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• Author Reflections on Creating Accessible Academic Papers

  Rachel Menzies, Garreth W. Tigwell, Michael Crabb · 2022 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This mixed-methods study investigates why academic papers remain inaccessible despite available guidance from SIGACCESS and others. The researchers analyzed 3,866 content elements (tables, charts, images) from 330 ASSETS conference papers spanning 2011-2020, then conducted…

  document accessibility · PDF accessibility · academic publishing · alt text · data visualization

• Visualizing Urban Accessibility: Investigating Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives through a Map-based Design Probe Study

  Manaswi Saha, Siddhant Patil, Emily Cho, Evie Yu-Yen Cheng, Chris Horng, Devanshi Chauhan, Rachel Kangas, Richard McGovern, Anthony Li, Jeffrey Heer, Jon E. Froehlich · 2022 · Proceedings of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '22)

  A design-probe interview study investigating how different stakeholders make sense of urban accessibility data through map visualizations. The authors built 24 map-based probes across seven map types — point, severity-weighted point, grid, heatmap, choropleth, street, and…

  accessible maps · spatial cognition · data visualization · geovisualization · sensemaking

• COVID-19 Highlights the Issues Facing Blind and Visually Impaired People in Accessing Data on the Web

  Alexa F. Siu, Danyang Fan, Gene S-H Kim, Hrishikesh V. Rao, Xavier Vazquez, Sile O'Modhrain, Sean Follmer · 2021 · Proceedings of the 18th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This mixed-methods study examines how blind and visually impaired (BVI) people experienced accessing data-driven information on the web during the COVID-19 pandemic — a period when data visualizations such as infection curves, maps of hotspots, and trend charts became central to…

  data visualization · blind and low vision · web accessibility · COVID-19 · screen readers

• Interdependent Variables: Remotely Designing Tactile Graphics for an Accessible Workflow

  Lilian de Greef, Dominik Moritz, Cynthia Bennett · 2021 · Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This experience report documents how a team of blind and sighted colleagues at Apple created an accessible collaborative workflow for a data visualization research project. Rather than focusing on making end products accessible, the paper addresses the less-explored challenge of…

  tactile graphics · blind and low vision · data visualization · collaboration · accessible workflow

• Understanding Screen-Reader Users' Experiences with Online Data Visualizations

  Ather Sharif, Sanjana Shivani Chintalapati, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Katharina Reinecke · 2021 · ASSETS '21: The 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  Data visualizations are ubiquitous on the web, communicating everything from health statistics to financial trends, yet their inherently visual nature creates profound barriers for the approximately 7.6 million screen-reader users in the United States. Sharif et al. conducted…

  screen readers · data visualization · web accessibility · blind users · low vision

• Supporting the Design of Data Visualisation for the Visually Impaired through Reinforcement Learning

  Dalal Aljasem · 2020 · Proceedings of the 17th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper presents a research programme aimed at making data visualizations more accessible to people with partial vision loss, specifically those with peripheral vision damage (tunnel vision from conditions like glaucoma) or central vision loss (from…

  data visualization · visual impairment · reinforcement learning · visual search · machine learning

• Tapsonic: One Dimensional Finger Mounted Multimodal Line Chart Reader

  Zeyuan Zhang · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This short paper presents Tapsonic, a finger-mounted wearable device that enables people with visual impairments to read line charts through a combination of haptic feedback and voiceover. The key innovation is a dimensionality reduction approach: rather than trying to…

  visual accessibility · data visualization · data accessibility · haptic technology · blindness and low vision

• Multimodal Exploration of Mathematical Function Graphs with AudioFunctions.web

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Niccolò Cantù, Cristian Bernareggi, João Guerreiro, Sergio Mascetti, Anna Capietto · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents AudioFunctions.web, a web-based system designed to make mathematical function graphs accessible to people who are blind or have visual impairments. Function graphs are a fundamental tool in mathematics education and STEM fields, yet they remain…

  sonification · mathematics accessibility · visual impairment · blindness · STEM accessibility

• AudioFunctions.web: Multimodal Exploration of Mathematical Function Graphs

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Cristian Bernareggi, João Guerreiro, Sergio Mascetti, Anna Capietto · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This full research paper presents AudioFunctions.web, a web application that enables blind and visually impaired people to explore mathematical function graphs through a combination of sonification, earcons, and speech synthesis. The system is the platform-independent successor…

  sonification · mathematics accessibility · visual impairment · blindness · STEM accessibility

• GraVVITAS 2.0: A Framework For Digital Accessible Content Provision

  Cagatay Goncu, Kim Marriott · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper presents GraVVITAS 2.0 (Graphics Viewer using Vibration Interactive Touch and Speech), a framework for making graphical information accessible to people with vision impairments on off-the-shelf mobile devices. The paper argues that while screen readers…

  visual impairment · accessible graphics · tactile graphics · haptic feedback · data visualization

• RoboGraphics: Dynamic Tactile Graphics Powered by Mobile Robots

  Darren Guinness, Annika Muehlbradt, Daniel Szafir, Shaun K. Kane · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper introduces RoboGraphics, a novel approach to creating dynamic tactile graphics by combining a touchscreen tablet, static laser-cut tactile overlays, and small mobile robots (Ozobot Bit 2.0, approximately one cubic inch, ~$60 each). Traditional tactile graphics are…

  tactile graphics · robotics · blind · tangible interaction · data visualization

• GeniAuti: Tracking Challenging Behaviors of Children with Autism for Data-Driven Interventions

