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• Evaluation of Non-Visual Panning Operations Using Touch-Screen Devices

  HariPrasath Palani, Nicholas A. Giudice · 2014 · Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS 2014)

  This demonstration paper addresses a critical challenge in non-visual access to graphical information on touchscreens: how to pan across large-format graphics (maps, floor plans) without losing spatial orientation. The authors built on their Vibro-Audio Interface (VAI), which…

  visual impairment · tactile graphics · haptic feedback · touchscreen accessibility · non-visual maps

• M.I.D.A.S. Touch: Magnetic Interactive Device for Alternative Sight through Touch

  Taylan K. Sen, Morgan W. Sinko, Alex T. Wilson, Mohammed E. Hoque · 2014 · Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS 2014)

  This demonstration paper presents MIDAS Touch (Magnetic Interactive Device for Alternative Sight through Touch), a novel free-space haptic interface that allows visually impaired users to feel and create digital drawings without physical contact with a surface. The system uses a…

  visual impairment · haptic feedback · free-space haptics · drawing · magnetic interface

• Move&Flick: Design and Evaluation of a Single-Finger and Eyes-Free Kana-Character Entry Method on Touch Screens

  Ryosuke Aoki, Ryo Hashimoto, Akihiro Miyata, Shunichi Seko, Masahiro Watanabe, Masayuki Ihara · 2014 · Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS '14)

  This demonstration paper presents Move&Flick, a Japanese Kana-character text entry method designed for visually impaired users on touchscreen devices. Standard touchscreen text entry for visually impaired people is burdensome: users must explore the screen to find software keys…

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

• Tracking @stemxcomet: Teaching Programming to Blind Students via 3D Printing, Crisis Management, and Twitter

  Shaun K. Kane, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2014 · ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

  This paper describes the design and execution of a four-day programming workshop for blind and visually impaired high school students, conducted as part of the National Federation of the Blind's STEM-X summer science camp. Nine students (grades 8-12) learned Ruby programming…

  accessible programming · computer science education · blindness · visual impairment · 3D printing

• A Mobile Interactive Maps Application for a Visually Impaired Audience

  Nikolaos Kaklanis, Konstantinos Votis, Dimitrios Tzovaras · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This demo paper presents "Open Touch/Sound Maps," an Android mobile application that makes interactive maps accessible to visually impaired and blind users through multimodal feedback. Web-based spatial information resources like OpenStreetMap are inherently visual, leaving…

  visual impairment · accessible maps · sonification · haptic feedback · mobile accessibility

• Towards the Usage of Pauses in Audio-Described Videos

  Benoît Encelle, Magali Ollagnier Beldame, Yannick Prié · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper explores the use of "artificial pauses" — brief interruptions inserted into video playback — as a technique for delivering audio descriptions that cannot fit within the natural gaps in a video's soundtrack. Classical audio description is constrained by the duration of…

  audio description · video accessibility · blindness · visual impairment · multimedia accessibility

• Providing Access to the High-Level Content of Line Graphs from Online Popular Media

  Priscilla S. Moraes, Sandra Carberry, Kathleen McCoy · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper extends the Interactive SIGHT (Summarizing Information Graphics Textually) system to generate natural language summaries of line graphs found in online popular media articles, making their high-level content accessible to visually impaired users via screen readers.…

  data visualization · visual impairment · natural language generation · assistive technology · screen readers

• User Individuality Management in Websites Based on WAI-ARIA Annotations and Ontologies

  Xabier Valencia, Myriam Arrue, J. Eduardo Pérez, Julio Abascal · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents a comprehensive system for automatically adapting websites to individual users' accessibility needs using WAI-ARIA-based annotations and an ontology that models users, adaptation techniques, and their relationships. Unlike previous transcoding systems that…

