Related papers: Creative Problem-Solving: A Study with Blind and L…
Software development relies on effective collaboration between Software Development Engineers (SDEs) and User eXperience Designers (UXDs) to create software products of high quality and usability. While this collaboration issue has been…
Data visualizations are ubiquitous in all disciplines and have become the primary means of analysing data and communicating insights. However, the predominant reliance on visual encoding of data continues to create accessibility barriers…
This paper investigates the potential of vision-language models (VLMs) to assist people with blindness and low vision (pBLV) in navigation tasks. We evaluate state-of-the-art closed-source models, including GPT-4V, GPT-4o, Gemini-1.5-Pro,…
Context: Designing software is an activity in which software developers think and make design decisions that shape the structure and behavior of software products. Designing software is one of the least understood software engineering…
Soft and future skills are in high demand in the modern job market. These skills are required for both technical and non-technical people. It is difficult to teach these competencies in a classical academic environment. The paper presents a…
The increasing adoption and commercialization of generalized Large Language Models (LLMs) have profoundly impacted various aspects of our daily lives. Initially embraced by the computer science community, the versatility of LLMs has found…
Most software applications contain graphics such as charts, diagrams and maps. Currently, these graphics are designed with a ``one size fits all" approach and do not cater to the needs of people with disabilities. Therefore, when using…
Creative problem-solving requires combining multiple cognitive abilities, including logical reasoning, lateral thinking, analogy-making, and commonsense knowledge, to discover insights that connect seemingly unrelated pieces of information.…
Evidence supports that reducing cognitive load (CL) improves task performance for people of all abilities. This effect is specifically important for blind-and-low-vision (BLV) individuals because they cannot rely on many common methods of…
As mixed-ability collaboration has become increasingly focal within accessibility research, managing varied, and sometimes conflicting, access needs has become a key consideration in designing for access. When an accessibility feature or…
Accessible design for some may still produce barriers for others. This tension, called access friction, creates challenges for both designers and end-users with disabilities. To address this, we present the concept of softerware, a system…
The introduction of machine learning (ML) components in software projects has created the need for software engineers to collaborate with data scientists and other specialists. While collaboration can always be challenging, ML introduces…
Public art can hold cultural, social, political, and aesthetic significance, enriching urban environments and promoting well-being. However, a majority of urban art is inaccessible to blind and low vision (BLV) people. Most art access…
The increasing adoption of remote and hybrid work modalities in the technology sector has brought new opportunities and challenges for the inclusion of people with disabilities (PWD) in software development teams (SDT). This study…
Context: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) leads to various issues in the everyday life of autistic individuals, often resulting in unemployment and mental health problems. To improve the inclusion of autistic adults, existing studies have…
Blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals face high unemployment rates. The job search is becoming harder as more employers use AI-driven systems to screen resumes before a human ever sees them. Such AI systems could inadvertently further…
Machine learning (ML) components are being added to more and more critical and impactful software systems, but the software development process of real-world production systems from prototyped ML models remains challenging with additional…
Background. Within the software industry, it is commonly estimated that software professionals invest a substantial portion of their work hours in the process of understanding existing systems. In this context, an ineffective technical…
Diversity in software teams drives innovation and enhances performance, but it also introduces challenges that require intentional management. LGBTQIAPN+ professionals in the software industry face unique barriers, including discrimination,…
Dyslexia is a common learning disorder that primarily impairs an individual's reading and writing abilities. In adults, dyslexia can affect both professional and personal lives, often leading to mental challenges and difficulties acquiring…