Designing Interactive Audio-Tactile Charts Grounded In Current Practices of Tactile Graphics Production.

Data visualizations abstract the source data via patterns that help the reader identify patterns. Such a visual-centric property of visualizations also makes them inherently inaccessible for people with visual impairments. Widespread use of visualizations during the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of access to data and the ability to understand visualizations. In my work, I am focusing on how to bridge the gap between the need for greater data literacy for everyone on the one hand and the lack of accessible tools for accessing data representations for VIP users on the other. My research promotes research practices that consider integration with existing procedures and infrastructure used for producing accessible texts and graphics.