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• "It's like Goldilocks:" Bespoke Slides for Fluctuating Audience Access Needs

  Kelly Avery Mack, Kate S Glazko, Jamil Islam, Megan Hofmann, Jennifer Mankoff · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024)

  This paper challenges the assumption that a single "accessible" slide deck can serve all audience members by demonstrating that access needs related to presentations are bespoke (varying greatly between individuals) and fluctuating (changing for one person throughout the day…

  slide accessibility · presentation accessibility · customizable interfaces · fluctuating access needs · neurodivergence

• Brain Body Jockey project: Transcending Bodily Limitations in Live Performance via Human Augmentation

  Giulia Barbareschi, Songchen Zhou, Ando Ryoichi, Midori Kawaguchi, Mark Armstrong, Mikito Ogino, Shunsuke Aoiki, Eisaku Ohta, Harunobu Taguchi, Youichi Kamiyama, Masatane Muto, Kentaro Yoshifuji, Kouta Minamizawa · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024)

  This paper documents a groundbreaking collaboration between a professional VDJ (video disc jockey) with advanced Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and a team of researchers and technologists to create a human augmentation system enabling brain-controlled robotic arms for live…

  brain-machine interface · ALS · human augmentation · disability arts · robotic arms

• Audio Description Customization

  Rosiana Natalie, Ruei-Che Chang, Smitha Sheshadri, Anhong Guo, Kotaro Hara · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024)

  This paper investigates how audio descriptions (AD) for video content can be customized to meet the diverse preferences of blind and low-vision (BLV) users. Traditional ADs are fixed narratives created by sighted describers, offering no ability for users to adjust what…

  audio description · blind and low vision · customization · video accessibility · assistive technology

• 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

• The Treatment of Amblyopia and Astigmatism through Eye Tracking and Serious Games

  Tahani Jaser Alahmadi, Rania AlAblani, Najla Bin Eid, Reyoof AlHumaidi, Amal AlMeiman, Farah AlNujaidi · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This paper presents Abs'arnna, a mobile application that combines serious games with eye-tracking technology to treat amblyopia (lazy eye) and astigmatism in children. The authors from Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Saudi Arabia address a significant gap in…

  serious games · eye tracking · vision therapy · assistive technology · pediatric accessibility

• Accessibility in AI-Assisted Web Development

  Peya Mowar · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This extended abstract from a CMU doctoral student examines whether AI code generation tools—specifically GitHub Copilot—help or hinder web accessibility when used by developers. The research is motivated by a persistent problem: despite decades of accessibility research, 96.3%…

  AI code generation · web accessibility · developer practices · GitHub Copilot · automated testing

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of STEM Images Captioning

  Maurizio Leotta, Marina Ribaudo · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This paper from the University of Genoa reports on an experiment comparing human-written and AI-generated alternative text descriptions for complex STEM images — graphs, diagrams, scientific illustrations, and mathematical figures. The researchers recruited 52 undergraduate…

  alt text · image accessibility · STEM accessibility · AI captioning · computer science education

• Accessibility Guidelines and Standards: Analyzing Stack Overflow Posts

  Asmaa Mansour Alghamdi, Wajdi Aljedaani, Marcelo M. Eler, Stephanie Ludi · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This study analyses 5,092 Stack Overflow posts related to web accessibility (from an initial dataset of 8,538 posts tagged with "accessibility" or "WCAG" between 2008 and 2022) to understand the practical challenges developers face when implementing accessibility guidelines.…

  WCAG · web development · developer experience · accessibility testing · screen readers

• "Pretty Much an Advocate as Well": Investigating the Experiences of Self-Employed Individuals with Visual Impairments

  Mei-Lian Vader, Marjory Pineda, Foad Hamidi, Ravi Kuber · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This paper from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County explores the experiences of 14 self-employed individuals with visual impairments in the United States, examining how technology shapes their work as small business owners and independent contractors. Participants…

  blindness · visual impairment · self-employment · entrepreneurship · workplace accessibility

