Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT) has shown promise in expanding access to customized, low-cost devices, particularly for individuals whose needs are not met by professionally manufactured assistive technologies. In this paper, we present a study of the structure and impact of a DIY-AT program launched through a collaboration between a university makerspace and the Maryland department of disability Assistive Technology program. Using an Action Research approach, we examine how the program's institutional, technical, and informational infrastructure evolved over time and how recipients experienced and responded to the 3D-printed devices. Our findings demonstrate that university-government partnerships can enable the large-scale production and distribution of DIY-AT, while also fostering trust, advocacy, and interest in future participation among recipients and others in their communities. We also highlight ongoing barriers to design participation and identify new stakeholder roles that extend existing models of DIY-AT ecosystems.
Improperly installed tactile paving may cause confusion or accidents for visually impaired pedestrians. This preliminary study investigates an automated approach to identifying such installation errors. We adopt DeepLabV3+, a semantic segmentation model, to distinguish between two types of tactile blocks-warning and guiding blocks-thereby facilitating visual assessment of improper layouts by human observers. The model achieved a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 0.937 +/- 0.005 across 5 cross-validation folds, demonstrating promising segmentation performance. We further discuss the effectiveness of this segmentation-based approach in enhancing the detectability of improper installations.
Daily life presents several barriers for people with visual impairments. Modern computers and smartphones alleviate some of these barriers by providing assistive software that can magnify content, adjust visuals, and read text aloud. However, such software is limited to digital contexts; when it interacts with the physical world, it is often too general to support tasks such as reading a physical book, document, or sign. We hypothesize that modern spatial computing devices enable a new generation of assistive technologies. We introduce Spatial Continuity as a novel method for making physical reality accessible to users with visual impairments. Spatial Continuity allows visually impaired readers to engage with physical experiences by transferring physical objects into a virtual environment. We present a prototype in which a smartphone, functioning as a handheld magnifying glass, streams its camera feed to a head-worn augmented reality device. We evaluated the impact of Spatial Continuity in an informal user study, focusing on its usability and potential as an accessibility enabler.
Social Virtual Reality (VR) is emerging as a promising technology for individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, we still need to explore how practitioners perceive and envision its integration into their clinical practice. This study presents findings from semi-structured interviews with six practitioners (clinicians, therapists, and clinical professors) experienced in ADHD and VR interventions. Our findings reveal practitioners see significant therapeutic potential in social VR for supporting cognitive skills, impulse control, and creating emotionally safe environments. However, they also highlight challenges, including difficulties with social communication in VR, ensuring skill transfer to real-life, and managing overstimulation.
Expressive computer science (CS) learning environments teach coding through the creation of an artifact, such as audio or video output. EarSketch is an expressive CS learning environment designed to teach computing through music production, mixing and arranging sounds using code. In this paper, we explore the accessibility challenges of using EarSketch for learners who are Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI). We present key findings from co-design studies with teachers and students at an institution specializing in BVI education, focused on gathering both groups' unique perspectives about EarSketch's ability to support teachers' curricula, students' workflows using the system with accessibility software, and challenges faced by users who are BVI.
Insights into the unique security and privacy practices, risks, and solutions for people with disabilities are currently fragmented across disciplines. In this work, we present a literature review of 33 papers published at leading human-computer interaction, accessibility, and usable security and privacy venues. We categorize the contributions of these papers-ranging from interventions to empirical studies of risks and behaviors-and identify key themes and implications. Papers in this corpus highlight 1) the opportunities and risks of the data collected by assistive technologies and security and privacy tools, 2) the inaccessibility or low usability of security and privacy solutions for people with disabilities, and 3) the utility of customized, contextual security and privacy solutions. We conclude with best practices for collecting data from disabled communities and implications for the design of assistive technologies and security/privacy tools.
This paper presents the development of an open-source platform that enables assistive technology (AT) makers without prior design experience to easily create customized 3D models of common AT devices for activities of daily living. The platform leverages simplified parametric modeling to support users with varying skill levels in adapting devices to meet the specific needs of end-users. By providing an open-source, web-based design tool to the broader maker community, including individuals with disabilities, caregivers, clinicians, and educators, this study aims to democratize access to adaptive AT creation by lowering design barriers and promoting inclusive participation. The platform features an intuitive interface and an expandable library of models, offering a scalable foundation for personalized AT customization. Ongoing efforts include iterative refinement, expanding the model library, and conducting evaluations across diverse user groups and settings to advance the tool and prepare it for widespread adoption.