  WAI-ARIA · personalization · web accessibility · adaptive interfaces · ontology

• Experiential Transcoding: An EyeTracking Approach

  Yeliz Yesilada, Simon Harper, Sukru Eraslan · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper introduces "experiential transcoding" — a user-centred approach to web page transformation that uses eye-tracking data from sighted users to understand how people actually experience web pages, then uses those patterns to guide transcoding for blind and situationally…

  eye tracking · user experience · transcoding · visual impairment · situational impairment

• A Haptic Tool for Group Work on Geometrical Concepts Engaging Blind and Sighted Pupils

  Jonas Moll, Eva Pysander · 2013 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study investigates how haptic technology can support collaborative geometry learning between visually impaired and sighted pupils in inclusive classrooms. The researchers developed two haptic applications using PHANTOM devices: a static environment where pupils explore…

  haptic interfaces · collaborative learning · visual impairment · education · geometry

• Auditory Displays for Accessible Fantasy Sports

  Jared M. Batterman, Jonathan H. Schuett, Bruce N. Walker · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '13)

  This short paper addresses the inaccessibility of online fantasy sports platforms for visually impaired users and presents an accessible fantasy football system built around auditory display techniques. Fantasy sports are a major social and recreational activity with over 32…

  auditory display · sonification · blind users · visual impairment · sports accessibility

• Visual Complexity, Player Experience, Performance and Physical Exertion in Motion-Based Games for Older Adults

  Jan Smeddinck, Kathrin M. Gerling, Saranat Tiemkeo · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '13)

  This paper investigates how visual complexity (graphical fidelity) affects player experience, in-game performance, and physical exertion in motion-based games designed for older adults. The study is motivated by the growing use of kinesiatric serious games (KSGs) in physical…

  game accessibility · older adults · aging · visual complexity · serious games

• Follow That Sound: Using Sonification and Corrective Verbal Feedback to Teach Touchscreen Gestures

  Uran Oh, Shaun K. Kane, Leah Findlater · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '13)

  This paper proposes and evaluates two techniques for teaching touchscreen gestures to users with visual impairments: gesture sonification (mapping finger position to audio using pitch for the y-axis and stereo panning for the x-axis) and corrective verbal feedback…

  touchscreen accessibility · sonification · gesture learning · blind users · visual impairment

• Touchplates: Low-Cost Tactile Overlays for Visually Impaired Touch Screen Users

  Shaun K. Kane, Meredith Ringel Morris, Jacob O. Wobbrock · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '13)

  This paper introduces touchplates — inexpensive, unpowered, customizable tactile overlays that can be placed on touch screens to provide physical guides and tactile feedback for blind and visually impaired users. Unlike prior approaches that either offered limited functionality…

  touchscreen accessibility · tactile feedback · blind users · visual impairment · tangible interaction

• Eyes-Free Yoga: An Exergame Using Depth Cameras for Blind & Low Vision Exercise

  Kyle Rector, Cynthia L. Bennett, Julie A. Kientz · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents Eyes-Free Yoga, an exergame built on the Microsoft Kinect that teaches six yoga poses to people who are blind or low vision using entirely auditory feedback. Research shows that people with visual impairments are more likely to be obese and less physically…

  visual impairment · blindness · exergame · eyes-free interaction · auditory feedback

• Improving Public Transit Accessibility for Blind Riders by Crowdsourcing Bus Stop Landmark Locations with Google Street View

  Kotaro Hara, Shiri Azenkot, Megan Campbell, Cynthia L. Bennett, Vicki Le, Sean Pannella, Robert Moore, Kelly Minckler, Rochelle H. Ng, Jon E. Froehlich · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper introduces Bus Stop CSI (Crowdsourcing Streetview Inspections), a scalable method for collecting bus stop location and landmark descriptions by combining online crowdsourcing with Google Street View (GSV). Blind and low-vision bus riders rely heavily on physical…

  visual impairment · blindness · crowdsourcing · public transit · navigation

• Uncovering Information Needs for Independent Spatial Learning for Users Who Are Visually Impaired