• "We are at the mercy of others' opinion": Supporting Blind People in Recreational Window Shopping with AI-infused Technology

  Rie Kamikubo, Hernisa Kacorri, Chieko Asakawa · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This paper investigates how AI-powered navigation technology can support blind people in recreational window shopping — an activity that sighted people take for granted but remains largely inaccessible to those without vision. Researchers from the University of Maryland and…

  blindness · navigation · guide robots · wayfinding · recreational accessibility

• Enhancing Walk-Light Detector Usage for the Visually Impaired: A Comparison of VR Exploration and Verbal Instructions

  Jonggi Hong, James Coughlan · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This paper from Stevens Institute of Technology and Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute compares two methods for teaching people with visual impairments (PVI) to use a walk-light detector smartphone app at traffic intersections: virtual reality (VR) exploration versus…

  blindness · virtual reality · navigation · camera aiming · pedestrian safety

• MABLESim: A Simulation Framework for Studying Accessibility Challenges for People with Disabilities within Indoor Environments

  Francisco Javier Rafful Garfias, Vinod Namboodiri · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper introduces MABLESim (Mapping for Accessible BuiLt Environments Simulator), a Unity-based simulation framework designed to study how people with disabilities navigate indoor spaces. The authors address a fundamental research gap: while physical accessibility barriers…

  indoor navigation · wayfinding · simulation · mobility impairments · visual impairments

• Accessible Gaming Through Better Captions: A Study on Captions Preferences and Inclusivity of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Players

  Wajdi Aljedaani, Marcelo M. Eler, Lorene E Keeland, Hamed Jalali, Khaled Al-Raddah, Mohamed Wiem Mkaouer · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A '24)

  This study surveys 73 deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/Deaf) individuals about their preferences for caption design in video games, addressing a significant gap: while captioning standards exist for television and film, there are no universally accepted standards for video game…

  deaf accessibility · captioning · game accessibility · video games · user preferences

• Beyond Sight: Empowering Visually Impaired Users with Audible Graphs

  Wajdi Aljedaani, Uday Kiran Chimpiri, Durgasantosh Gaddam, Vaseem Ahammed Shaik, Yaswitha Karasala, Marcelo M. Eler · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This technical note presents a tool designed to make data visualizations accessible to people with visual impairments by converting them into audible and textual representations. The tool addresses a significant gap: while data visualization is central to modern information…

  data visualization · visual impairments · sonification · screen readers · optical character recognition

• A Universal Web Accessibility Feedback Form: A Participatory Design Study

  Adrian Wegener, Kathrin Fausel, Saskia Haug, Alexander Maedche · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper addresses a gap in web accessibility practice: while automated testing tools can catch structural violations, they cannot reliably assess the quality of alternative text, the usability of dynamic content, or many other issues that only human users can identify. The EU…

  web accessibility · participatory design · visual impairments · feedback mechanisms · user-centered design

• Direct or Immersive? Comparing Smartphone-based Museum Guide Systems for Blind Visitors

  Xiyue Wang, Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, Giorgia Masoero, Chieko Asakawa · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents the first direct comparison of two smartphone-based museum guide paradigms for blind visitors: a "direct" system using turn-by-turn navigation with VoiceOver-controlled audio descriptions, and an "immersive" system using spatialized sound navigation with…

  museum accessibility · blindness · indoor navigation · spatialized audio · screen readers

• Participatory Design for Cognitive Accessibility of Web-based Interactive Systems

  Adrian Wegener · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper outlines a PhD research program aimed at addressing the significant underrepresentation of cognitive accessibility in web accessibility research. The author notes that while cognitive disabilities account for a 28% share of disabilities in Germany,…

  cognitive accessibility · participatory design · attention · focus · ADHD

• Using Convolutional Neural Networks for Visual Sign Language Recognition: Towards a system that provides instant feedback to learners of sign language

