Technological interventions for the development of social skills among autistic children have shown promise. However, the majority of the tools have been developed from a high-resource and Western perspective and may not be culturally or materially appropriate for a low-resource environment. While the use of participatory and co-design approaches is strongly advocated for autism-related research, the direct involvement of autistic children is not always feasible due to the presence of social stigma and the constraints of the environment. In such cases, therapists and teachers are often engaged as proxies, yet the methodological implications of proxy-based co-design have not been sufficiently explored. In response to such shortcomings, this article presents a process-oriented methodological analysis of the co-design of POMA (Picture-to-Object Mapping Activities), a tangible UI-based iPad application developed to support the social skills of autistic children in Sri Lanka, with therapists and teachers acting as proxies. Through 10 rounds of iterative workshops, we present the evolution of co-design methods through breakdowns and negotiations across app critique, paper prototyping, wireframing evaluation, and two iterations of prototypes. Our analysis reveals methodological developments from (i) tensions in app critique from a Western perspective based on linguistic and cultural differences, (ii) resource constraints on participation, (iii) tensions in multidisciplinary co-design leading to design divergence and consolidation, (iv) material failures in environmental sensing leading to redesigns in tangible sensing, and (v) participant turnover leading to repeated onboarding and alignment. The findings highlight that proxy-based co-design in low-resource, culturally specific contexts is a dynamic and contingent process, requiring ongoing methodological adaptation rather than the straightforward application of established participatory practices. By focusing on challenges and adaptations, this article contributes empirically grounded methodological insights into proxy-based co-design for autism technologies, with implications for researchers working in resource-constrained and culturally diverse settings.
Autistic people often have an interest in and spend a substantial amount of time engaged with video games. Games can be supportive of their mental health and social needs and have been widely used for behavioral interventions among autistic people. However, the gaming experiences and preferences of autistic people themselves have not been thoroughly studied. To explore these experiences, we used a multi-method approach, analyzing game-related posts from a large autism-related subreddit and conducting a survey with 145 autistic people. The survey allowed us to further understand preferences around accessibility and sensory experiences, representation, and social experiences in communities that emerged in the Reddit posts. We found that games offering a sense of freedom, control, and creativity might be particularly appealing to autistic gamers. Discussions also emerged around what types of audio and visual sensory input were considered soothing and appropriate. Moreover, both the Reddit posts and survey responses highlighted the importance of accommodating diverse social preferences and providing accurate autistic representation. Overall, our findings offer insights into the gaming experiences and preferences of autistic gamers, emphasizing the need for greater inclusion, accessibility, and supportive gaming communities.
Closed captioning is a service displaying the speech-based audio and limited sound effects of digital media as text on screen, providing access to that content for audiences who are d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/D/HoH), or in situational impairments such as viewing in a hospital waiting room with muted audio or a noisy bar with inaudible volume. Live captioning in fast-paced sports tends to have a faster presentation speed than most viewers can read. In this article, we introduce a new captioning style for live captioned sports, which only displays the colour commentary component of the speech-based audio, rather than the conventional captions for the play-by-play announcing with the colour commentary. This approach reduces the number of words compared to the conventional style. A study is designed to compare d/Deaf and HoH eye behaviour, preference, perceived quality satisfaction and comprehension from watching video clips of live broadcast fast sports with two captioning conditions to investigate behavioural patterns, correlations between quality factors and satisfaction and comprehension of d/D and HoH participants. The main findings revealed a difference between the two groups’ eye behaviour, preference, satisfaction and comprehension when watching different types of captioning.
In higher education, disabled students continue to face challenges in achieving a fully equitable and rewarding academic and social studentship experience, despite existing accessibility laws and the potential of technology to enhance access. In this case study, we explore the experiences of 12 disabled students with various disabilities through in-depth interviews to answer our research questions: (1) How do disabled students (not) use (assistive) technologies to navigate higher education and how does this affect their studentship experience specifically around accessibility? and (2) What are the implications for organizational, community-level, and individual technologies for empowering disabled students in higher education? Through reflexive thematic analysis of the students’ accounts, we present our findings under two main themes: (1) Breaking Down the Higher-Education Accessibility: Disabled Students and the Surrounding Ecosystem , and (2) Navigating the System and Own Resources: The Long Journey toward Accessibility . Later, we discuss our findings from the perspective of Empowerment Theory and show how empowerment in the higher education context may be understood at three different levels: organizational, community, and individual. Finally, we define “empowering technology” in the context of higher education accessibility and provide design considerations for empowering technology in higher education.