  Nikola Banovic, Rachel L. Franz, Khai N. Truong, Jennifer Mankoff, Anind K. Dey · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents two studies examining how visually impaired individuals learn about their environments and build cognitive maps — the mental representations of spatial relationships that sighted people largely construct through casual visual observation. Study 1 involved…

  visual impairment · spatial learning · navigation · wayfinding · orientation and mobility

• Exploring the Use of Speech Input by Blind People on Mobile Devices

  Shiri Azenkot, Nicole B. Lee · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates how blind people use speech input on mobile devices through two studies: a survey of 169 participants (64 blind/low-vision, 105 sighted) and a laboratory study with 8 blind participants composing paragraphs on an iPod Touch using speech dictation versus…

  visual impairment · blindness · speech input · speech recognition · mobile accessibility

• Towards the Development of Haptic-Based Interface for Teaching Visually Impaired Arabic Handwriting

  Abeer S. Bayousuf, Hend S. Al-Khalifa, AbdulMalik S. Al-Salman · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This poster paper introduces an initial haptic-based system for teaching Arabic letter handwriting to students with visual impairments. Handwriting requires coordination of vision and hand movement, making it particularly challenging for visually impaired students who cannot see…

  visual impairment · haptic feedback · handwriting · Arabic · education

• The Feasibility of Eyes-Free Touchscreen Keyboard Typing

  Keith Vertanen, Haythem Memmi, Per Ola Kristensson · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This poster paper proposes a novel approach to eyes-free touchscreen typing where users imagine a QWERTY keyboard somewhere on the device and tap out an entire sentence without seeing the keyboard and without receiving any intermediate feedback about letters or words typed. This…

  visual impairment · text entry · eyes-free interaction · touchscreen · keyboard

• An Empirical Study of Issues and Barriers to Mainstream Video Game Accessibility

  John R. Porter, Julie A. Kientz · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates the real-world state of video game accessibility through two complementary empirical studies. The first is an online survey of 55 gamers with disabilities, exploring their gaming habits, the platforms they use, the types of games they play, and the…

  game accessibility · video games · assistive technology · motor impairment · visual impairment

• "Pray Before You Step Out": Describing Personal and Situational Blind Navigation Behaviors

  Michele A. Williams, Amy Hurst, Shaun K. Kane · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents a formative study exploring how 30 adults with vision impairments use technology and personal strategies to navigate both indoor and outdoor environments. Rather than introducing new navigation technology, the research aims to build a richer understanding of…

  visual impairment · blindness · navigation · orientation and mobility · wayfinding

• Collaborative Music Application for Visually Impaired People with Tangible Objects on Table

  Shotaro Omori, Ikuko Eguchi Yairi · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This short paper presents a collaborative music composition application designed to enable visually impaired and sighted people to work together on equal ground. The system uses a tabletop tangible interface inspired by Reactable, where physical objects placed on a table surface…

  visual impairment · tangible user interface · music accessibility · collaborative design · AR markers

• Interviewing Blind Photographers: Design Insights for a Smartphone Application

  Dustin Adams, Tory Gallagher, Alexander Ambard, Sri Kurniawan · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This short paper reports on interviews with 11 people with limited to no vision who take digital photographs independently, investigating how they take, store, organize, and share their photos. While prior research had addressed camera aiming assistance for blind photographers…

  visual impairment · blindness · photography · photo sharing · smartphone applications

• Bypassing Lists: Accelerating Screen-Reader Fact-Finding with Guided Tours

  Tao Yang, Prathik Gadde, Robert Morse, Davide Bolchini · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates whether guided tours — a navigation pattern that linearly links content pages with next/previous controls — can help screen-reader users perform fact-finding tasks more efficiently than traditional index-based navigation, particularly when the index lacks…

  screen reader · web navigation · blindness · visual impairment · information scent