Leporini, Valentina Rossetti, Francesco Furfari, Susanna Pelagatti, Andrea Quarta · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a methodology for creating low-cost interactive 3D printed models combined with audio descriptions to enable both visually impaired and sighted people to explore cultural heritage sites autonomously. The prototype reproduces Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy…

  3D printing · tactile graphics · cultural heritage · museum accessibility · audio description

• Reviewing Speech Input with Audio: Differences between Blind and Sighted Users

  Jonggi Hong, Christine Vaing, Hernisa Kacorri, Leah Findlater · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper investigates how blind users identify automatic speech recognition (ASR) errors when reviewing dictated text through audio only—a critical yet understudied aspect of speech-based text entry. While speech input is a primary interaction method for blind mobile users…

  speech recognition · ASR errors · screen readers · text entry · blind users

• Tactile Working Memory Capacity of Users Who Are Blind in an Electronic Travel Aid Application with a Vibration Belt

  Jan B. F. van Erp, Katja I. Paul, Tina Mioch · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper investigates the tactile working memory capacity of users who are blind when using a vibrotactile belt for electronic travel aid (ETA) applications. ETAs that display obstacle information through vibration belts require users to integrate multiple tactile cues over…

  electronic travel aids · vibrotactile feedback · working memory · tactile displays · navigation

• Exploring the Needs, Preferences, and Concerns of Persons with Visual Impairments Regarding Autonomous Vehicles

  Julian Brinkley, Earl W. Huff, Briana Posadas, Julia Woodward, Shaundra B. Daily, Juan E. Gilbert · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents two complementary studies exploring the needs, preferences, and concerns of people with visual impairments regarding autonomous vehicles—a technology that could fundamentally transform mobility for those who cannot drive conventional vehicles. Study 1 was a…

  autonomous vehicles · self-driving cars · visual impairment · mobility · transportation accessibility

• An Epidemiology-inspired Large-scale Analysis of Android App Accessibility

  Anne Spencer Ross, Xiaoyi Zhang, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents the largest analysis of Android app accessibility to date, testing 9,999 free apps from the Rico repository for seven distinct accessibility barriers. Drawing on epidemiological methods, the authors frame accessibility barriers as "diseases" affecting the app…

  mobile accessibility · Android · TalkBack · screen readers · automated testing

• A Comparison of Touchscreen and Mouse for Real-World and Abstract Tasks with Older Adults

  Sung-Hee Kim, Kailun Zhang, Joanna McGrenere, Kellogg S. Booth, Claudia Jacova · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study investigates whether input device choice (touchscreen vs. mouse) affects performance on computerized cognitive tests for older adults, with implications for the C-TOC (Cognitive Testing on Computer) project developing self-administered online cognitive screening. As…

  older adults · aging · touchscreen · input devices · cognitive testing

• Mental Maps and the Use of Sensory Information by Blind and Partially Sighted People

  Marion Hersh · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This qualitative study addresses a significant gap in understanding how blind and partially sighted people form and use spatial representations (mental maps) during real-world travel. Through semi-structured interviews with 100 participants across five countries (France, Italy,…

  blindness · low vision · orientation and mobility · wayfinding · cognitive maps

• Critical Reflections on Technology to Support Physical Activity among Older Adults: An Exploration of Leading HCI Venues

  Kathrin Gerling, Mo Ray, Vero Vanden Abeele, Adam B. Evans · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This critical review examines how "active ageing" policy discourse has influenced HCI research on technology supporting physical activity for older adults. Through a structured search of leading HCI venues (1997-2017), the authors identified 22 papers representing 18 unique…

  older adults · aging · physical activity · active ageing · exergames

• Rescribe: Authoring and Automatically Editing Audio Descriptions

  Amy Pavel, Gabriel Reyes, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2020 · Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST '20)

  This paper introduces Rescribe, a tool that helps authors create and refine audio descriptions for videos. Audio descriptions make video content accessible to blind and visually impaired viewers by narrating important visual information during gaps in the existing audio track. A…

  audio description · video accessibility · blind and low vision · NLP · sentence compression