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• Beyond Conventional Health Technologies: Investigating Design Opportunities for Improving Self-management in People with Multiple Sclerosis

  Trisha Dani, Anindya Das Antar, Anna Kratz, Nikola Banovic · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Computing in Healthcare

  This qualitative HCI study investigates how people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) use existing health technologies to manage their symptoms and condition in daily life outside clinical settings. MS is a chronic neurological condition causing fluctuating and often invisible…

  multiple sclerosis · self-management · chronic illness · telehealth · symptom tracking

• ExNovo: A user interface that supports novices without encumbering experts

  Mark Blair, Amanda Klassen, Justin O'Camb, Cal Woodruff, Rollin Poe, Christine Chuong, Robin Barrett · 2026 · ACM Games

  ExNovo is a novel hierarchical tree menu interface designed to bridge the long-standing divide between graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and keyboard hotkeys. Traditional GUIs scaffold novice users by making command options visible, but their reliance on precise mouse targeting…

  user interface design · keyboard accessibility · motor accessibility · visual impairment · novice-to-expert transition

• Expanding Perspectives to Improve Access to Visual Archives through Multimodal Image Enrichment

  Karina Rodriguez Echavarria, Myrsini Samaroudi · 2026 · ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage

  This paper addresses a pervasive challenge in the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector: large-scale visual collections that have been digitised but remain undiscoverable because they lack descriptive metadata. The authors, from the University of Brighton,…

  cultural heritage · metadata enrichment · AI image classification · FAIR principles · information discovery

• Beyond Technical Metrics: Understanding the Gap Between AI Performance and Deaf User Experience in Chinese Natural Sign Language Generation

  Yang Liu, Hui Kang, Yurun He, Jiahui Li · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper investigates the disconnect between technical performance metrics and actual Deaf user experience in AI-generated Chinese Natural Sign Language (CNSL). The authors argue that existing sign language generation research, dominated by hearing researchers, relies…

  sign language generation · deaf accessibility · AI accessibility · participatory design · human-centered evaluation

• When Audio Is Enough: Design-Tradeoffs in Multi-Story MR Navigation

  Bilgehan Cagiltay, Selim Balcisoy · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI '26 exploratory study asks when an augmented-reality navigation aid can rely on audio alone. The authors argue that visual-first MR interfaces impose extra cognitive load and attention tunneling in high-stakes, cognitively demanding settings (e.g., first responders,…

  mixed reality · audio augmented reality · spatial audio · indoor navigation · wayfinding

• Beyond Additive Design: An Empirical Taxonomy of Multimodal STEM Accessibility Systems

  Madjid Sadallah, Benoit Encelle · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '26)

  Sadallah and Encelle conduct a systematic review of 66 multimodal STEM accessibility systems for blind and visually impaired (BVI) users published between 2015 and 2025, drawn from the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, OpenAlex, PubMed, and Web of Science. Their central argument…

  STEM accessibility · multimodal interaction · cognitive load · sensory integration · blind and low vision

• SoundSpace: What and Where Through Sound

  Amber Maimon, Iddo Yehoshua Wald, Rahaf Sobh, Carol Sliman, Yarah Nassar, Joel Lanir · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '26)

  SoundSpace is a real-time sensory substitution system designed to give blind and visually impaired users simultaneous awareness of what objects are present in a scene and where they are located, without relying exclusively on verbal scene descriptions. The authors argue that…

  blind and low vision · sensory substitution · spatial audio · sonification · assistive technology

• StepWrite: Adaptive Planning for Speech-Driven Text Generation

  Hamza El Alaoui, Atieh Taheri, Yi-Hao Peng, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2025 · Proceedings of the 38th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST '25)

  This paper introduces StepWrite, an LLM-powered voice-based writing system that enables structured, hands-free and eyes-free composition of longer-form texts. While speech-to-text tools handle short dictation well, composing structured emails or detailed responses requires…

  voice interface · speech-to-text · hands-free interaction · eyes-free interaction · large language models

• NoTeeline: Supporting Real-Time, Personalized Notetaking with LLM-Enhanced Micronotes

  Faria Huq, Abdus Samee, David Chuan-En Lin, Alice Xiaodi Tang, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2025 · Proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI '25)

  This paper introduces NoTeeline, an interactive notetaking tool that uses LLMs to expand user-written "micronotes" — brief shorthand jottings like "plastic pol. ->" or "RNNs are unrolled l to r or opp" — into full-fledged notes that maintain the user's personal writing style.…

  large language models · writing assistance · personalization · notetaking · cognitive load

• "We Musicians Know How to Divide and Conquer": Exploring Multimodal Interactions To Improve Music Reading and Memorization for Blind and Low Vision Learners

  Leon Lu, Chase Crispin, Audrey Girouard · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates how multimodal assistive technologies (MATs) combining sound, vibration, and touch can improve music reading and memorization for blind or low-vision (BLV) musicians and learners. The study involved nine BLV participants from The FMDG Music School in New…

  visual impairment · music accessibility · Braille music · multimodal interaction · vibrotactile feedback

• Improving the Accessibility of Screen-Shared Presentations by Enabling Concurrent Exploration

  Danyang Fan, Sasa Junuzovic, John Tang, Thomas Jaeger · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper addresses a fundamental gap in remote meeting accessibility: when presenters screen-share slides during video calls, blind and low vision (BLV) screen reader users have no adequate way to independently explore slide content in real-time. While sighted audience members…

  screen reader · blindness · presentations · screen sharing · spatial audio

• When Headers Are Not There: Design and User Evaluation of an Automatic Topicalisation and Labelling Tool to Aid the Exploration of Web Documents by Blind Users