From accessible making to do-it-yourself assistive technologies, textile crafts have brought valuable insights to recent accessibility research. However, textile crafting is so widespread and varied that we do not understand the scope of accessibility in textile crafting, nor are crafters a well-defined population. In order for HCI to more effectively explore textile crafting for more accessible technologies, we need a broader, yet more nuanced, understanding of such practices. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study of textile crafters ( N = 184) that asked participants to identify three aspects of their experiences: textile crafts, disability types, and accessibility barriers. Our findings revealed the dynamic, interdependent nature of “access” arising from an ecosystem of tools and social relationships. Drawing on recent disability-led work in HCI, craft theory, and our own experiences, we present a conceptual framework that models how technology and community enable accessible crafting, outline practical implications for HCI and accessibility researchers, and suggest opportunities for further sociotechnical inquiries.
Citizen science (CS) initiatives depend on the participation of large numbers of volunteers. However, many projects fail to adopt inclusive design strategies. This can limit accessibility for individuals with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments. Here, we present a transformation of a visual-based CS task into a conversational chatbot interface enhanced with data sonification. The system is specifically designed to empower visually impaired children and teenagers for scientific participation. It leverages natural language processing and human–computer interaction to enable dialogue-based interactions, providing access to meteor-echo data without reliance on visual interfaces. The Sky Sounds project served as the study context, where 57 visually impaired children and teenagers classified meteor sounds through this accessible interface. The results revealed high engagement and satisfaction across all groups, demonstrating that the combination of conversational interaction and auditory representations can effectively support non-visual scientific classification tasks. These findings highlight the potential of conversational artificial intelligence combined with auditory interfaces to reduce participation barriers and foster inclusive practices in science education. Our approach is highly adaptable and scalable, offering a blueprint for extending accessibility to other CS domains.
Our research addresses the challenges faced by blind and low-vision individuals in accessing musical performances by designing a conceptual framework for omnidirectional audio descriptions (AD) in virtual reality (VR). Study 1 comprised 19 semi-structured interviews with blind and low-vision AD users and 4 scenario-based, open-ended interviews with blind and low-vision AD professionals to derive three design concepts (Spatial AD, View-dependent AD, and Explorative AD). Building on these findings, in the second study, we conducted 14 additional semi-structured interviews with blind and low-vision AD users to further investigate key design dimensions, including the optimal level of descriptive detail, the incorporation of multiple spatial perspectives, and the tradeoffs associated with performance pausing. Our framework integrates three tailored AD design concepts (Spatial AD, View-dependent AD, and Explorative AD) to enhance spatial orientation and narrative clarity in VR musical performances. The results underscore the importance of flexibility and user control, highlighting that adaptive AD systems offering customizable delivery modes may enrich the immersive experience for blind and low-vision audiences. Ultimately, our work contributes a user-centered, practically actionable framework that advances the accessibility of VR musical experiences.
Despite the availability of assistive and aging-in-place technologies, many disabled and older individuals experience challenges adopting these tools. While factors such as usability, aesthetics, and support availability are known to influence technology adoption, we posit that life transitions (e.g., getting married, retiring, becoming a college student, moving to a new country) offer an unexplored lens for contextualizing technology adoption and use among older and disabled people. To investigate this, we conducted interviews with blind and low vision older adults, followed by a systematic literature survey of Accessible Computing literature focused on technology adoption and life transition experiences of people with disabilities (PWD). Through a qualitative analysis of 22 interviews and 42 papers, we found that (1) PWD experience life transitions around technology adoption, (2) PWD experience multiple concurrent life transitions, and (3) PWD navigate their life transitions via technology use and mutual aid with disabled and aging communities. We contribute the framework "Intersecting Liminality," which explains the marginalizing experience of going through multiple life transitions while adopting or using technology. We contend that applying Intersecting Liminality generates nuanced insights about technology and life transitions that can inform the design of more effective assistive interventions.