Reading is a vital skill for social, educational, and professional development, yet various disabilities can impact a person's ability to read and develop literacy skills. HCI and accessibility researchers have explored a wide range of technologies to support reading for people with disabilities. To understand trends in this space, we analyzed 101 publications from Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) venues (2000-2024), coding for target user communities, research methods, technologies, types of support, and contributions. Most research focused on people with dyslexia, followed by people who are Blind or Low Vision, Deaf or Hard of Hearing, or who have intellectual and cognitive disabilities. The majority of studies involved artifact development and short-term lab-based evaluations, with common technologies including visual augmentations, text modifications, and simplification-primarily aimed at improving readability, comprehension, and reading speed. However, participatory approaches and longitudinal evaluations were rarely employed, and the body of work has disproportionately focused on web-based digital reading. Following the initial coding, we conducted community-specific analyses of individual publications to identify patterns and limitations. Based on these analyses, we offer a set of open research questions and community-specific directions to guide future
Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly being used across applications, ranging from content generation to decision-making, raising concerns about biases embedded in them. While biases related to gender, race, and culture have been studied extensively, understanding age-bias and stereotypes of aging in LLMs remain underexplored. This study analyzes LLM-generated responses to prompts related to aging, revealing stereotypical biases about aging pertaining to technology proficiency, cognitive and physical decline, and job roles. We noted that even responses without explicit age bias also had mentions of ageist stereotypes. We discuss considerations for involving older adults' perspectives through human-in-the-loop methodologies yet exercising caution about aspects like internalized ageism.
Navigating unfamiliar indoor spaces is particularly challenging for blind or visually impaired (BVI) individuals due to complex layouts and inadequate signage. To address this, we introduce AccessQuotient-a metric that quantifies navigational difficulty in built environments for BVI users. Based on a simplified mathematical model and validated through a small-scale user study, AccessQuotient predicts both the likelihood of mistake-free traversal and expected navigation errors. This exploratory model aims to establish a foundation for further research rather than provide definitive assessments. By quantifying spatial complexity, AccessQuotient supports designers and planners in evaluating and improving indoor accessibility.
Disability culture celebrates the diversity disability brings. Its consideration of the positive aspects of the disability experience (community, solidarity, creativity) offers a contrast to many other framings of disability. Disability culture thus has the potential to deepen understandings of accessibility and inform approaches to the design and research of accessibility technologies. To explore this potential, we begin by presenting a preliminary synthesis of disability culture for the accessibility research community, based on works of disability studies scholars and activists. We highlight cultural processes of finding community and building solidarity, valuing disabled agency and knowledge, and rejecting ableist norms. To see how these cultural aspects might inform accessibility technology design, we studied accessibility technologies made by disabled people for disabled people - interviewing disabled innovators who had created and disseminated accessibility technologies. We asked these innovators to share their stories and reflect on goals and values they imbued in their innovations. We analyzed how cultural themes of belonging, knowledge, and creativity influenced their work. Our work highlights the potential of a cultural lens in aligning accessibility technology with disabled people's values as well as unearthing new directions for inquiry for the field.
Despite the growing adoption of freehand interactions in virtual reality (VR), the accessibility of default gesture implementations for individuals with upper limb motor impairments remains largely unexamined. To investigate unique accessibility challenges, we recruited adults with upper limb impairments (n=8) and a control group (n=16). We captured subjective and objective measures of impairment before participants performed common freehand interactions in VR including pinching, grasping, pressing, swiping and scrolling. Through observational analyses and semi-structured interviews, we identified usability barriers. Our findings reveal that even when gestures are functionally possible, restrictive implementations cause pain and fatigue for users with impairments. In particular, pinching - widely used in state-of-the-art systems relies heavily on the index finger, while both pinching and grasping are often defined by rigid performance thresholds. These factors exacerbate accessibility issues, especially when paired with the limitations of current tracking technologies. These insights highlight critical gaps in current design considerations and lay the foundation for developing more inclusive freehand interaction systems that reduce pain and better support a range of motor abilities.
This study investigates the accessibility challenges faced by blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals when using calendar applications and explores how voice-activated personal assistants (VAPAs) can enhance usability. Through surveys, interviews, and a collaborative design workshop with BLV participants, key barriers were identified, including navigation difficulties, inconsistent assistive technology integration, and complex interfaces. Participants collaborated to design a voice-based calendar prototype, emphasizing features such as natural language interaction, error correction, and integration with VAPA systems. Findings demonstrate that voice-enabled calendar interfaces, when designed with BLV user input, significantly enhance calendar task efficiency. The proposed prototype addresses critical design considerations including multimodal feedback, robust error handling, and seamless VAPA integration to support independent calendar management for BLV users.
