Accessible Touchscreen Technology for People with Visual Impairments

Abstract

Touchscreens have become a de facto standard of input for mobile devices as they most optimally use the limited input and output space that is imposed by their form factor. In recent years, people who are blind and visually impaired have been increasing their usage of smartphones and touchscreens. Although basic access is available, there are still many accessibility issues left to deal with in order to bring full inclusion to this population. Many of the accessibility problems are complex; in the past decade, various solutions have been explored. This article provides a review of the current state of the art of touchscreen accessibility for people with visual impairments and identifies new directions for research.