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• Accessibility in Textile Crafting: A Critical Reflection on Making Technology, Disability, and Community

  Shanel Wu, Audrey Girouard · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study examines what accessibility means for textile crafters with disabilities through a cross-sectional survey of 184 participants. The authors—both disabled/neurodivergent crafters themselves—use critical participatory action research (CPAR) to investigate how different…

  accessible making · textile crafts · DIY assistive technology · maker culture · chronic illness

• Accessibility in Textile Crafting: A Critical Reflection on Making Technology, Disability, and Community

  Shanel Wu, Audrey Girouard · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper examines what accessibility means in the context of textile crafting through a cross-sectional survey of 184 crafters with disabilities. The authors—both disabled/neurodivergent crafters and HCI researchers—adopt a critical participatory action research (CPAR)…

  textile crafts · crafting communities · online communities · accessibility · participatory action research

• Rethinking Interdependence in HCI: A Systematic Literature Review for Understanding its Use in Accessibility Studies

  Zeynep Yildiz, Kathrin Gerling · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This paper presents a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review of 70 HCI accessibility papers that engage with the concept of interdependence, examining how the field has conceptualized and applied it. The authors started from 894 papers in the ACM Digital Library, screening…

  interdependence · disability studies · disability activism · systematic review · HCI

• "We Figure It Out Together": A Framework for Relational Communication in Disabled and Neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ Romantic Partnerships

  Kirk Andrew Crawford, Foad Hamidi · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Crawford and Hamidi investigate how disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ romantic partners collaboratively build and sustain communication practices over time, an area largely overlooked in HCI research that has tended to focus on single points in time or on specific…

  cognitive accessibility · neurodiversity · LGBTQIA+ · disability · intersectionality

• From Autonomy to Sovereignty — A New Telos for Socially Assistive Technology

  JiWoong (Joon) Jang, Patrick Carrington, Andrew Begel · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 theory paper argues that assistive-technology (AT) research has long treated 'independence' as its primary goal — a framing codified in the 1988 U.S. Technology-Related Assistance Act — even though disabled people's lived experience is saturated with…

  social accessibility · assistive technology · relational sovereignty · interdependence · independence

• Let's Make a Community [of Practice]: Using Community-Based Participatory Design to Support Interdependence

  Elaine Czech, Dan Bennett, Grace Jane Stangroome, Vanessa Aisyahsari Hanschke, Amy Ingold, Paul Marshall, Oussama Metatla · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Accessibility and HCI research on dementia has moved away from the medical-model framing of 'recipients of care' toward dementia-friendly communities, interdependence, and person-centred support. But Czech and colleagues note a gap: most of this work designs interventions…

  dementia · aging · participatory design · community-based participatory design · interdependence

• Grassroots Maker Perspectives on Participation in Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology Development

  Saquib Sarwar, David Wilson, Khairul Mahbub · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Sarwar, Wilson, and Mahbub interviewed 20 grassroots DIY assistive-technology (DIY-AT) makers in the U.S. between July 2021 and December 2023 to build a maker-centered account of the DIY-AT ecosystem. Participants were recruited from social media (Reddit r/AssistiveTechnology,…

  DIY assistive technology · assistive technology · 3D printing · digital fabrication · makerspace

• When the World Opens Up: Journeys of People with Intellectual Disabilities in Social Virtual Reality

  Alexandra Covaci, Winnie Tsang, Sophia Ppali, Paraskevi Triantafyllopoulou, Monica Perusquia-Hernandez, Oscar Zhou, Fotis Liarokapis, Marios Constantinides, Mohamed Khamis, Shujun Li · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper challenges the dominant remedial paradigm in HCI research on virtual reality and people with intellectual disabilities (ID), which has largely framed VR as a tool for training functional life skills (cooking, shopping, transport) in scripted, controlled…

  intellectual disability · virtual reality · social VR · VRChat · disability justice

• Expanding Norms, Negotiating Bodies: How Artists with Disabilities Perceive and Use Creative Tools

