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• AccessibleNews DAISY: Newspapers in DAISY

  Gaurang Kanvinde, Saurabh Gupta · 2011 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents AccessibleNews DAISY, software developed by Accessible Systems in Mumbai, India, that automatically converts web-based newspaper and magazine content into DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) digital talking books. The authors identify that while the…

  DAISY · blind and low vision · assistive technology · news accessibility · digital talking books

• Accessibility Approach to Adopting Web Technologies

  Neil King, Damien McCormack · 2011 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents findings from a comprehensive Australian Government-commissioned study by Vision Australia into the accessibility of the PDF format for people with disabilities. The three-phase research combined user consultation (focus groups with blind and low vision…

  PDF accessibility · assistive technology · blind and low vision · screen readers · document accessibility

• HapticRiaMaps: Towards Interactive Exploration of Web World Maps for the Visually Impaired

  Nikolaos Kaklanis, Konstantinos Votis, Panagiotis Moschonas, Dimitrios Tzovaras · 2011 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents HapticRiaMaps, a free open-source web application from the Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH) in Greece that makes online 2D maps accessible to visually impaired users through haptic force feedback and audio sonification. The system retrieves…

  blind and low vision · haptic technology · accessible maps · sonification · multimodal interaction

• Farfalla Project: Browser-Based Accessibility Solutions

  Andrea Mangiatordi, Harpreet Singh Sareen · 2011 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents Farfalla, a free and open-source project from the University of Milano Bicocca that provides cloud-based assistive technology through the browser, eliminating the need for locally installed software. The core insight is that traditional AT is deeply tied to…

  assistive technology · cloud computing · web accessibility · accessibility tools · browser extension

• Evaluation of Haptic HTML Mappings Derived from a Novel Methodology

  Ravi Kuber, Wai Yu, Sile O'Modhrain · 2011 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation of haptic HTML mappings designed to help blind users navigate web pages using a Logitech Wingman force-feedback mouse. The research builds on a novel five-step participatory design methodology that actively involved blind users in…

  haptic feedback · force-feedback · blind users · web accessibility · assistive technology

• Stroke Therapy through Motion-Based Games: A Case Study

  Gazihan Alankus, Rachel Proffitt, Caitlin Kelleher, Jack Engsberg · 2011 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This case study explores the long-term home use of motion-based video games for stroke rehabilitation—an area where prior research focused mainly on clinical settings or short-term evaluations. The participant was a 62-year-old woman with hemiparesis (partial paralysis on one…

  stroke rehabilitation · motor impairment · game-based therapy · motion sensing · hemiparesis

• Ability-Based Design: Concept, Principles and Examples

  Jacob O. Wobbrock, Shaun K. Kane, Krzysztof Z. Gajos, Susumu Harada, Jon Froehlich · 2011 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This foundational paper introduces ability-based design as a paradigm shift in accessible computing—moving focus from what users cannot do (disability) to what they can do (ability). The authors argue that traditional approaches like assistive technology place the burden of…

  ability-based design · universal design · inclusive design · adaptive interfaces · motor impairment

• What the Disability Community Can Teach Us About Interactive Crowdsourcing

  Jeffrey P. Bigham, Richard E. Ladner · 2011 · Interactions

  This short forum article argues that the disability community has been practicing interactive crowdsourcing long before the term became mainstream in computing, and that mainstream crowdsourcing systems have much to learn from these experiences. The authors trace how people with…

  crowdsourcing · assistive technology · disability community · visual question answering · sign language interpreting

• The Design of Human-Powered Access Technology

  Jeffrey P. Bigham, Richard E. Ladner, Yevgen Borodin · 2011 · Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper presents a comprehensive framework of 13 design dimensions for evaluating and comparing human-powered access technology — systems that use human assistance, facilitated by technology, to overcome accessibility barriers that automation alone cannot solve. The authors…

  human computation · crowdsourcing · assistive technology · accessibility framework · design principles

• Supporting Blind Photography

  Chandrika Jayant, Hanjie Ji, Samuel White, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2011 · ASSETS '11: The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper explores how blind and low-vision people use cameras and presents two applications designed to make photography more accessible. The research begins with a large-scale online survey of 118 blind and low-vision people that establishes the empirical foundation for the…

  blind users · low vision · photography · computer vision · mobile accessibility

• An Integrated System for Blind Day-to-Day Life Autonomy

  Hugo Fernandes, José Faria, Hugo Paredes, João Barroso · 2011 · Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This demonstration paper presents nav4b, an integrated system designed to support the day-to-day autonomy of blind people by combining indoor/outdoor navigation guidance with object recognition in a single platform. Unlike existing solutions that require users to carry multiple…

  blindness · navigation · RFID · object recognition · white cane

• Providing Haptic Feedback Using the Kinect

  Brandon T. Shrewsbury · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This poster paper presents a system that combines the Microsoft Kinect depth camera with a custom haptic glove to provide spatial awareness to people who are blind or visually impaired. The research addresses a gap in existing mobility aids: while canes detect obstacles within a…

  haptic technology · sensory substitution · blindness and low vision · assistive technology · depth camera

• Analyzing Visual Questions from Visually Impaired Users

  Erin L. Brady · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This doctoral consortium paper presents an analysis of the types of visual questions that visually impaired users ask through VizWiz, a mobile phone application that provides near-realtime answers to visual questions. VizWiz allows users to take a photo with their phone, speak a…

  blindness and low vision · crowdsourcing · computer vision · mobile accessibility · visual question answering