Will a Voice Assistant (VA) compare well with a controlled-Voice Call (VC) in terms of assembly performance or resulting rated self-efficacy? This work is novel in extending the use of VAs to assembly scenarios for older adults, a context particularly relevant for those aging in place and seeking to maintain independence in everyday tasks. To address this question, we conducted an exploratory study with older adults (N = 18) to investigate the effects of a VA prototype ("Build2Race") compared to a controlled-VC system. Participants' domain-specific and general self-efficacy scores improved after carrying out the assembly task, but those scores did not differ between the conditions. Improvements in assembly self-efficacy were better sustained in the VA (versus controlled-VC) condition after 1 month, but no similar advantage was observed for general self-efficacy. We hypothesize that a non-human agent may be good for task assembly self-efficacy because older adults feel like they are in charge of task performance when a VA is used. Based on the study results and interpretation, we offer guidelines for developing VAs for assembly task assistance.
Blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals encounter significant challenges in accessing and interpreting data, a critical component in many data-intensive fields. Traditional screen readers, which convert text to speech, have been the primary solution, but recent developments such as the Monarch refreshable tactile display and hybrid approaches such as TactualPlot, which combines sound and touch, offer new possibilities for data accessibility. In this paper, we present a controlled, within-subject comparative study of three accessible data exploration systems: a screen-reader-based chart description interface (Olli), a tablet-based audio-tactile system (TactualPlot), and a multi-line refreshable tactile display (Monarch). Ten blind participants completed data analysis tasks involving bar charts, pie charts, line charts, and scatterplots, spanning single-point identification, pairwise comparison, and trend analysis. We evaluated performance using task accuracy and completion time, subjective workload using NASA-TLX, and qualitative feedback through think-aloud protocols. Results indicate that task accuracy did not differ significantly across systems, while completion time varied substantially, with participants completing tasks fastest on the refreshable tactile display. NASA-TLX ratings revealed significant differences in perceived workload across systems, particularly for mental demand, effort, and temporal demand. Qualitative findings highlight how system-specific interaction techniques, hardware constraints, and feedback mappings shape user strategies, learning curves, and perceived efficiency, especially for complex chart types such as line charts and scatterplots. Rather than isolating sensory modalities in abstraction, our findings demonstrate how accessible data exploration is mediated by device-level design choices and interaction techniques that operationalize audio and touch in practice. We conclude with design implications for accessible visualization systems and guidance for future research on integrating audio, tactile, and speech-based interaction techniques to better support non-visual data analysis.
In this study, we developed a two-day scaffolded digital skills training intervention for mobile literacy for people who are blind or partially sighted (BPS) and deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) across three research settings: Brazil, India, and Kenya. Using an adapted Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ) administered at pre- and post-intervention, we measured the impact of the digital skills training intervention on the perceived proficiency in smartphone use. We recruited 395 participants (BPS= 208, DHH=187), who undertook the two-day training and used the smartphone as assistive technology (AT) for six months. Through post-intervention interviews, we explored the participants’ experience of the training and of using the smartphone as an AT. Our findings reveal a significant impact of digital skill training on participants’ digital literacy and self-efficacy in using smartphones as AT in everyday settings. We also discuss the need for adaptive, ability-based design approaches to improve the learning experience and digital literacy of BPS or DHH individuals in low- and middle-income countries.
