"I just went into it assuming that I wouldn't be able to have the full experience": Understanding the Accessibility of Virtual Reality for People with Limited Mobility
Martez Mott, John Tang, Shaun Kane, Edward Cutrell, Meredith Ringel Morris · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020) · doi:10.1145/3373625.3416998
Summary
This paper presents the first in-depth investigation of VR accessibility for people with limited mobility, a population largely overlooked in VR research that has focused primarily on rehabilitation applications rather than mainstream consumer VR use. Through semi-structured interviews with 16 people with limited mobility (conditions including muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, and others; 13 male, 3 female; mean age 35.6; 9 in-person, 7 remote), the researchers identified seven physical accessibility barriers that span the entire VR experience. The study used a combination of video elicitation (three 2.5-minute videos showing HP Mixed Reality setup, object manipulation with dual controllers, and voice commands) for all participants, plus hands-on trials with the Oculus Rift S for 7 in-person participants using applications including Oculus First Contact, AltspaceVR, and Google Earth VR. Participants had diverse mobility limitations affecting their heads, arms, hands, and/or legs, with self-reported impairments including slow movements, spasms, low strength, tremor, poor coordination, rapid fatigue, difficulty gripping, difficulty holding, lack of sensation, and difficulty controlling direction and distance.
Key findings
Seven accessibility barriers were identified. (1) Setting up a VR system: fine motor tasks like plugging cables, inserting batteries, and defining play boundaries were challenging — one participant noted the play boundary setup looked "hazardous" given their jerky movements and limited stamina. (2) Putting on and taking off VR HMDs: headset weight was a major factor; one participant described it as "kind of wrestle it on." P4-R stated "I can't do any of that myself" and only uses VR when someone else is home. (3) Adjusting the HMD head strap: the adjustment knob on the back of the headset was unreachable for many and interfered with wheelchair headrests. P4-R had to remove his wheelchair headrest or transfer to a couch to use VR. Participants suggested relocating knobs to the front/sides or auto-tightening mechanisms. (4) Cord management: tethered HMD cords risked entanglement with wheelchair wheels, tripping for people with balance issues, and restricted movement — "How on earth am I supposed to do some of these more active games?" (5) Manipulating dual motion controllers: using two controllers simultaneously was impossible for some ("I can only use one hand for the controller") and coordinating simultaneous two-handed tasks like rotating objects was inaccessible. One wheelchair user noted that both hands were needed — one for the controller, one for the wheelchair joystick. (6) Inaccessible controller buttons: controllers were too small, buttons too close together (causing accidental simultaneous presses), surfaces too smooth for users with poor grip, and press-and-hold interactions especially problematic. P3-IP put medical tape on controllers to locate buttons. (7) Maintaining controller view: inside-out tracking requires controllers to remain in view of headset cameras, but holding arms elevated for extended periods was exhausting or impossible for people who rest their arms on wheelchair armrests. Participants suggested alternative inputs including the Xbox Adaptive Controller, switches, Velcro-mounted controls placed near the abdomen, voice commands (with accuracy concerns), gaze input, and multimodal combinations ("controller for one hand and voice for the other hand").
Relevance
This paper is essential reading as VR moves from niche gaming toward mainstream applications in work, education, and social connection — especially post-COVID. The seven barriers provide a comprehensive audit framework for VR hardware and software designers. The discussion introduces four powerful design strategies: (1) Design for Interdependence — rather than assuming solo use, support collaborative setup where another person helps while maintaining the user's sense of agency; (2) Design for Customization — enable alternative controllers, button remapping, and ability-based interface adaptation; (3) Design for Diversity — recognize that many of these barriers affect people without disabilities too (reaching behind the head is uncomfortable for anyone), so accessibility improvements benefit all users; (4) Ability-Based Design — apply five principles (adaptation, transparency, performance, context, commodity) to VR systems. The title quote — "I just went into it assuming that I wouldn't be able to have the full experience" — captures the resigned expectation of exclusion that disabled people bring to emerging technologies. Limitations include the small sample (especially 3 female participants), only 4 with prior VR experience, and the focus on physical hardware barriers rather than software/content barriers.
Tags: virtual reality · motor accessibility · physical disability · ability assumptions · inclusive design · input methods · wheelchair accessibility · emerging technology