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• Sound, Touch, or the Full Monty? A Comparative Study of Accessible Data Exploration Systems for Blind Users

  Pramod Chundury, J. Bern Jordan, Yasmin Reyazuddin, Niklas Elmqvist, Jonathan Lazar · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a controlled within-subject comparative study of three accessible data exploration systems representing different sensory modalities: Olli (a screen-reader-based system using hierarchical text descriptions and keyboard navigation), TactualPlot (a tablet-based…

  data visualization · sonification · tactile graphics · refreshable braille display · multimodal accessibility

• AXECC: Benchmarking the Privacy and Accessibility Impact of Browser Extensions

  James Clarke, Maryam Mehrnezhad, Ehsan Toreini · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Privacy and Security

  This paper presents AXECC, a novel automated framework for jointly measuring the web-tracking behaviour and accessibility impact of browser extensions at scale. The authors argue that while browser extensions are widely installed to improve the browsing experience, including by…

  browser extensions · web tracking · privacy · accessibility testing · automated testing

• Towards Testing the Accessibility of Dynamic Visual Changes in Android Mobile GUI with Multi-Modal LLMs

  Mengxi Zhang, Jianlin Yu, Chen Xu, Jiqun Li, Xinglong Yin, Huaxiao Liu · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction

  This paper addresses a long-standing gap in mobile accessibility testing: dynamic visual changes in Android GUIs that communicate task status or feedback to sighted users but are invisible to blind users of screen readers such as TalkBack. Examples include an input field…

  Android · mobile accessibility · screen readers · TalkBack · automated testing

• A11y-CUA Dataset: Characterizing the Accessibility Gap in Computer Use Agents

  Ananya Gubbi Mohanbabu, Rosiana Natalie, Brandon Kim, Anhong Guo, Amy Pavel · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  A11y-CUA is an open dataset and benchmark designed to expose the accessibility gap in Computer Use Agents (CUAs) — AI systems like OpenAI Operator, Anthropic Computer Use, and Microsoft Copilot that operate computers by taking screenshots and performing mouse/keyboard actions.…

  blind and low vision · computer use agents · large language models · assistive technology · screen readers

• Programmers Who Use Screen Readers in the Vibe Coding Era: Adaptation, Empowerment, and New Accessibility Landscape

  Nan Chen, Luna K. Qiu, Arran Zeyu Wang, Zilong Wang, Yuqing Yang · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This two-week, three-phase longitudinal study investigates how 16 blind and low-vision (BLV) programmers who rely on screen readers engage with advanced AI code assistants, specifically GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code. The study was motivated by the rapid shift from direct…

  screen readers · blind and low vision · AI code assistants · GitHub Copilot · vibe coding

• Idea11y: Enhancing Accessibility in Collaborative Ideation for Blind or Low Vision Screen Reader Users

  Mingyi Li, Huiru Yang, Nihar Sanda, Maitraye Das · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Digital whiteboards such as Miro and FigJam have become central to brainstorming, design sprints, and UX research, yet their reliance on freeform spatial layout, drag-and-drop manipulation, and rapid visual scanning leaves blind and low-vision (BLV) screen reader users largely…

  blind and low vision · screen readers · digital whiteboards · collaborative ideation · creativity support

• Bridging the Gap between Automated Intervention and Actual User Experience: A Mixed-Methods Study on Mobile Accessibility Issues for Screen Reader Users

  Syed Fatiul Huq, Ziyao He, Yirui He, Sam Malek · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper by Huq, He, He, and Malek (UC Irvine) argues that existing automated accessibility testing tools for mobile apps do not faithfully represent what blind screen reader users actually experience, and proposes a user-aware categorisation to bridge the gap. The…

  mobile accessibility · screen readers · TalkBack · automated accessibility testing · software accessibility

• Finding the Signal in the Noise: An Exploratory Study on Assessing the Effectiveness of AI and Accessibility Forums for Blind Users' Support Needs

  Satwik Ram Kodandaram, Jiawei Zhou, Xiaojun Bi, IV Ramakrishnan, Vikas Ashok · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This exploratory interview study with 14 blind screen-reader users examines how they use accessibility-focused online forums (JFW, NVDA groups, AppleVis, r/Blind) and generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) to troubleshoot computer-interaction problems, learn new assistive…

  blind users · screen readers · accessibility forums · generative AI · ChatGPT

• Access in the Shadow of Ableism: An Autoethnography of a Blind Student's Higher Education Experience in China

