Best Student Paper Award

The SIGACCESS Best Student Paper Award is presented to the individual(s) judged by an awards committee to have written the best paper appearing in the ASSETS conference proceedings. To be considered for the Best Student Paper Award, the student must be the first author. Recipients are presented with a certificate from ACM at the conference. The following have been awarded:

2011

Blind People and Mobile Touch-based Text-Entry: Acknowledging the Need for Different Flavors

Author(s):
João Oliveira, Tiago Guerreiro, Hugo Nicolau, Joaquim Jorge, and Daniel Gonçalves
Institution:
IST / Technical University of Lisbon / INESC-ID, Lisbon, Portugal
Abstract:
The emergence of touch-based mobile devices brought fresh and exciting possibilities. These came at the cost of a considerable number of novel challenges. They are particularly apparent with the blind population, as these devices lack tactile cues and are extremely visually demanding. Existing solutions resort to assistive screen reading software to compensate the lack of sight, still not all the information reaches the blind user. Good spatial ability is still required to have notion of the device and its interface, as well as the need to memorize buttons‟ position on screen. These abilities, as many other individual attributes as age, age of blindness onset or tactile sensibility are often forgotten, as the blind population is presented with the same methods ignoring capabilities and needs. Herein, we present a study with 13 blind people consisting of a touch screen text-entry task with four different methods. Results show that different capability levels have significant impact on performance and that this impact is related with the different methods‟ demands. These variances acknowledge the need of accounting for individual characteristics and giving space for difference, towards inclusive design..
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2010

Introducing Multimodal Paper-Digital Interfaces for Speech-Language Therapy

Author(s):
Anne Marie Piper, Nadir Weibel, and James D. Hollan
Institution:
University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
Abstract:
After a stroke or brain injury, it may be more difficult to understand language and communicate with others. Speech-language therapy may help an individual regain language and cope with changes in their communication abilities. Our research examines the process of speech-language therapy with an emphasis on the practices of therapists working with adults with aphasia and apraxia of speech. This paper presents findings from field work undertaken to inform the design of a mixed paper-digital interface prototype using multimodal digital pens. We describe and analyze therapists’ initial reactions to the system and present two case studies of use by older adults undergoing speech-language therapy. We discuss the utility of multimodal paper-digital interfaces to assist therapy and describe our vision of a system to help therapists independently create custom interactive paper materials for their clients.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2009

ClassInFocus: Enabling Improved Visual Attention Strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

Author(s):
Anna C. Cavender 1, Jeffrey P. Bigham 2 and Richard E. Ladner 1
Institution:
  1. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
  2. University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
Abstract:
Deaf and hard of hearing students must juggle their visual attention in current classroom settings. Managing many visual sources of information (instructor, interpreter or captions, slides or whiteboard, classmates, and personal notes) can be a challenge. ClassInFocus automatically notifies students of classroom changes, such as slide changes or new speakers, helping them employ more beneficial observing strategies. A user study of notification techniques shows that students who liked the notifications were more likely to visually utilize them to improve performance.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2008

What's New?: Making Web Page Updates Accessible

Author(s):
Yevgen Borodin 1, Jeffrey P. Bigham 2, Rohit Raman 1 and I. V. Ramakrishnan 1
Institution:
  1. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
  2. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Abstract:
Web applications facilitated by technologies such as JavaScript, DHTML, AJAX, and Flash use a considerable amount of dynamic web content that is either inaccessible or unusable by blind people. Server side changes to web content cause whole page refreshes, but only small sections of the page update, causing blind web users to search linearly through the page to find new content. The connecting theme is the need to quickly and unobtrusively identify the segments of a web page that have changed and notify the user of them. In this paper we propose Dynamo, a system designed to unify different types of dynamic content and make dynamic content accessible to blind web users. Dynamo treats web page updates uniformly and its methods encompass both web updates enabled through dynamic content and scripting, and updates resulting from static page refreshes, form submissions, and template-based web sites. From an algorithmic and interaction perspective Dynamo detects underlying changes and provides users with a single and intuitive interface for reviewing the changes that have occurred. We report on the quantitative and qualitative results of an evaluation conducted with blind users. These results suggest that Dynamo makes access to dynamic content faster, and that blind web users like it better than existing interfaces.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2007

Slipping and Drifting: Using Older Users to Uncover Pen-Based Target Acquisition Difficulties

Author(s):
Karyn Moffatt and Joanna McGrenere
Institution:
University of British Columbia, Canada
Abstract:
This paper presents the results of a study to gather information on the underlying causes of pen -based target acquisition difficulty. In order to observe both simple and complex interaction, two tasks (menu and Fitts’ tapping) were used. Thirty-six participants across three age groups (18-54, 54-69, and 70-85) were included to draw out both general shortcomings of targeting, and those difficulties unique to older users. Three primary sources of target acquisition difficulty were identified: slipping off the target, drifting unexpectedly from one menu to the next, and missing a menu selection by selecting the top edge of the item below. Based on these difficulties, we then evolved several designs for improving pen-based target acquisition. An additional finding was that including older users as participants allowed us to uncover pen-interaction deficiencies that we would likely have missed otherwise.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2006

MobileASL: Intelligibility of Sign Language Video As Constrained by Mobile Phone Technology