  Miriam Brody, Izabella Rodrigues, Jane L. E, Jingyi Li · 2025 · ASSETS '25: Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This qualitative study explores how 12 artists with disabilities use, reject, or modify tools in their creative practice, applying a crip technoscience lens to inform the design of future creativity support tools (CSTs). The artists spanned a wide range of disabilities…

  disability arts · crip technoscience · creativity support tools · embodiment · interdependence

• Access Beyond the Score: Understanding Notation Needs and Workflows of Low Vision Musicians

  William Christopher Payne, Yu Lee An · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates how musicians with low vision acquire, adapt, and use music notation, an area that has received far less research attention than Braille Music for blind musicians. Through semi-structured interviews with 16 low vision musicians and 2 sighted Teachers of…

  low vision · music accessibility · notation · Modified Stave Notation · Braille Music

• Understanding the Video Content Creation Journey of Creators with Sensory Impairment in Kenya

  Lan Xiao, Maryam Bandukda, Franklin Mingzhe Li, Mark Colley, Catherine Holloway · 2025 · Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2025)

  This paper presents the first in-depth qualitative study of video content creation by people with visual and hearing impairments in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) context, specifically Kenya. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 video creators in…

  video content creation · sensory impairment · visual impairment · deaf and hard of hearing · low- and middle-income countries

• Help and The Social Construction of Access: A Case-Study from India

  Vaishnav Kameswaran, Jerry Robinson, Nithya Sambasivan, Gaurav Aggarwal, Meredith Ringel Morris · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper examines the role of help in how people with visual impairments (PVI) navigate indoor environments in India, challenging the Western-centric assumption that independence should be the primary goal of assistive technology design. Through a mixed-methods qualitative…

  visual impairment · indoor navigation · Global South · India · social accessibility

• SeaHare: An omnidirectional electric wheelchair integrating independent, remote and shared control modalities

  Giulia Barbareschi, Ando Ryoichi, Midori Kawaguchi, Minato Takeda, Kouta Minamizawa · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents SeaHare, an omnidirectional electric wheelchair that integrates three control paradigms — independent, remote, and shared — within a single platform, enabling direct comparison of how different control modes affect the experience of both wheelchair riders and…

  wheelchair · electric wheelchair · omnidirectional · shared control · remote control

• Accessibility through Awareness of Noise Sensitivity Management and Regulation Practices

  Emani Dotch, Avery Mavrovounioti, Weijie Du, Elizabeth Ankrah, Jazette Johnson, Aehong Min, Gillian R Hayes · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates how people with noise sensitivity (PWNS) manage and regulate their responses to sound, and identifies opportunities for technology-mediated support. Noise sensitivity — experiencing sounds as disproportionately distressing, painful, or overwhelming —…

  noise sensitivity · sensory processing · neurodiversity · self-regulation · awareness

• EmoBridge: Bridging the Communication Gap between Students with Disabilities and Peer Note-Takers Utilizing Emojis and Real-Time Sharing

  HyungWoo Song, Minjeong Shin, Hyehyun Chu, Jiin Hong, Jaechan Lee, Jinsu Eun, Hajin Lim · 2024 · ASSETS 2024: 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper addresses a persistent problem in higher education accessibility: peer note-taking programs (PNTPs) where the interaction between students with disabilities (SWDs) and peer note-takers (PNTs) is predominantly unidirectional, with PNTs providing notes and SWDs…

  peer note-taking · collaborative note-taking · higher education · students with disabilities · emoji communication

• "If I'm supposed to be the facilitator, I should be the host": Understanding the Accessibility of Videoconferencing for Blind and Low Vision Meeting Facilitators

  Taslima Akter, Yoonha Cha, Isabela Figueira, Stacy M. Branham, Anne Marie Piper · 2023 · ASSETS '23: Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper investigates how blind and low vision (BLV) professionals facilitate meetings using videoconferencing tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, and the unique accessibility challenges they face in leadership roles. While prior research has examined…

  blind and low vision · videoconferencing · remote work · screen readers · workplace accessibility