  Jorge Sassaki Resende Silva, André Pimenta Freire, Paula Christina Figueira Cardoso · 2022 · Proceedings of the 19th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2022)

  This paper addresses a fundamental problem for blind screen reader users: what happens when web documents lack proper heading markup, eliminating one of the primary navigation strategies available to them. The researchers designed and evaluated a tool that uses Natural Language…

  screen readers · headings · natural language processing · text segmentation · blind users

• Evaluation of user experience and cognitive load of a gamified cognitive training application for children with learning disabilities

  Adel Shaban, Elaine Pearson · 2020 · Proceedings of the 17th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This study presents the design and evaluation of "The Treasure," a gamified web-based application created to train and improve working memory in children with learning disabilities. The application was built on a design framework integrating guidelines from HCI, accessibility,…

  learning disabilities · gamification · cognitive load · working memory · user experience

• Teleconference Accessibility and Guidelines for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users

  Raja S. Kushalnagar, Christian Vogler · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This experience report from two Gallaudet University researchers examines the accessibility challenges that deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) users face in teleconference environments, drawing on nearly a decade of first-hand participation across platforms including Zoom, Microsoft…

  deaf · hard of hearing · teleconferencing · remote participation · sign language

• Tactile Working Memory Capacity of Users Who Are Blind in an Electronic Travel Aid Application with a Vibration Belt

  Jan B. F. van Erp, Katja I. Paul, Tina Mioch · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper investigates the tactile working memory capacity of users who are blind when using a vibrotactile belt for electronic travel aid (ETA) applications. ETAs that display obstacle information through vibration belts require users to integrate multiple tactile cues over…

  electronic travel aids · vibrotactile feedback · working memory · tactile displays · navigation

• Find and Seek: Assessing the Impact of Table Navigation on Information Look-up with a Screen Reader

  Kristin Williams, Taylor Clarke, Steve Gardiner, John Zimmerman, Anthony Tomasic · 2019 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper challenges the widely held assumption that HTML tables are inherently inaccessible to screen reader users. Web designers use visual cues like layout, typography, and spatial grouping to help sighted users navigate and understand page content, but screen readers…

  screen readers · web accessibility · table navigation · spatial layout · cognitive load

• Evaluation of a Prototype Interactive Working Memory Application for Children with Learning Disabilities

  Elaine Pearson, Adel Shaban · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This short paper presents an expert evaluation of a prototype working memory training application designed specifically for children aged 7-9 with learning disabilities. The application was built using a novel design framework that integrates three distinct sets of guidelines:…

  learning disability · cognitive accessibility · working memory · gamification · cognitive load

• Adults with High-functioning Autism Process Web Pages With Similar Accuracy but Higher Cognitive Effort Compared to Controls

  Victoria Yaneva, Le An Ha, Sukru Eraslan, Yeliz Yesilada · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates the accuracy and efficiency with which adults with high-functioning autism process web pages compared to neurotypical controls, using eye-tracking to reveal hidden cognitive effort differences. The study addresses a critical gap: existing web…

  autism spectrum disorder · eye tracking · cognitive accessibility · web accessibility · neurodivergence

• Comprehensive Accessibility of Equations by Visually Impaired

  Akashdeep Bansal · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper proposes an approach to improving the audio rendering of mathematical equations for people with visual impairments by introducing a complexity metric that adapts how equations are spoken based on their structural complexity and individual user…

  mathematics accessibility · STEM accessibility · visual impairment · screen reader · speech synthesis

• Evaluating the Benefit of Highlighting Key Words in Captions for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

  Sushant Kafle, Peter Yeung, Matt Huenerfauth · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper investigates whether visually highlighting important words in video captions benefits Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) users, through formative studies and a larger evaluation study. DHH users face a unique visual-attention challenge when watching captioned video: they…

  Deaf and hard of hearing · captioning · text highlighting · educational accessibility · video accessibility

• SlidePacer: A Presentation Delivery Tool for Instructors of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

  Alessandra Brandão, Hugo Nicolau, Shreya Tadas, Vicki L. Hanson · 2016 · ASSETS '16: Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  SlidePacer addresses a fundamental challenge for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students in mainstream classrooms: the cognitive overload caused by splitting attention between multiple visual sources—instructor, slides, and sign language interpreter. Unlike previous classroom…

  deaf and hard of hearing · sign language interpreting · cognitive load · multimedia learning · classroom accessibility

• Complexities of Practical Web Automation

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

  This paper systematizes and analyzes the complexities involved in building practical, usable, and accessible web automation systems, drawing on published literature and the authors' years of experience developing automation tools for visually impaired web users. Web automation —…

  web automation · screen readers · visual impairment · non-visual browsing · assistive technology

• Why Read if You Can Skim: Towards Enabling Faster Screen Reading

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

  This paper investigates how to bring the speed-reading technique of skimming — widely used by sighted readers to quickly get the gist of content — to blind screen reader users who face chronic information overload when listening to web content sequentially. The authors observe…

  screen readers · skimming · speed reading · blind users · text summarization

• Back Navigation Shortcuts for Screen Reader Users

  Romisa Rohani Ghahari, Mexhid Ferati, Tao Yang, Davide Bolchini · 2012 · Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2012)

  This paper introduces two novel back navigation strategies — topic-based back and list-based back — designed to make backtracking through previously visited web pages dramatically more efficient for screen reader users. The fundamental problem is that when blind users need to…

  screen readers · navigation · information architecture · blind users · web accessibility

• 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