Reviews

Search results

• Evaluating the Usability of Automatically Generated Captions for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

  Sushant Kafle, Matt Huenerfauth · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper addresses a fundamental problem in automatic captioning for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) users: the standard metric used to evaluate automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems — Word Error Rate (WER) — poorly predicts how usable the resulting captions actually are…

  captioning · automatic speech recognition · deaf and hard of hearing · evaluation methods · natural language processing

• Using data from social media websites to inspire the design of assistive technology

  Xing Yu · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper proposes using social media data as a low-cost, scalable method to inform the design of assistive technology, addressing limitations of traditional user research approaches. The author argues that designing assistive technology faces unique…

  assistive technology · social media · natural language processing · machine learning · prosthetics

• Contextual Language Learning with Capti ESL Assistant

  Yevgen Borodin, Yury Puzis, Andrii Soviak, Vikas Ashok, Andrii Melnyk, I. V. Ramakrishnan · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents Capti ESL Assistant, a web application designed to help English language learners develop reading and listening skills simultaneously while remaining accessible to users with print disabilities including dyslexia and vision loss. Built on the Capti Narrator…

  language accessibility · print disabilities · text-to-speech · dyslexia · education accessibility

• Tag Thunder: Towards Non-Visual Web Page Skimming

  Elena Manishina, Jean-Marc Lecarpentier, Fabrice Maurel, Stéphane Ferrari, Maxence Busson · 2016 · Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This demonstration paper presents Tag Thunder, an audio equivalent of visual tag clouds designed to bring skimming capabilities to blind web users. When sighted people access a web page, they first skim the content — rapidly scanning layout, typography, and visual emphasis to…

  blindness · screen reader · web accessibility · speech · natural language processing

• Measuring Text Simplification with the Crowd

  Walter S. Lasecki, Luz Rello, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2015 · Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates whether non-expert crowd workers can reliably evaluate the simplicity of English text, addressing a key gap in text simplification research. Text simplification — reducing the lexical and syntactic complexity of sentences while preserving meaning — is…

  text simplification · crowdsourcing · natural language processing · readability · cognitive accessibility

• Acrolinx: A Controlled-Language Checker Turned into an Accessibility Evaluation Tool for Image Text Alternatives

  Silvia Rodríguez Vázquez, Sabine Lehmann · 2015 · Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents a novel application of controlled-language checking technology to a persistent accessibility problem: evaluating the quality of image text alternatives, not just their presence. The authors observe that while most web accessibility evaluation tools can detect…

  alt text · image accessibility · automated testing · controlled language · natural language processing

• Capti-Speak: A Speech-Enabled Web Screen Reader

  Vikas Ashok, Yevgen Borodin, Yury Puzis, I. V. Ramakrishnan · 2015 · Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents Capti-Speak, a speech-augmented screen reader for web browsing that allows blind users to combine natural language voice commands with traditional keyboard shortcuts. Built as an extension to the Capti Narrator screen reader, Capti-Speak addresses a…

  screen readers · speech recognition · voice interface · web accessibility · blind users

• A Spellchecker for Dyslexia

  Luz Rello, Miguel Ballesteros, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2015 · ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper introduces Real Check, a spellchecker designed specifically to detect real-word errors—spelling mistakes that result in unintended but valid words (e.g., "form" instead of "from"). While dyslexia affects approximately 10% of the population and is the most frequent…

  dyslexia · spelling · natural language processing · real-word errors · assistive technology

• Perspectives on Speech and Language Interaction for Daily Assistive Technology: Introduction to Part 1 of the Special Issue

  Heidi Christensen, Frank Rudzicz, François Portet, Jan Alexandersson · 2015 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This editorial introduces the first part of a TACCESS special issue on speech and language interaction for daily assistive technology, emerging from the 2013 SLPAT (Speech and Language Processing for Assistive Technologies) workshop. The editors frame speech and natural language…

  speech recognition · disordered speech · dysarthria · speech intelligibility · assistive technology

• Making It Simplext: Implementation and Evaluation of a Text Simplification System for Spanish

  Horacio Saggion, Sanja Štajner, Stefan Bott, Simon Mille, Luz Rello, Biljana Drndarevic · 2015 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents Simplext, the first comprehensive automatic text simplification (ATS) system for Spanish. The research addresses a fundamental accessibility barrier: textual content written in complex language excludes people with cognitive disabilities, low literacy, and…

  text simplification · natural language processing · cognitive accessibility · readability · Spanish

• Evaluation of DysWebxia: A Reading App Designed for People with Dyslexia

  Luz Rello, Ricardo Baeza-Yates · 2014 · Proceedings of the 11th Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents the evaluation of DysWebxia, an iOS reading application specifically designed for people with dyslexia. The app integrates evidence-based text presentation features known to improve reading performance for people with dyslexia — including customizable font…

  dyslexia · reading accessibility · text simplification · lexical simplification · mobile accessibility

• Intelligent Assistive Communication and the Web as a Social Medium

  Karl Wiegand · 2014 · Proceedings of the 11th Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This short paper presents doctoral research on applying natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to improve augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, with a particular focus on enabling web-based social interaction for people with severe speech…

  augmentative and alternative communication · AAC · natural language processing · machine learning · social media accessibility