• Complex Dynamics: Disability, Assistive Technology, and the LGBTQIA+ Community Center Experience in the United States

  Kirk Andrew Crawford, Katta Spiel, Foad Hamidi · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023)

  This paper explores the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals with disabilities in community centers in the United States, focusing on the role of assistive technology (AT) in these spaces. The researchers conducted 11 semi-structured interviews (60-90 minutes each, conducted…

  assistive technology · intersectionality · LGBTQIA+ · disability identity · stigma

• "Why are there so many steps?": Improving Access to Blind and Low Vision Music Learning through Personal Adaptations and Future Design Ideas

  Leon Lu, Karen Anne Cochrane, Jin Kang, Audrey Girouard · 2023 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study investigates the challenges blind and low vision (BLV) people face when learning music and identifies personal adaptations and design opportunities for assistive technologies. The researchers conducted one-hour semi-structured interviews with 40 participants across…

  blind · low vision · music learning · music pedagogy · braille music

• Applying Technology in a Hybrid-Fashion to Create Dementia-Inclusive Community Spaces

  Elaine Czech · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This doctoral consortium paper presents PhD research exploring how technology can improve accessibility to community spaces and social programs for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their informal carers. The work is grounded in the growing practice of social prescribing —…

  dementia · cognitive accessibility · social prescribing · community-based design · hybrid spaces

• Depending on Independence: An Autoethnographic Account of Daily Use of Assistive Technologies

  Felix Fussenegger, Katta Spiel · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This experience report uses autoethnography to examine the daily realities of depending on assistive technologies (AT) from the first-person perspective of Felix Fussenegger, a person living with a high spinal cord injury (C6 level) resulting in complete sensory and motor…

  assistive technology · autoethnography · disability studies · independence · interdependence

• "Just like meeting in person" - Examination of interdependencies in dementia-friendly virtual activities

  Elaine Czech, Paul Marshall, Oussama Metatla · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper examines how dementia-friendly social programs delivered by cultural and social organizations were adapted to virtual formats during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what this reveals about the interdependencies that make such programs successful. The researchers apply and…

  dementia · social inclusion · virtual programs · interdependence · COVID-19

• Chronically Under-Addressed: Considerations for HCI Accessibility Practice with Chronically Ill People

  Kelly Mack, Emma J. McDonnell, Leah Findlater, Heather D. Evans · 2022 · Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '22)

  This paper argues that HCI accessibility research has largely overlooked people with chronic illnesses, typically approaching them through a medical lens focused on symptom tracking and treatment compliance rather than recognizing their broader accessibility needs. The authors —…

  chronic illness · disability studies · accessibility frameworks · autoethnography · consequence-based accessibility

• Anticipate and Adjust: Cultivating Access in Human-Centered Methods

  Kelly Mack, Emma McDonnell, Venkatesh Potluri, Maggie Xu, Jailyn Zabala, Jeffrey Bigham, Jennifer Mankoff, Cynthia Bennett · 2022 · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  This paper investigates how accessibility experts make human-centered research methods accessible for both disabled participants and disabled facilitators. Through 17 interviews with US and Canadian accessibility experts (13 researchers and 4 community organizers, 14 of whom…

  research methods · accessibility · disability · participatory design · user research

• 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

• Bridging the Divide: Exploring the use of digital and physical technology to aid mobility impaired people living in an informal settlement

  Giulia Barbareschi, Ben Oldfrey, Long Xin, Grace Nyachomba Magomere, Wycliffe Ambeyi Wetende, Carol Wanjira, Joyce Olenja, Victoria Austin, Catherine Holloway · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This qualitative study examines how people with mobility impairments living in Kibera, one of the largest informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, use both traditional assistive technology (wheelchairs and tricycles) and digital technology (mobile phones) in their daily lives.…

  mobility impairment · assistive technology · wheelchairs · mobile phones · informal settlements