  Kiwon Choi, Dongho Jang, Dasol Lee, Seoyoung Park · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '18)

  This student research competition paper presents GeniAuti, a mobile application designed to help caregivers of children with autism track challenging behaviors using the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) framework. Challenging behaviors in autism — classified as self-injury,…

  autism · challenging behavior · mobile application · data visualization · voice recognition

• Interactively Modeling and Visualizing Neighborhood Accessibility at Scale: An Initial Study of Washington DC

  Anthony Li, Manaswi Saha, Anupam Gupta, Jon E. Froehlich · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This poster paper from the University of Maryland and University of Washington presents two prototype tools — AccessScore and AccessVisDC — for modeling and visualizing neighborhood-level physical accessibility for people with mobility impairments. The work addresses a critical…

  urban accessibility · wheelchair accessibility · walkability · data visualization · crowdsourcing

• FluxMarker: Enhancing Tactile Graphics with Dynamic Tactile Markers

  Ryo Suzuki, Abigale Stangl, Mark D. Gross, Tom Yeh · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper presents FluxMarker, an inexpensive and scalable system that adds dynamic, movable tactile markers on top of static raised-line tactile graphics. Traditional embossed tactile graphics are static and cannot represent changing data, while existing refreshable braille…

  tactile graphics · visual impairment · blindness · data physicalization · haptic technology

• Accessible Map Visualization Prototype

  Tania Calle-Jimenez, Sergio Luján-Mora · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from Ecuador's National Polytechnic School and the University of Alicante presents a prototype for making online geographic maps accessible to people with visual disabilities. The authors identify four key accessibility barriers in web-based maps: maps rendered as…

  data visualization · visual impairment · color blindness · SVG · web accessibility

• Laying a Foundation for the Graphical Course Map

  Linda DuHadway, Thomas C. Henderson · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from the University of Utah presents ENABLE, a system that transforms traditional linear, text-based learning management system (LMS) course presentations into interactive graphical course maps. The authors argue that current LMS platforms like Canvas impose two…

  education accessibility · personalized learning · data visualization · learning management systems · machine learning

• Exploring New Paradigms for Accessible 3D Printed Graphs

  Michele Hu · 2015 · ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper explores novel approaches to representing bar graphs for blind users using 3D printing technology, moving beyond traditional flat tactile graphics. Traditional tactile graphics (created with swell paper, embossers, or thermoform) use raised lines and textures on flat…

  visual impairment · tactile graphics · 3D printing · data visualization · STEM education

• ChartMaster: A Tool for Interacting with Stock Market Charts using a Screen Reader

  Hong Zou, Jutta Treviranus · 2015 · ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper presents ChartMaster, a tool enabling screen reader users to query interactive stock market charts, developed through an inclusive co-design process with visually impaired participants. The authors frame the problem in economic terms: 1.3 billion people with…

  blindness · screen reader · data visualization · financial literacy · inclusive design

• Guiding Novice Web Workers in Making Image Descriptions Using Templates

  Valerie S. Morash, Yue-Ting Siu, Joshua A. Miele, Lucia Hasty, Steven Landau · 2015 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This study compares two approaches for using non-expert crowdworkers to create accessible descriptions of STEM images (charts, graphs, diagrams) for people who are blind or have print-reading disabilities. The researchers tested Free-Response Image Description (FRID), where…

  image description · alt text · crowdsourcing · human computation · STEM accessibility

• Haptic 3D Surface Representation of Table-Based Data for People With Visual Impairments

  Jonas Braier, Katharina Lattenkamp, Benjamin Räthel, Sandra Schering, Michael Wojatzki, Benjamin Weyers · 2014 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper introduces "relief charts"—3D surface representations of standard data visualizations (bar graphs, pie charts, scatter plots, radar charts) designed to make complex tabular data accessible to people with visual impairments. The approach is grounded in neuroscientific…

  visual impairment · haptic interfaces · data visualization · inclusive education · 3D printing

• Evaluating the Accessibility of Line Graphs through Textual Summaries for Visually Impaired Users

  Priscilla Moraes, Gabriel Sina, Kathleen McCoy, Sandra Carberry · 2014 · Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents the SIGHT (Summarizing Information GrapHics Textually) system, which automatically generates natural language summaries of line graphs found in online popular media articles such as newspapers and magazines. The system addresses a persistent accessibility…

  data visualization · natural language generation · information graphics · blindness · screen readers

• 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

• 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

• Citizen Sensing for Collaborative Construction of Accessibility Maps

  Kelly Shigeno, Sergio Borger, Diego Gallo, Ricardo Herrmann, Mateus Molinaro, Carlos Cardonha, Fernando Koch, Priscilla Avegliano · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This demo paper presents IBM Sidewalks, a mobile application developed by IBM Research Brazil that enables citizens to collaboratively report physical accessibility issues in urban environments through crowdsourcing. The application is part of IBM's broader Citizen Sensing…

  crowdsourcing · accessibility mapping · mobile application · physical accessibility · urban accessibility

• A Crowdsourcing Platform for the Construction of Accessibility Maps

  Carlos Cardonha, Diego Gallo, Priscilla Avegliano, Ricardo Herrmann, Fernando Koch, Sergio Borger · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This highly cited paper (69 citations) from IBM Research Brazil presents a comprehensive crowdsourcing platform for constructing outdoor accessibility maps through two complementary data collection approaches. The first, IBM Citizen Sensing, is an active reporting tool where…

  crowdsourcing · accessibility mapping · physical accessibility · urban accessibility · citizen sensing