Examinations of intersectionality and identity dimensions in accessibility research have primarily considered disability separately from a person's race, ethnicity, and culture. Accessibility work often does not include considerations of race as a construct, or treats race as a shallow demographic variable, if race is mentioned at all, or tends to conflate its designation with other proxies. The lack of attention to race as a construct and its interaction with other factors in accessibility research presents an oversight in our field. By systematically eliminating whole areas of need and vital perspectives from the work we do, this omits critical areas and domains of research inquiry. Further, there has been little focus on the intersection of race and disability within accessibility research, and the relevance of their interplay. When research in race or disability does not mention the other, this work overlooks the potential to better understand the full nuance of marginalized, minoritized and “otherized” groups. To address this gap, our work highlights the value of considering how constructs of race and disability work alongside each other within accessibility research studies and the designs of socio-technical systems. We offer a framework for engaging the intersection of race and disability throughout the research process, and present a series of case studies that showcase the potential of integrating racial equity perspectives into accessibility research. Along with providing recommendations towards establishing this research direction and guiding principles for approaching this intersection, our new analysis reflects on tensions and considerations that arise while pursuing this work.
Our work addresses the challenges older adults face with commercial Voice Assistants (VAs), notably in conversation breakdowns and error handling. Traditional methods of collecting user experiences-usage logs and post-hoc interviews-do not fully capture the intricacies of older adults' interactions with VAs, particularly regarding their reactions to errors. To bridge this gap, we equipped 15 older adults' homes with smart speakers integrated with custom audio recorders to collect “in-the-wild” audio interaction data for detailed error analysis. Recognizing the conversational limitations of current VAs, our study also explored the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) to handle natural and imperfect text for improving VAs. Midway through our study, we deployed ChatGPT-powered VA to investigate its efficacy for older adults. Our research suggests leveraging vocal and verbal responses combined with LLMs' contextual capabilities for enhanced error prevention and management in VAs, while proposing design considerations to align VA capabilities with older adults' expectations.
This article presents the Smart Quad, a tangible user interface (TUI) designed to enhance quadrilateral learning by integrating physical and digital educational tools. Developed through an iterative, user-centered design process, the Smart Quad is a tangible device that pairs with the PhET Simulation Quadrilateral creating a multimodal, inclusive learning environment for geometry. We conducted a pilot study with four users with blindness or low vision (BLV) and a formal user study in two settings: a classroom study with 15 students from grades 6 to 8 and individual sessions with five students with BLV from grades 7 to 9. Our findings demonstrate the efficacy of the Smart Quad in facilitating hands-on, interactive learning experiences, particularly for students with BLV, and highlight the potential for TUIs to bridge gaps in mathematics education by supporting diverse learning needs and preferences. The results suggest that TUIs like the Smart Quad can significantly improve engagement and understanding of geometric concepts, offering a promising direction for future educational tools.
Autistic adults typically encounter multiple daily stressors, particularly in workplace settings or public spaces, often resulting in sensory overload. To address these challenges, technological interventions have previously been developed to alleviate stress, enhance cognitive functioning and overall well-being. Tools such as mobile devices, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) applications have shown promise in supporting and advancing clinical practices by utilizing sensory-based technologies. In this article, an extension of a published 2023 survey, we present the second phase of research concerning a series of semi-structured interviews with autistic participants and caregivers. We report on the identification of currently used technological preferences, and the perceived potential for new technologies. Coping mechanisms employed and reactions to stress are detailed, trigger locations and stressful scenarios are identified, as well as masking techniques used by autistic adults. The results from the study have identified interest in developing new applications based on existing technologies, with aural sensitivity identified as the main stimuli that needs managed. Participants highlighted the importance of planning as a coping mechanism and indicated that familiarity, in audio and visual feedback, helps to calm participants in times of stress. Respondents commented on existing forms of audio-visual distractors used by autistic people to cope with stressful scenarios, for example, the use of music, and stimming, which could be employed within potential applications to reduce stress. The overarching goal of this research is to address the question, “How can the potentially debilitating effects of stress in autistic adults be mitigated by a self-customizable approach to the design of accessible technologies?” The insights gained will inform future research regarding the design of technological self-interventions for stress management in autistic adults. The findings further identify practical design requirements such as adaptive audio masking, context-aware planning tools, and customizable multimodal feedback to support real-time stress regulation.