  Xinru Tang, Weijun Zhang · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This paper is a collaborative autoethnography written by Xinru Tang and Weijun Zhang, in which Zhang - a blind graduate student who completed his undergraduate work in a specialized program for blind and low-vision (BLV) students at "University A" in China and later became the…

  blind and low vision · higher education · autoethnography · ableism · disability studies

• SceneScout: Towards AI-Driven Access to Street Level Imagery for Blind Users

  Gaurav Jain, Leah Findlater, Cole Gleason · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Jain, Findlater and Gleason present SceneScout, a prototype web interface that uses a multimodal large language model (GPT-4o) to make street level imagery — the panoramic pedestrian-height photography behind Apple Maps Look Around and Google Street View — directly usable by…

  accessibility · navigation · screen readers · AI · multimodal AI

• From Struggle to Success: Context-Aware Guidance for Screen Reader Users in Computer Use

  Nan Chen, Jing Lu, Zilong Wang, Luna K. Qiu, Siming Chen, Yuqing Yang · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Chen, Lu, Wang, Qiu, Chen and Yang present AskEase, an NVDA add-on that delivers on-demand, step-by-step, screen-reader-friendly guidance for blind and low-vision computer users tackling unfamiliar desktop software. The work responds to a persistent problem: mainstream tutorials…

  accessibility · screen readers · AI · LLM · assistive technology

• Nonvisual Support for Understanding and Reasoning about Data Structures

  Brianna L. Wimer, Ritesh Kanchi, Kaija Frierson, Venkatesh Potluri, Ronald A. Metoyer, Jennifer Mankoff, Miya Natsuhara, Matt X. Wang · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Wimer, Kanchi, and colleagues present Arboretum, a web-based system that generates accessible representations of introductory data structure diagrams (arrays and binary trees) for blind and visually impaired (BVI) computer science students. The authors argue that current…

  blind and low vision · BVI · screen readers · tactile graphics · data structures

• I'm Always a Little Skeptical of It: Verification Practices of Blind Users When Working with Generative AI in Spreadsheets

  Minoli Perera, Swamy Ananthanarayan, Cagatay Goncu, Kim Marriott · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper reports a remote study with 12 blind screen reader users (11 totally blind, 1 legally blind) examining how they verify outputs produced by Generative AI tools when working on accuracy-critical spreadsheet tasks. Spreadsheets are pervasive in workplace and…

  blindness · screen readers · Generative AI · spreadsheets · AI accessibility

• TaskAudit: Detecting Functiona11ity Errors in Mobile Apps via Agentic Task Execution

  Mingyuan Zhong, Xia Chen, Davin Win Kyi, Chen Li, James Fogarty, Jacob O. Wobbrock · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper introduces TaskAudit, an automated accessibility evaluation system for mobile apps that detects what the authors coin 'functiona11ity errors' — accessibility barriers that only manifest through interaction, where a UI's static state looks accessible but its…

  mobile accessibility · accessibility auditing · automated accessibility testing · generative agents · large language models

• GeoVisA11y: An AI-based Geovisualization Question-Answering System for Screen-Reader Users

  Chu Li, Rock Yuren Pang, Arnavi Chheda-Kothary, Ather Sharif, Henok Assalif, Jeffrey Heer, Jon E. Froehlich · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper tackles a long-neglected corner of accessible data visualization: geovisualizations — choropleth maps, dot density maps, and similar spatially encoded displays that pack demographic, environmental, and public-health information into visual layouts that…

  geovisualization · data visualization · accessible visualization · screen readers · large language models

• Contextual Scaffolding and Self-Efficacy: Supporting Computer Skill Development among Blind Learners in India

  Akshay Kolgar Nayak, Yash Prakash, Sampath Jayarathna, Hae-Na Lee, Vikas Ashok · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This paper presents a four-month contextual inquiry at two Indian computer training centers serving 94 blind or visually impaired (BVI) students — one urban center in Bengaluru focused on job-oriented ICT training (KEONICS certification) and one rural residential blind school in…

  screen readers · blind and low vision · computer literacy · Global South accessibility · India

• "I Don't Trust Any Professional Research Tool": A Re-Imagination of Knowledge Production Workflows by, with, and for Blind and Low-Vision Researchers

