SIGACCESS

Aided Nonverbal Communication through Physical Expressive Objects Author(s) Stephanie Valencia, Mark Steidl, Michael Rivera, Cynthia Bennett, Jeffrey Bigham, Henny Admoni Intitutions: Carnegie Mellon University, Disability Rights Pennsylvania Abstract: Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices enable speech-based communication, but generating speech is not the only resource needed to have a successful conversation. Being able to signal one wishes to take a turn by raising a hand or providing some other cue is critical in securing a turn to speak. Experienced conversation …

Living Disability Theory: Reflections on Access, Research, and Design Author(s): Megan Hofmann, Devva Kasnitz, Jennifer Mankoff, Cynthia L Bennett Institution: Carnegie Mellon University, City University of New York, University of Washington Abstract: Accessibility research and disability studies are intertwined fields focused on, respectively, building a world more inclusive of people with disability and understanding and elevating the lived experiences of disabled people. Accessibility research tends to focus on creating technology related to impairment, while disability studies focuses on …

Deep Learning for Automatically Detecting Sidewalk Accessibility Problems Using Streetscape Imagery Author(s): Galen Weld, Esther Jang, Anthony Li, Aileen Zeng, Kurtis Heimerl and Jon E. Froehlich Institution: University of Washington and University of Maryland Abstract: Recent work has applied machine learning methods to automatically find and/or assess pedestrian infrastructure in online map imagery (e.g., satellite photos, streetscape panoramas). While promising, these methods have been limited by two interrelated issues: small training sets and the choice …