AudioDraw: User Preferences in Non-Visual Diagram Drawing for Touchscreens
William Grussenmeyer, Eelke Folmer · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A) · doi:10.1145/2899475.2899483
Summary
This paper investigates how people who are blind can independently create visual diagrams on touchscreen tablets, addressing a significant gap in accessibility. Diagram-building features in productivity tools like MS Word, PowerPoint, and UML editors are largely inaccessible because they rely on point-and-click mouse interactions with constant visual feedback. An online survey of 32 people with visual impairments revealed that approximately 90% are asked to create diagrams at least a few times during school, with examples spanning math, science, computer science, and visual arts. When unable to create diagrams independently, respondents reported being excused from the task (56.7% in school, 50% at work) or having sighted assistants draw while they described the diagram verbally. About 31% had avoided taking classes due to diagram requirements. The researchers developed an iPad app (AudioDraw) through two iterative design cycles. The first prototype focused on geometry, allowing users to place circles, rectangles, and triangles by specifying properties through touch gestures on a Cartesian coordinate system. Based on initial feedback from two blind testers, a revised prototype replaced the coordinate system with compass directions (north, south, east, etc.) relative to the screen centre, used pre-defined shape sizes for simplicity, and added the ability to reposition shapes and change their orientation after placement. The app provides text-to-speech feedback throughout interaction — speaking compass directions, distances from centre, shape dimensions, and orientation as users drag and manipulate objects.
Key findings
A design probe study with 8 visually impaired participants (ages 33-58, 3 early blind, 5 later blind) showed strong enthusiasm for touchscreen diagram creation. On 5-point Likert scales, participants rated gestures and screen layout highest (M=4.63, SD=0.63), followed by compass directions (M=4.13, SD=0.64), positioning technique (M=4.0, SD=0.93), spatial layout of the screen (M=3.88, SD=0.35), and direction facing technique (M=3.63, SD=1.19). The inches information was rated lowest (M=3.13, SD=0.99), with some participants preferring the tactile feel of the screen itself for gauging distance. Participants identified several desired features for future development: resizing shapes by dragging edges, connecting shapes to form complex diagrams (like Venn diagrams), adding lines with arrows and labels between shapes, bimanual two-finger interaction for simultaneous placement, and 3D shapes. One participant noted the app could benefit people with dyslexia through its directional TTS feedback. Several participants requested additional tactile feedback including tactile grids overlaid on the screen and integration with braille displays. Participants strongly felt that diagram creation makes touchscreens more accessible and inclusive.
Relevance
This research highlights a frequently overlooked accessibility barrier: the inability of blind users to create — not just consume — visual diagrams. While much accessibility research focuses on making existing visual content accessible through descriptions or tactile formats, this work empowers blind users as diagram authors, supporting independence in education and employment. The survey data documenting how often blind students are simply excused from diagram tasks is striking — these exclusions represent lost learning opportunities and reduced educational quality. The compass direction approach for spatial positioning is an elegant solution that leverages orientation and mobility training that many blind people already have. For accessibility practitioners, this work demonstrates that touchscreens, often considered inherently visual, can be made deeply accessible for creative and productive tasks beyond simple navigation. The iterative design process with blind users yielded insights that would never emerge from standards compliance alone.
Tags: blindness · touchscreen accessibility · diagram creation · non-visual interaction · STEM accessibility · assistive technology · design probe · user-centred design