Author(s):
Anna Cavender, Richard E. Ladner and Eve A. Riskin
Institution:
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Abstract:
For Deaf people, access to the mobile telephone network in the United States is currently limited to text messaging, forcing communication in English as opposed to American Sign Language (ASL), the preferred language. Because ASL is a visual language, mobile video phones have the potential to give Deaf people access to real-time mobile communication in their preferred language. However, even today’s best video compression techniques can not yield intelligible ASL at limited cell phone network bandwidths. Motivated by this constraint, we conducted one focus group and one user study with members of the Deaf Community to determine the intelligibility effects of video compression techniques that exploit the visual nature of sign language. Inspired by eyetracking results that show high resolution foveal vision is maintained around the face, we studied region-of-interest encodings (where the face is encoded at higher quality) as well as reduced frame rates (where fewer, better quality, frames are displayed every second). At all bit rates studied here, participants preferred moderate quality increases in the face region, sacrificing quality in other regions. They also preferred slightly lower frame rates because they yield better quality frames for a fixed bit rate. These results show promise for realtime access to the current cell phone network through signlanguage-specific encoding techniques.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2005

Automatic Production of Tactile Graphics from Scalable Vector Graphics

Author(s):
Stephen E. Krufka and Kenneth E. Barner
Institution:
University of Delaware, Newark, USA
Abstract:
This paper presents a method to convert vector graphics into tactile representations for the blind. Generating tactile pictures from vector graphics is an important effort to bring more accessibility to the WWW as well as other means of communications since vector graphics are an increasing trend in web based graphics. Prior research has investigated methods that extracts object boundaries from images to produce raised-line tactile pictures. The proposed method extends this idea for vector graphics, producing tactile pictures where important outlines are emphasized. Important outlines are determined by using the hierarchical structure of a vector graphic. A Braille printer is used where raised dots are embossed for the outlining boundaries. Important and detail boundaries are embossed with dots of larger and smaller height, respectively, while all other regions contain no raised dots. Results testing a person's ability to discriminate, identify, and comprehend tactile pictures shows the proposed methods' advantage over two other methods.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2004

Mouse Movements of Motion-Impaired Users: A Submovement Analysis

Author(s):
Faustina Hwang 1, Simeon Keates 2, Patrick Langdon 1 and John Clarkson 1
Institution:
  1. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
  2. IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Hawthorne, New York, USA
Abstract:
Understanding human movement is key to improving input devices and interaction techniques. This paper presents a study of mouse movements of motion-impaired users, with an aim to gaining a better understanding of impaired movement. The cursor trajectories of six motion-impaired users and three able-bodied users are studied according to their submovement structure. Several aspects of the movement are studied, including the frequency and duration of pauses between submovements, verification times, the number of submovements, the peak speed of submovements and the accuracy of submovements in two-dimensions. Results include findings that some motion-impaired users pause more often and for longer than able-bodied users, require up to five times more submovements to complete the same task, and exhibit a correlation between error and peak submovement speed that does not exist for able-bodied users.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2002

Speech-based Cursor Control

Author(s):
Azfar S. Karimullah and Andrew Sears
Institution:
Interactive Systems Research Center, UMBC, Baltimore, USA
Abstract:
Speech recognition can be a powerful tool for individuals with physical disabilities that hinder their ability to use traditional input devices. State-of-the-art speech recognition systems typically provide mechanisms for both data entry and cursor control, but the researchers continue to investigate methods of improving these interactions. Numerous researchers are investigating methods to improve the underlying technologies that make speech recognition possible and others focus on understanding the difficulties users experience using dictation-oriented applications, but few researchers have investigated the issues involved in speech-based cursor control. In this article, we describe a study that investigates the efficacy of two variations of a standard speech-based cursor control mechanism. One employs the standard mouse cursor while the second provides a predictive cursor designed to help users compensate for the delays often associated with speech recognition. As expected, larger targets and shorter distances resulted in shorter target selection times while larger targets also resulted in fewer errors. Although there were no differences between the standard and predictive cursors, a relationship between the delays associated with spoken input, the speed at which the cursor moves, and the minimum size for targets that can be reliably selected emerged that can guide the application of similar speech-based cursor control mechanisms as well as future research.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

2000

Neck Range of Motion and Use of Computer Head Controls

Author(s):
Edmund LoPresti, David M. Brienza, Jennifer Angelo, Lars Gilbertson and Jonathan Sakai
Institution:
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
Abstract:
Computer head controls provide an alternative means of computer access for people with disabilities. However, a person’s ability to use head controls may be reduced if his or her disability involves neck movement limitations. In this study, 15 subjects without disabilities and 10 subjects with disabilities received neck range of motion evaluations and performed computer exercises using head controls. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between neck range of motion and performance on computer exercises. Reduced neck range of motion was found to be correlated with reduced functional range for moving the cursor across the screen, and reduced accuracy and speed in icon selection. Fitts’ Law-type models were fit to the data, indicating higher Fitts’ law slopes for subjects with disabilities compared to subjects without disabilities. Results also indicate that vertical cursor movements are faster than horizontal or diagonal movements.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library

1998

A Model of Keyboard Configuration Requirements

Author(s):
Shari Trewin and Helen Pain
Institution:
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
Abstract:
This paper presents a user model: a computer program which examines the behaviour of a real computer user. The model encompasses four aspects of keyboard use which can present difficulties for people with motor disabilities. Where relevant keyboard configuration options exist, the model chooses appropriate settings for these options. The model bases its recommendations on observation of users typing free English text. It is intended to form part of a dynamic configuration support tool. Empirical evaluation showed the model to be very accurate in identification of a given user's difficulties. Where recommended configuration options were tried by the participants, high levels of error reduction and user satisfaction were found.
Full Paper:
Available from the ACM Digital Library