Audio description (AD) narrates important visual details which are played during dialogue gaps in video soundtracks, making them accessible to blind and low vision (BLV) audiences. AD professionals (producers, writers, narrators, mixers, and quality control specialists) possess expert knowledge of AD development and the constraints that affect their work. However, their perspectives remain largely absent in AD research. We present interviews with 17 AD professionals (8 BLV), detailing their workflows to produce AD for recorded media and live theater. We additionally explore their perspectives on recent changes impacting their work, revealing tensions between advocacy for culturally competent AD and the rise of automations—some beneficial, others with concerning implications for AD quality. Highlighting these tensions, we offer research directions to support AD professionals, and we pose guiding questions for AD and AI innovators on preserving the high-quality human touch professionals consider fundamental to the accessibility provision.
Previous studies indicate that people with intellectual disability are interested in information about their daily life experiences. However, their information behavior has not been examined in relation to their executive function. In this article, we characterize the participants’ health information interests, preferred sources, and search experiences, in relation to their executive function reported through shopping-related activities. A total of 39 participants, aged 19–59 years, who could verbally communicate their daily-life information-seeking experiences were included in the survey. Data was collected using an accessible survey delivered through structured interviews by a researcher familiar with the participants. The quantitative data was used for bar chart creation and cluster analysis. The k -means cluster analysis grouped participants into two distinct clusters; within each cluster, the participant characteristics concerning preferred health information sources, highest educational attainment, and independence in shopping-related functions (functional independence) were found to be homogeneous. Participants who were independent in all four shopping-related functions had vocational training and reported accessing health information from the Internet and chemists. The study highlights that digital independence is linked to the participants’ functional independence. This behavior approach offers novel insights into user profiling, moving beyond traditional IQ-based models, which may guide inclusive technology solutions.
Many older adults wish to be more physically active but encounter a complex multitude of barriers that impede their efforts to maintain routines aligned with their aspirations. Despite recognized potential, current physical activity promoting technologies have been described as poorly aligned with older adults’ unique needs. In this article, we present our work following a multi-stage design process consisting of diaries and interviews with 17 inactive older adults living alone wanting to become more physically active and a follow-on co-design workshop with eight of them to envision ways of better supporting exercise engagement. From the resulting design artifacts and a thematic analysis of workshop transcripts, we provided a deeper understanding of why existing technologies are poorly aligned with older adults’ needs and values as well as how older adults weigh the benefits against the costs of using those technologies. Our findings surface potential solutions to addressing the barriers older adults encounter to remaining physically active, identifying enhancing social support as a critical first step. By revealing how older adults’ needs for physical activity support exceed what current technologies can provide, we advocate a holistic network of support across healthcare, social, and information services.
The growing number of older adults online has spurred interest in improving web accessibility for this demographic. To evaluate the current state of this field, we conducted a systematic review of studies published between 2014 and 2023. Our research aimed to identify the challenges older adults face online and effective solutions for accessible web design. From 4,052 articles, we identified 25 types of accessibility issues, 104 improvements to enhance website accessibility, 24 technological resources to design these accessibility enhancements, and 20 evaluation methods. Despite notable progress enhancing web accessibility for older people, our findings underscore the need for ongoing improvements for a truly inclusive web, considering the differences within this heterogeneous group and understanding old age not as a problem but as an opportunity.
This article extends our 2023 ASSETS paper, “A Large-Scale Mixed-Methods Analysis of Blind and Low-vision Research in ACM and IEEE,” which provided a field-, technology-, and method-agnostic examination of blind and low-vision (BLV) research. Our mixed-methods approach combined quantitative bibliometric analyses with a qualitative analysis of the field, resulting in four high-level research areas. Building on this analysis, we further explore these areas by identifying and characterizing research themes and examining how the notion of interaction has been used in BLV research through an analysis of co-located terms. Our results highlight the rich diversity, overlap, and complementarity among these themes while highlighting potential areas for interdisciplinary collaboration. Moreover, our investigation into the terms co-located with interaction reveals a predominant focus on the modalities, technologies, and actions involved in interaction, rather than on the qualities of interaction. Our paper extends our previous findings by providing: (1) a finer-grained delineation within and between research areas; (2) a better understanding of the notion of interaction within BLV research; (3) an analysis of the research methods used when developing interactive computing systems for BLV users; and (4) a comparative analysis of prior systematic literature reviews of BLV research and possibilities for future survey contributions in our field.
