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• 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

• UbiBraille: Designing and Evaluating a Vibrotactile Braille-Reading Device

  Hugo Nicolau, João Guerreiro, Tiago Guerreiro, Luís Carriço · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '13)

  This paper presents UbiBraille, a wearable vibrotactile device that enables blind users to read textual information privately and inconspicuously by leveraging their existing knowledge of Braille. The device consists of six small vibration motors attached to adjustable aluminum…

  braille · vibrotactile · wearable technology · blind users · haptic feedback

• Safe Walking Technology for People with Dementia: What Do They Want?

  Kristine Holbø, Silje Bøthun, Yngve Dahl · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates how safe walking technology can be designed to meet the actual needs and preferences of people with dementia, rather than imposing surveillance-based solutions on them. The researchers worked with three people with early-stage dementia and their family…

  dementia · participatory design · assistive technology · GPS tracking · safe walking

• How Power Wheelchair Users Choose Computing Devices

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

  This poster paper explores how power wheelchair users select and use computing devices in their daily lives. The researchers interviewed 8 power wheelchair or power scooter users (4 male, 4 female) through semi-structured interviews lasting up to two hours, cataloguing their use…

  motor impairment · wheelchair · mobile accessibility · device selection · assistive technology

• Brain-Training Software for Stroke Survivors

  Lourdes Morales Villaverde, Sean-Ryan Smith, Sri Kurniawan · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This poster paper investigates the feasibility of using commercially available web-based brain-training software as an affordable alternative to expensive specialized stroke rehabilitation software. The researchers observed and interviewed six stroke survivors at the Cabrillo…

  stroke · cognitive rehabilitation · brain training · cognitive impairment · usability

• The Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII)

  Gregg C. Vanderheiden, Jutta Treviranus, Amrish Chourasia · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper describes the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII), an ambitious international initiative to build a cloud-based infrastructure that can automatically personalize any device or technology to match an individual user's accessibility needs and preferences. The…

  GPII · cloud accessibility · auto-personalization · assistive technology · digital divide

• 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

• PlatMult: A Multisensory Platform with Web Accessibility Features for Low Vision Users

  Marcio Oyamada, Jorge Bidarra, Clodis Boscarioli · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This poster paper presents PlatMult, an integrated hardware and software platform that combines three sensory modalities — visual, auditory, and tactile — to improve web accessibility for low vision users. The authors note that screen magnifiers, the most common assistive…

  low vision · screen magnifier · screen reader · haptic feedback · multisensory

• 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

• Physical Accessibility of Touchscreen Smartphones

  Shari Trewin, Cal Swart, Donna Pettick · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper examines touchscreen smartphone adoption and usability for people with dexterity impairments through interviews and hands-on observations with 16 participants (mean age 40) at a New York centre serving approximately 3,500 people with physical disabilities annually.…

  motor impairment · dexterity impairment · touchscreen · mobile accessibility · smartphone

• 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

• Toward Accessible Technology for Music Composers and Producers with Motor Disabilities

  Adam J. Sporka, Ben L. Carson, Paul Nauert, Sri H. Kurniawan · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This short paper reports on an initial user study with three motor-impaired musicians to identify challenges and research opportunities in making professional music software accessible. Modern music score-writing tools (Sibelius, Finale) and production software (Ableton Live, FL…

  music accessibility · motor impairment · music composition · music production · assistive technology

• Wheelchair-Based Game Design for Older Adults

  Kathrin M. Gerling, Regan L. Mandryk, Michael R. Kalyn · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper addresses the design of motion-based video games that are accessible to institutionalized older adults using wheelchairs. More than half of Canadians over 65 in residential care use wheelchairs, and wheelchair use severely limits opportunities for physical activity…

  game accessibility · wheelchair · older adults · motion-based games · Kinect

• How Someone with a Neuromuscular Disease Experiences Operating a PC (and How to Successfully Counteract That)

  Torsten Felzer, Stephan Rinderknecht · 2013 · Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This experience report describes the first author's personal journey as a computer scientist with Friedreich's Ataxia (FA), a progressive neuromuscular disease diagnosed at age 15 that causes ataxia of limbs, dysarthria, and muscle weakness. Despite needing a wheelchair since…

  motor impairment · neuromuscular disease · Friedreich's Ataxia · text entry · assistive technology

• Accessible Photo Album: Enhancing the Photo Sharing Experience for People with Visual Impairment

  Susumu Harada, Daisuke Sato, Dustin W. Adams, Sri Kurniawan, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa · 2013 · Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '13)