  Rami Aldahir, Ronald R. Grau · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This short paper presents a prototype system that uses computer vision and a convolutional neural network (CNN) to recognize finger-spelled letters in British Sign Language (BSL), providing real-time feedback to learners. The system addresses a gap in sign language instruction:…

  sign language · British Sign Language · computer vision · deep learning · fingerspelling

• Toward Effective Communication of AI-Based Decisions in Assistive Tools: Conveying Confidence and Doubt to People with Visual Impairments at Accelerated Speech

  Taslima Akter, Manohar Swaminathan, Apu Kapadia · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates how people with visual impairments (PVIs) perceive confidence and doubt in speakers' voices when audio is played at accelerated speeds — a critical question because AI-based assistive tools (scene descriptors, facial recognition, image captioners) can…

  visual impairments · artificial intelligence · speech processing · screen readers · assistive technology

• Does ChatGPT Generate Accessible Code? Investigating Accessibility Challenges in LLM-Generated Source Code

  Wajdi Aljedaani, Abdulrahman Habib, Ahmed Aljohani, Marcelo Eler, Yunhe Feng · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents the first empirical evaluation of the accessibility of web code generated by ChatGPT (GPT-3.5), examining both how accessible the generated code is and how well the model can fix accessibility violations. The study involved 88 web developers who prompted…

  web accessibility · large language models · ChatGPT · automated testing · WCAG

• Touchpad Mapper: Exploring Non-Visual Touchpad Interactions for Screen-Reader Users

  Ather Sharif, Venkatesh Potluri, Jazz R. X. Ang, Jacob O. Wobbrock, Jennifer Mankoff · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This technical note introduces Touchpad Mapper, a system that repurposes the laptop touchpad — a widely available but underutilized input device for screen-reader users — as a spatial interface for exploring 2D digital content non-visually. The authors argue that while touchpads…

  screen readers · blindness · touchpad · interaction design · input devices

• ImageExplorer Deployment: Understanding Text-Based and Touch-Based Image Exploration in the Wild

  Ruolin Xu, Yuxuan Cai, Shuying Hou, Yu-Jung Chang, Anhong Guo · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents the real-world deployment and evaluation of ImageExplorer, an iOS application that enables blind and low-vision users to explore images through two complementary modalities: text-based sequential exploration and touch-based spatial exploration. The app was…

  image accessibility · screen readers · touch exploration · blind users · image description

• A11yPDF: Bridging the Gap to Inclusive PDFs

  Wajdi Aljedaani, Sandeep Kumar Rudhravaram, Akhila Chintham, Abdulrahman Habib, Marcelo M. Eler · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This technical note introduces A11yPDF, a free web-based tool for evaluating the accessibility of PDF documents against WCAG 2.2 guidelines. The tool addresses key limitations of existing PDF accessibility checkers such as PDFA Inspector, PAVE, ABBYY FineReader, Common Look, and…

  PDF accessibility · automated testing · accessibility evaluation · document accessibility · WCAG

• Decoding the Privacy Policies of Assistive Technologies

  Kirk Crawford, Yi Xuan Khoo, Asha Kumar, Helena Mentis, Foad Hamidi · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper systematically analyzes the privacy policies of 18 assistive technologies available in the United States, examining how these companies communicate data collection and processing practices to their users. The researchers used the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for…

  privacy · assistive technology · policy analysis · data protection · informed consent

• Making Accessible Movies Easily: An Intelligent Tool for Authoring and Integrating Audio Descriptions to Movies

  Ming Shen, Gang Huang, Yuxuan Wu, Shuyi Song, Sheng Zhou, Liangcheng Li, Zhi Yu, Wei Wang, Jiajun Bu · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper introduces EasyAD, an intelligent tool that automates the process of authoring and integrating audio descriptions (AD) into movies for blind and visually impaired (BVI) users. The traditional AD production workflow is highly labor-intensive, requiring authors to…

  audio description · blind and low vision · media accessibility · multimodal AI · speech synthesis