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• Modeling Touch Input for Users with Motor Impairments: Empirical Insights into Training Size Requirements

  Radu-Daniel Vatavu, Irina Petrariu, Tudor Horomnea, Ovidiu-Ciprian Ungurean · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’26)

  This CHI Extended Abstract addresses a practical question for ability-based design: how many touch observations do you actually need before you can build a user-specific model of someone's touch performance? Most touch modeling work, including Bayesian Touch and the Dual…

  touch input · motor impairment · ability-based design · adaptive interfaces · touchscreen accessibility

• ChartA11y: Designing Accessible Touch Experiences of Visualizations with Blind Smartphone Users

  Zhuohao Zhang, John R. Thompson, Aditi Shah, Manish Agrawal, Alper Sarikaya, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Edward Cutrell, Bongshin Lee · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024)

  This paper presents ChartA11y, an iOS mobile application that makes 2-D data visualizations accessible to blind and low-vision (BLV) smartphone users through multimodal touch interactions. Developed through an iterative participatory design process involving 13 co-design…

  data visualization · blind and low vision · touchscreen accessibility · sonification · multimodal interaction

• "I stepped into a puddle": Non-Visual Texting in Nomadic Contexts

  Pegah Karimi, Erin Brady, Aqueasha Martin-Hammond, Davide Bolchini · 2023 · Proceedings of the 20th International Web for All Conference (W4A '23)

  This study investigates the under-explored practice of texting by people who are blind and visually impaired (BVI) while navigating outdoors — what the authors term "nomadic contexts." While previous research has examined accessible text entry methods (screen readers, speech…

  blind and low vision · text entry · mobile accessibility · navigation · assistive technology

• WordMelodies: Supporting the Acquisition of Literacy Skills by Children with Visual Impairment through a Mobile App

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Cristian Bernareggi, Barbara Leporini, Sergio Mascetti · 2023 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  WordMelodies is a freely available mobile application designed to teach literacy skills to primary school children, with particular attention to accessibility for children with visual impairments or blindness (VIB). The app was developed through an iterative design process…

  visual impairment · literacy education · mobile apps · children · screen reader

• Quantifying Touch: New Metrics for Characterizing What Happens During a Touch

  Junhan Kong, Mingyuan Zhong, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper formalizes 15 target-agnostic metrics for characterizing what happens during a touch interaction on a touchscreen, moving beyond the traditional approach of treating touches as simple (x, y) coordinate events. The key insight is that touches are not atomic — they…

  touch input · motor accessibility · human performance · touch metrics · fine motor function

• SoundLines: Exploration of Line Segments through Sonification and Multi-touch Interaction

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Cristian Bernareggi, Sergio Mascetti · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents SoundLines, a mobile application designed to help children with visual impairments explore and understand line segments on a touchscreen using sonification and multi-touch interaction. The system addresses a fundamental challenge in early education for blind…

  sonification · visual impairments · children · touchscreen accessibility · multi-touch interaction

• 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

• Pushpak: Voice Command-based eBook Navigator

  Shradha Holani, Akashdeep Bansal, M Balakrishnan · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents Pushpak, a voice command-based eBook navigator designed to reduce the steep learning curve associated with screen reader software. The authors identify a key accessibility barrier: effective use of screen readers like NVDA and JAWS requires…

  voice control · screen reader · NVDA · eBook · natural language understanding

• Demonstration of GestureCalc: An Eyes-Free Calculator for Touch Screens

  Leah Perlmutter, Bindita Chaudhuri, Justin Petelka, Philip Garrison, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Richard E. Ladner · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents GestureCalc, an eyes-free, target-less digital calculator for touch screen devices that replaces traditional button-based input with intuitive gesture-based input. The core problem is that existing calculator apps require precise tapping on…

  gesture-based interaction · touchscreen accessibility · blindness · visual impairment · screen reader

• GestureCalc: An Eyes-Free Calculator for Touch Screens

  Bindita Chaudhuri, Leah Perlmutter, Justin Petelka, Philip Garrison, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Richard E. Ladner · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This full research paper presents GestureCalc, an eyes-free, target-less gesture-based calculator for touch screens, along with a rigorous three-session longitudinal evaluation with eight screen reader users. The system replaces the spatial button layout of conventional…

  gesture-based interaction · touchscreen accessibility · blindness · visual impairment · screen reader

• Making the Blockly Library Accessible via Touchscreen

  Logan B. Caraco, Sebastian Deibel, Yufan Ma, Lauren R. Milne · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper presents two prototype designs for making Google's Blockly library — the foundation underlying popular block-based programming environments (BBPEs) like Scratch, MIT App Inventor, and the Code.org curriculum — accessible to users with visual impairments…

  visual impairment · block-based programming · education · screen readers · ARIA

• Perception and Adoption of Mobile Accessibility Features by Older Adults Experiencing Ability Changes

  Rachel L. Franz, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Yi Cheng, Leah Findlater · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents the first empirical study exploring how older adults experiencing progressive ability changes perceive and adopt built-in mobile accessibility features on smartphones and tablets. The researchers conducted interviews with 14 older adults (aged 65-93, mean 77)…

  aging · older adults · mobile accessibility · ability-based design · accessibility features

• StateLens: A Reverse Engineering Solution for Making Existing Dynamic Touchscreens Accessible

  Anhong Guo, Junhan Kong, Michael Rivera, Frank F. Xu, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2019 · ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology

  This paper presents StateLens, a three-part system that makes existing dynamic touchscreen interfaces accessible to blind users without requiring any modification to the touchscreen hardware or software. Blind people routinely encounter inaccessible touchscreens on coffee…

  touchscreen accessibility · blindness · computer vision · crowdsourcing · reverse engineering

• Why Is Gesture Typing Promising for Older Adults? Comparing Gesture and Tap Typing Behavior of Older with Young Adults

  Yu-Hao Lin, Suwen Zhu, Yu-Jung Ko, Wenzhe Cui, Xiaojun Bi · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This study from Stony Brook University investigates whether gesture typing (gliding a finger continuously across keys to spell words) is a viable alternative to traditional tap typing for older adults on smartphones. Text entry is one of the most significant barriers older…

  older adults · text entry · gesture typing · touchscreen accessibility · mobile accessibility

• Exploring an Ambiguous Technique for Eyes-Free Mobile Text Entry

  Dylan Gaines · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This student research competition paper from Michigan Technological University presents Tap123, an ambiguous eyes-free keyboard for mobile text entry that does not require users to tap specific keys. The system is motivated by the limitations of existing blind text entry…

  blindness · low vision · text entry · mobile accessibility · eyes-free interaction

• Math Melodies: Supporting Visually Impaired Primary School Students in Learning Math

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Valeria Alampi, Cristian Bernareggi, Andrea Gerino, Sergio Mascetti · 2017 · Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents Math Melodies, a free iPad application designed to teach mathematics to primary school children who are blind or visually impaired, while simultaneously engaging sighted peers. Mathematics education poses particular challenges for visually…

  visual impairment · blindness · education accessibility · mathematics accessibility · children

• Blocks4All Demonstration: a Blocks-Based Programming Environment for Blind Children

  Lauren R. Milne, Catherine M. Baker, Richard E. Ladner · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  Blocks4All is a tablet-based iOS application designed to make blocks-based programming accessible to blind and low-vision children. Blocks-based programming environments like Scratch and Blockly have become central to K-12 computer science education — of the 162 Hour of Code…

  programming education · blindness · children · touchscreen accessibility · screen readers

• Improving Smartphone Accessibility with Personalizable Static Overlays

  André Rodrigues, André Santos, Kyle Montague, Tiago Guerreiro · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper addresses a fundamental usability problem for blind smartphone users: the loss of interface consistency that occurred when physical keypad phones gave way to touchscreen smartphones. Feature phones had tactually recognizable keys, simpler interfaces, and consistent…

  blindness · smartphone accessibility · screen readers · mobile accessibility · personalization

• BrailleSketch: A Gesture-based Text Input Method for People with Visual Impairments

  Mingzhe Li, Mingming Fan, Khai N. Truong · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper presents BrailleSketch, a gesture-based text input method for touchscreen smartphones designed for people with visual impairments who already know the Braille alphabet. Rather than requiring users to tap specific screen locations or use multi-finger chording (as with…

  text entry · braille · gesture interaction · visual impairment · mobile accessibility

• Principles for Designing Large-Format Refreshable Haptic Graphics Using Touchscreen Devices: An Evaluation of Nonvisual Panning Methods

  Hari Prasath Palani, Nicholas A. Giudice · 2017 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper addresses a fundamental challenge in touchscreen-based accessibility: how to provide non-visual access to large-format graphical materials like maps that exceed the device's screen size. While touchscreens represent the fastest-growing computing platform among people…

  tactile graphics · blindness · touchscreen accessibility · haptic feedback · spatial cognition

• Accessible Touchscreen Technology for People with Visual Impairments: A Survey

  William Grussenmeyer, Eelke Folmer · 2017 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This comprehensive survey reviews the state of the art in touchscreen accessibility for people who are blind or have low vision, covering research from the mid-1990s through 2016. The authors organize the field by input modalities (gestural, voice, sensor-based) and output…

  touchscreen accessibility · mobile accessibility · visual impairment · screen readers · gestures

• 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)

  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…

  blindness · touchscreen accessibility · diagram creation · non-visual interaction · STEM accessibility

• Customizable 3D Printed Tactile Maps as Interactive Overlays

  Brandon Taylor, Anind Dey, Dan Siewiorek, Asim Smailagic · 2016 · Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents an end-to-end system that enables visually impaired individuals to independently design, customize, and interact with 3D printed tactile maps. Traditional tactile map production has been limited by high costs (Braille embossers range from $1,800 to $80,000;…

  tactile maps · tactile graphics · 3D printing · visual impairment · navigation

• LucentMaps: 3D Printed Audiovisual Tactile Maps for Blind and Visually Impaired People

  Timo Götzelmann · 2016 · Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents LucentMaps, a system for creating 3D printed transparent audiovisual tactile maps that work as interactive overlays on standard tablet computers and smartphones. Unlike most audio-tactile map approaches that focus exclusively on blind users, LucentMaps serves…

  tactile maps · tactile graphics · 3D printing · blindness · low vision

• An Evaluation of SingleTapBraille Keyboard: A Text Entry Method that Utilizes Braille Patterns on Touchscreen Devices

  Maraim Alnfiai, Srinivas Sampalli · 2016 · ASSETS '16: Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  SingleTapBraille is a touchscreen keyboard that allows blind users to enter text by tapping braille dot patterns anywhere on the screen, eliminating the need to locate specific key positions. Unlike QWERTY keyboards that require users to slide their finger across the screen…

  braille · text entry · touchscreen accessibility · blind accessibility · mobile accessibility