• TypeInBraille: A Braille-Based Typing Application for Touchscreen Devices

  Sergio Mascetti, Cristian Bernareggi, Matteo Belotti · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents TypeInBraille, a novel text entry application for touchscreen smartphones that allows blind users to type using Braille code rather than the standard on-screen QWERTY keyboard. While screen readers like VoiceOver have made smartphones broadly…

  blindness and low vision · braille · text entry · touchscreen accessibility · mobile accessibility

• Situation-based Indoor Wayfinding System for the Visually Impaired

  Eunjeong Ko, Jin Sun Ju, Eun Yi Kim · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents an indoor wayfinding system for visually impaired people that uses situation-aware color codes affixed to building walls to guide users to destinations in unfamiliar environments. The key innovation is a situation-based approach: rather than providing all…

  blindness and low vision · indoor navigation · wayfinding · computer vision · assistive technology

• Empowering Individuals with Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology

  Amy Hurst, Jasmine Tobias · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates the potential of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approaches to address the persistent problem of assistive technology abandonment, where 35% or more of purchased AT devices end up unused. The authors argue that empowering non-engineers to create, modify, or build…

  assistive technology · DIY assistive technology · maker culture · 3D printing · rapid prototyping

• Note-Taker 3.0: An Assistive Technology Enabling Students Who Are Legally Blind to Take Notes in Class

  David S. Hayden, Michael Astrauskas, Qian Yan, Liqing Zhou, John A. Black · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents the results of a three-year iterative development of Note-Taker, a portable hardware/software assistive device that enables students with low vision to independently take handwritten or typed notes during classroom lectures. The core problem is…

  low vision · blindness and low vision · educational technology · assistive technology · STEM accessibility

• ZigADL: An ADL Training System Enabling Teachers to Assist Children with Intellectual Disabilities

  Zhi-Zhan Lu · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This poster paper presents ZigADL, a wireless sensor network system based on ZigBee technology designed to assist teachers in training children with severe intellectual disabilities to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) independently. The system addresses a practical…

  intellectual disability · independent living · assistive technology · special education · sensors

• Towards a Framework to Situate Assistive Technology Design in the Context of Culture

  Fatima A. Boujarwah, Nazneen, Hwajung Hong, Gregory D. Abowd, Rosa I. Arriaga · 2011 · Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper presents findings from a cross-cultural qualitative study examining societal expectations, perceptions, and support structures for individuals with autism and other intellectual disabilities (AOID) across four countries: Kuwait, Pakistan, South Korea, and the United…

  assistive technology · autism · cross-cultural design · intellectual disability · cultural accessibility

• On the Intelligibility of Fast Synthesized Speech for Individuals with Early-Onset Blindness

  Amanda Stent, Ann Syrdal, Taniya Mishra · 2011 · Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper reports on a pilot experiment comparing the intelligibility of fast synthesized speech across different text-to-speech (TTS) systems for individuals with early-onset blindness (onset before age seven). People who are blind increasingly use TTS as their primary…

  text-to-speech · screen readers · blindness · speech technology · speech intelligibility

• Evaluating Importance of Facial Expression in American Sign Language and Pidgin Signed English Animations

  Matt Huenerfauth, Pengfei Lu, Andrew Rosenberg · 2011 · Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper presents the first empirical evaluation of the impact of facial expressions on the understandability and perceived quality of American Sign Language (ASL) and Pidgin Signed English (PSE) computer animations. ASL animations have significant accessibility benefits since…

  sign language · sign language animation · deaf accessibility · facial expression · American Sign Language

• The PhonicStick: A Joystick to Generate Novel Words Using Phonics

  Rolf Black · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This short paper introduces the PhonicStick, a novel joystick-based device that enables non-speaking children to explore letter sounds (phonics) and blend them into words. The motivation stems from a key limitation of existing Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAs): while VOCAs…

  AAC · phonological awareness · literacy · joystick · cerebral palsy

• Humsher: A Predictive Keyboard Operated by Humming

  Ondrej Polacek, Zdenek Mikovec, Adam J. Sporka, Pavel Slavik · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper presents Humsher, a novel text entry system controlled entirely by humming — short melodic and rhythmic vocal gestures distinguished by pitch (high/low) and duration (short/long). The system targets people with severe upper-limb motor impairments such as quadriplegia…

  text entry · alternative input · assistive technology · motor disability · non-verbal vocal interface

• Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance Help (NOAH) for Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Study

  Pooja Viswanathan, James J. Little, Alan K. Mackworth, Alex Mihailidis · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper describes NOAH (Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance Help), an intelligent powered wheelchair system designed to provide adaptive navigation assistance to older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care settings. An estimated 60-80% of residents in long-term…

  intelligent wheelchair · dementia · cognitive impairment · collision avoidance · wayfinding

• A Mobile Phone Based Personal Narrative System

  Rolf Black, Annalu Waller, Nava Tintarev, Ehud Reiter, Joseph Reddington · 2011 · The Proceedings of the 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2011)

  This paper describes the development and evaluation of a mobile phone-based data collection system that supports personal narrative for children with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). Personal narrative — the ability to tell others about one's experiences — is…

  AAC · personal narrative · cerebral palsy · natural language generation · mobile technology