  Omar Khan, JooYoung Seo · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper is an autoethnographically-grounded, mixed-methods study of how blind and low-vision (BLV) researchers actually do research inside an ecosystem of tools built with sighted workflows in mind. Written by two BLV researchers (one totally blind, one low vision),…

  meta-research · blind and low vision · research workflows · academic accessibility · activity theory

• From Compliance to Decision Confidence: A Scoping Review of Accessible E-Commerce for Blind and Low-Vision People

  Bektur Ryskeldiev, Matthew Gillingham, Norimasa Kobori · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '26)

  Ryskeldiev, Gillingham, and Kobori (Mercari R4D and University of Tsukuba) present a scoping review of 21 papers (14 directly about e-commerce accessibility for blind and low-vision (BLV) users, 7 adjacent) published 2010-2025, drawn from ACM DL, Google Scholar, and…

  e-commerce accessibility · blind and low vision · scoping review · online shopping · C2C marketplaces

• Access to Interpretation: How Formal Cues Ground Interpretive Alt Text for Paintings

  Vera L. Zhong, Lucy Jiang, Kathryn E. Ringland · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’26)

  This CHI 2026 Extended Abstract examines a gap between mainstream alt text conventions and the interpretive work that paintings are designed to evoke. The authors argue that dominant guidance for alt text foregrounds brevity, objectivity, and functional equivalence — an approach…

  alt text · image description · blind and low vision · museum accessibility · cultural heritage

• From Cluttered to Clear: Improving the Web Accessibility Design for Screen Reader Users in E-commerce With Generative AI

  Yaman Yu, Bektur Ryskeldiev, Ayaka Tsutsui, Matthew Gillingham, Yang Wang · 2025 · ASSETS '25: Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper explores how Generative AI (GenAI) can be used to automatically restructure the HTML of shopping websites to improve accessibility for screen reader users. Blind and low vision users face persistent barriers on e-commerce sites — complex layouts, inconsistent heading…

  screen readers · web accessibility · generative AI · e-commerce · blind and low vision

• Beyond Accessibility: Understanding the Ease of Use and Impacts of Digital Collaboration Tools for Blind and Low Vision Workers

  Taslima Akter, Aparajita S Marathe, Darren Gergle, Anne Marie Piper · 2025 · ASSETS '25: Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents results from a large-scale online survey of 155 blind and low vision (BLV) screen reader users, evaluating the ease of use of 30 widely used digital collaboration tools across five categories: videoconferencing, asynchronous messaging, collaborative writing,…

  blind and low vision · workplace accessibility · collaboration tools · screen readers · employment

• Crippin' WhatsApp's Interaction Design: Learnings from the blind/visually impaired users of India

  Hrittika Bhowmick, Atharva Shrivastava, Sandeep Ysp, Shilpaa Anand, Dipanjan Chakraborty · 2025 · Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2025)

  This paper examines how blind and visually impaired users in India navigate WhatsApp, using critical disability studies and Roland Barthes' concept of myth to argue that WhatsApp's design naturalizes visual interaction as universal while marginalizing auditory, haptic, and…

  screen readers · blind users · social media accessibility · Global South accessibility · critical disability studies

• GestureVoice: Enabling Multimodal Text Editing for Blind Users Using Gestures and Voice

  Prerna Khanna, Sai Pravallika Reddy, IV Ramakrishnan, Xiaojun Bi, Aruna Balasubramanian · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper introduces GestureVoice, a multimodal text editing system that enables blind smartphone users to edit text using mid-air hand gestures detected by a smartwatch combined with voice commands, eliminating the need for touchscreen interaction. The research addresses a…

  text editing · blind users · multimodal interaction · gesture recognition · voice commands

• Surfacing Variations to Calibrate Perceived Reliability of MLLM-generated Image Descriptions

  Meng Chen, Akhil Iyer, Amy Pavel · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper addresses a critical safety problem in AI-powered visual access technology: multimodal large language models (MLLMs) like GPT-4o, Gemini, and Claude produce fluent, confident image descriptions that can contain fabricated content, misinterpretations, and omissions…

  blindness · low vision · image descriptions · multimodal AI · large language models

• Designing Accessible Calendar Tools for Blind and Low-Vision Users

  Mahmut Erdemli · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This extended abstract investigates the accessibility challenges blind and low vision (BLV) users face with calendar applications and explores how voice-activated personal assistants (VAPAs) like Siri and Alexa can enhance calendar usability. The study employed a mixed-methods…

  blindness · low vision · calendar accessibility · voice assistants · co-design