  This paper investigates how blind and partially sighted people can be supported not only in capturing photographs but in organising, recalling, and sharing them afterwards — a step that the authors argue has been largely neglected in prior blind-photography research. The study…

  blindness and low vision · mobile accessibility · assistive technology · photography · audiophotography

• An Intuitive Accessible Web Automation User Interface

  Yury Puzis, Yevgen Borodin, Faisal Ahmed, I. V. Ramakrishnan · 2012 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper proposes and evaluates an intuitive web automation interface designed specifically for blind screen reader users. The authors observe that while the visual web has become increasingly sophisticated, assistive technology has not kept pace — blind users face high…

  web automation · screen readers · blind users · form filling · user study

• Mobile Sign Language Translation System for Deaf Community

  Mehrez Boulares, Mohamed Jemni · 2012 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from the University of Tunis presents a mobile web service for translating written text into sign language using a 3D virtual signing agent on Android devices. The system addresses two interrelated accessibility challenges: deaf and hard of hearing people with low…

  sign language · deaf accessibility · mobile accessibility · machine translation · signing avatar

• ABCD SW: Autistic Behavior & Computer-based Didactic Software

  M. Claudia Buzzi, Marina Buzzi, Davide Gazzè, Caterina Senette, Maurizio Tesconi · 2012 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This demo paper from IIT-CNR in Pisa presents ABCD SW, an open-source web application designed to support Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) intervention with low-functioning autistic children. The software implements Discrete Trial Training (DTT) — a structured teaching method…

  autism · cognitive accessibility · augmentative and alternative communication · educational technology · assistive technology

• Towards Ubiquitous Accessibility: Capability-based Profiles and Adaptations, Delivered via the Semantic Web

  Matthew Tylee Atkinson, Matthew J. Bell, Colin H. C. Machin · 2012 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from Loughborough University proposes using semantic web technologies (RDF and OWL) to deliver capability-based user profiles and adaptive accessibility solutions across devices and platforms. The authors argue that the current assistive technology landscape is…

  adaptive interfaces · personalization · semantic web · user modeling · assistive technology

• Universal and Ubiquitous Web Access with Capti

  Yevgen Borodin, Andrii Sovyak, Alexander Dimitriyadi, Yury Puzis, Valentyn Melnyk, Faisal Ahmed, Glenn Dausch, I. V. Ramakrishnan · 2012 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This demo paper presents Capti, a cross-platform web browsing application designed to make web access more usable for both blind and sighted users. Capti addresses two interconnected problems: the inefficiency of traditional screen readers for finding and consuming web content,…

  screen readers · assistive technology · blind and low vision · text-to-speech · universal design

• Doing Math: Mathematics Accessibility Issues

  Nancy Alajarmeh · 2012 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This student award paper argues that mathematics accessibility for visually impaired students must move beyond rendering (displaying and reading mathematical notation) to support "doing the math" — the active manipulation of algebraic expressions, equation solving,…

  mathematical accessibility · blind and low vision · STEM accessibility · education accessibility · assistive technology

• Situation-Specific Models of Color Differentiation

  David R. Flatla, Carl Gutwin · 2012 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper introduces Situation-Specific Modeling (SSM), a fundamentally different approach to helping users with color vision deficiency (CVD) differentiate colors in digital interfaces. Traditional recoloring tools rely on theoretical models of dichromatism—complete absence of…

  color vision deficiency · color blindness · recoloring · visualization · personalization

• Using Real-time Feedback to Improve Visual Question Answering

  Yu Zhong, Phyo Thiha, Grant He, Walter Lasecki, Jeffrey Bigham · 2012 · CHI EA '12: CHI '12 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  This work-in-progress paper introduces Legion:View, a system that extends the VizWiz model of crowd-powered visual question answering by adding a real-time feedback loop between blind users and crowd workers. The original VizWiz allowed blind users to take a still photograph,…

  visual question answering · crowdsourcing · blind users · real-time systems · assistive technology

• Crowdsourcing Subjective Fashion Advice Using VizWiz: Challenges and Opportunities

  Michele A. Burton, Erin Brady, Robin Brewer, Callie Neylan, Jeffrey P. Bigham, Amy Hurst · 2012 · ASSETS '12: Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates the accessibility barriers that fashion and clothing present to people with vision impairments, and explores whether crowdsourcing through VizWiz can provide useful subjective fashion advice. The research is grounded in the recognition that fashion is a…

  blind users · crowdsourcing · fashion accessibility · VizWiz · subjective questions