• Automatically Identifying Trouble-Indicating Speech Behaviors in Alzheimer's Disease

  Frank Rudzicz, Leila Chan Currie, Andrew Danks, Tejas Mehta, Shunan Zhao · 2014 · ASSETS '14: Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper addresses the challenge of automatically detecting communication breakdowns in conversations with people who have Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that deteriorates memory, executive capacity, visual-spatial reasoning, and…

  Alzheimer's disease · dementia · speech recognition · natural language processing · machine learning

• Dyslexia Exercises on my Tablet are more Fun

  Luz Rello, Clara Bayarri, Azuki Gòrriz · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents Dyseggxia, a free mobile game for iOS and Android designed to help children with dyslexia practice language exercises in an engaging, adaptive format. Dyslexia affects approximately 10% of children worldwide and is characterized by difficulties with accurate…

  dyslexia · serious game · mobile accessibility · adaptive learning · natural language processing

• Simplify or Help? Text Simplification Strategies for People with Dyslexia

  Luz Rello, Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Stefan Bott, Horacio Saggion · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper evaluates two automatic lexical simplification strategies designed to make text more accessible for people with dyslexia. The research addresses a key gap: while previous tools for dyslexic readers focused on text presentation (fonts, spacing, colors), none had…

  dyslexia · text simplification · readability · cognitive accessibility · eye tracking

• DysWebxia 2.0! More Accessible Text for People with Dyslexia

  Luz Rello, Clara Bayarri, Azuki Gòrriz, Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Saurabh Gupta, Gaurang Kanvinde, Horacio Saggion, Stefan Bott, Roberto Carlini, Vasile Topac · 2013 · Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This demo paper introduces DysWebxia 2.0, a model for making text more accessible to people with dyslexia by modifying both the presentation and content of text. The project is notable for being the first model to combine text presentation changes (font, spacing, layout) with…

  dyslexia · text simplification · readability · assistive technology · text presentation

• SymbolPath: A Continuous Motion Overlay Module for Icon-Based Assistive Communication

  Karl Wiegand, Rupal Patel · 2012 · Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2012)

  This demonstration paper introduces SymbolPath, an overlay module designed to improve the speed and ease of message formulation in icon-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. Traditional icon-based AAC devices require users to make precise, discrete tap…

  augmentative and alternative communication · AAC · motor impairment · speech impairment · icon-based communication

• Accessible Skimming: Faster Screen Reading of Web Pages

  Faisal Ahmed · 2012 · Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2012)

  This doctoral consortium paper presents an automated approach to enable non-visual skimming of web pages for screen reader users. Sighted people routinely skim web content through quick eye movements (saccades) that let them glance over headlines and text to extract the gist of…

  screen readers · blind users · web accessibility · text summarization · natural language processing

• Estimating dyslexia in the web

  Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Luz Rello · 2011 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents the first attempt to estimate the prevalence of dyslexic writing errors in English-language web content. The authors developed a classification system distinguishing five types of lexical errors: dyslexic errors (multi-character reversals, transpositions, and…

  dyslexia · cognitive accessibility · web content quality · natural language processing · spelling errors

• Towards a Universal Accessibility for Textual Information

  Vasile Topac · 2011 · Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This student award paper from Politehnica University Timisoara proposes a universal framework for understanding and addressing textual information accessibility across all media formats and contexts — not just web accessibility, but also document accessibility, desktop…

  content adaptation · cloud computing · text-to-speech · speech recognition · multilingual accessibility

• Data-Driven Synthesis of Spatially Inflected Verbs for American Sign Language Animation

  Pengfei Lu, Matt Huenerfauth · 2011 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper addresses a critical accessibility challenge: most deaf individuals in the US have limited English literacy (the majority of deaf high school graduates read at a fourth-grade level), making written web content inaccessible. While sign language animation offers a…

  sign language · ASL · animation · deaf accessibility · natural language processing

• Multimodal Summarization of Complex Sentences

  Naushad UzZaman, Jeffrey P. Bigham, James F. Allen · 2011 · Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI 2011)

  This paper introduces the concept of multimodal summarization (MMS) for complex sentences — automatically generating diagrams that combine pictures, simplified compressed text, and structural layout to help people understand difficult text. The system, ROC-MMS, targets people…

  cognitive accessibility · reading accessibility · natural language processing · augmentative and alternative communication · text simplification

• 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

• Facilita: reading assistance to the functionally illiterate

  Willian Massami Watanabe · 2010 · Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper presents Facilita, a web application that uses natural language processing (NLP) to automatically simplify Portuguese web content for functionally illiterate users. In Brazil, 21.7% of the population aged 15 and over is classified as functionally…

  literacy · cognitive accessibility · natural language processing · text simplification · readability

• Adapting web content for low-literacy readers by using lexical elaboration and named entities labeling

  Willian M. Watanabe, Arnaldo Candido, Marcelo A. Amâncio, Matheus de Oliveira, Thiago A. S. Pardo, Renata P. M. Fortes, Sandra M. Aluísio · 2010 · Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents Educational FACILITA, a browser-based tool that uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to automatically adapt web content for low-literacy readers. Developed at the University of São Paulo as part of the PorSimples text simplification project for Brazilian…

  low literacy · natural language processing · text simplification · lexical elaboration · named entity recognition