"It's Just Part of Me:" Understanding Avatar Diversity and Self-presentation of People with Disabilities in Social Virtual Reality
Kexin Zhang, Elmira Deldari, Zhicong Lu, Yaxing Yao, Yuhang Zhao · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22) · doi:10.1145/3517428.3544829
Summary
This paper investigates how people with disabilities (PWD) perceive, design, and use avatars for self-presentation and disability disclosure in social virtual reality (VR) platforms. The researchers employed a two-part methodology: first, a systematic review of 15 popular commercial social VR applications (including VRChat, Rec Room, Horizon Worlds, and AltspaceVR) to evaluate their avatar diversity and accessibility support; second, in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 participants who had visual impairments (8 participants), were d/Deaf or hard of hearing (9 participants), or had multiple disabilities (2 participants). The application review revealed that disability representation in avatars was extremely limited across mainstream social VR platforms. Only Meta Avatars offered disability-related features, and those were restricted to hearing devices (cochlear implants and hearing aids) for d/Deaf and hard of hearing users. No platforms provided avatar features representing visual impairments, mobility disabilities, or other conditions. Accessibility features for the avatar customization process itself were also minimal, with no platforms offering screen reader support or alternative text for avatar design interfaces. The interview study explored how participants navigated these limitations while trying to represent themselves authentically in social VR spaces.
Key findings
The study identified a spectrum of disability disclosure strategies rather than a simple disclose-or-hide binary. Participants' approaches included: reflecting their full physical self including disability features (17 of 19 participants); selectively disclosing certain disabilities based on visibility or personal attachment; reflecting changes in ability over time for those with acquired or progressive conditions; presenting a capable self to counter bias; using disability as a tool for education and advocacy; and choosing to present a different self not defined by disability. Context mattered significantly — some participants disclosed only to known audiences, while others used VR as a safer space for disclosure compared to other social media. The embodied nature of social VR made participants more willing to disclose disabilities via avatars compared to 2D platforms. DHH participants had substantially richer avatar experiences than VI participants, partly because some VR platforms supported hearing device features while none supported visual impairment representation. Three Deaf participants created specialized sign avatars for VR-ASL in VRChat, reprogramming hand gestures to enable sign language communication. VI participants faced severe accessibility barriers — VR platforms lacked screen reader support, text was too small, and the visual-driven customization process was largely inaccessible to blind users.
Relevance
This research has direct implications for anyone designing virtual environments, metaverse platforms, or avatar systems. It demonstrates that disability representation in virtual spaces is not just about adding assistive device options to avatar creators — it requires understanding the nuanced ways people with disabilities manage their identity and disclosure preferences across different social contexts. The finding that most platforms offer virtually no disability-related avatar features highlights a significant gap in inclusive design. For accessibility practitioners, the study underscores that VR accessibility extends beyond basic platform access to include self-representation and identity expression. The documented barriers faced by visually impaired users in avatar customization — lack of screen reader support, insufficient descriptions, inaccessible interfaces — mirror broader accessibility failures in emerging technologies. The paper's design implications, including automated avatar generation from photos, fine-grained assistive device customization, support for invisible disabilities, and closed captioning in VR, offer a practical roadmap for more inclusive virtual platforms.
Tags: social virtual reality · avatars · disability disclosure · self-presentation · deaf and hard of hearing · visual impairments · identity · inclusive design · virtual worlds