In crowdsourced accessibility mapping, detailed descriptions of accessibility issues in collected images help determine navigability for people with disabilities and assist facility managers in identifying problems. To explore the potential of large language models (LLMs) in generating accessibility descriptions, we conducted two studies. In Study 1, we examined the effect of role assignment on LLM outputs. Although a small number of descriptions included incorrect information, each model produced outputs that reflected the assigned roles of a wheelchair or cane user. In Study 2, we investigated how inter-LLM dialogue influences description quality. The results suggest that dialogue encourages the use of numerical expressions and reduces ambiguity, but does not help eliminate incorrect content. These findings highlight both new opportunities and challenges in leveraging LLMs for automating accessibility assessments.
Social isolation among older adults is a growing public health issue with serious consequences for individual and societal well-being. While strong social connections provide protective health benefts for healthy aging, social isolation continues to rise in the older adult population, emphasizing the need for innovative interventions to mitigate its detrimental health impacts. Although technological solutions can foster social engagement, the relationship between older adults and technology is complex, requiring adaptive and inclusive approaches that accommodate diverse needs rather than assuming universal benefts from digital tools. Through 14 semi-structured interviews with adults aged 60-84 who self-reported social isolation risks, we examined factors infuencing their social participation and perceptions of technology for social connection. Our fndings reveal a complex interplay of barriers and opportunities for technology design and adoption. This paper contributes to the understanding of support needs among socially isolated older adults by ofering insights into their social experiences and technology attitudes, as well as design considerations for technologies that promote meaningful social connections.
This work explores how accessibility information for museums can be made more accessible online, using the local Natural History Museum (Naturkundemuseum, NKM) as a case study. We conducted in-depth interviews with people with different disabilities to identify information needs, what people want and need to know before visiting NKM. To fulfill these information needs, we explored a prototypical design for an accessibility page for the NKM website. The design proposes filterable information depending on the type of disability and a structure to present accessibility information. Our work presents the findings of the interviews aimed at understanding the accessibility information that disabled people want to find to plan their visit, and the initial prototypical design.
This paper explores how and why artists with disabilities use, do not use, or modify tools in their creative practice. To inform the design of future creativity support tools (CSTs), we learned from 12 artists with a wide range of disabilities and mediums, including photography, theater, and drawing. Through their stories, we show instances of crip technoscience happening in the wild. We discuss how our findings may lead to expanded definitions of CSTs to include networks of interdependence and how artists with disabilities negotiate and foreground bodily boundaries in their practice. While our participants rejected the notion of adapting their tools, they did misuse existing tools when making art about their disabled experiences. Finally, we offer suggestions for CST designers to re-examine implicit norms around their tools' goals, input modalities, and if a new accessible tool is even needed in the first place.
Colour plays a crucial role in digital design, but poor design choices can create accessibility barriers for people with colour vision deficiency (CVD). A vast number of CVD-accessible design tools and guidelines have been developed to assist designers. At this stage, a systematic assessment of these approaches is important to help in gaining a better understanding of available design methods and their effectiveness. To address this, we conducted a scoping review of 113 academic papers on CVD-accessibility design methods. We found a lack of variety in methods afforded to designers, with most tools simulating CVD but rarely helping designers explore alternative colour choices or generating accessible palettes. Guidelines often emphasize contrast ratios but overlook other meaningful color use recommendations. We identified ten opportunities for the researcher community to address, such as rethinking the role of redundant encoding and contrast ratios in design.
Collaboration and community building are crucial for equitable participation in research, especially in disability and accessibility research fields. Engaging with communities of disabled individuals helps understand their unique challenges, expectations, and needs, which should be reflected in assistive technology design. However, a gap exists between research in resource-rich societies and the practices of low-resource settings, where socio-economic and infrastructural constraints are often overlooked. Conversely, the innovation and sustainable solutions in these settings are often not fully utilized globally. Our workshop will explore how collaboration and inclusive research practices can inform the development of affordable assistive technologies across borders, particularly in resource-limited contexts, aiming to leverage local expertise, fabrication tools, and global partnerships for sustainable solutions. By fostering global collaboration, community-driven research, and sustainable innovation, we aim to bridge the accessibility research gap and create scalable solutions that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities worldwide.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability that impacts one's social communication and interaction. When left unsupported, this can increase the amount of loneliness felt by autistic people. Communication technology, such as AAC, can be helpful in supporting social communication, especially when co-designed with autistic people. We conducted a series of design workshops to co-design a new AAC system specifically supporting social communication. In this paper, we focus on the accessibility issues that were identified when running our workshops and provide recommendations on how to improve the process. We found that it is critical to build support for information processing time into the workshops, include a variety of AAC stakeholders, and create a shared vocabulary between the workshop participants to make design workshops more accessible to autistic adults.
