Understanding the Accessibility of Single-User Virtual Reality Environments for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental DisabilitiesIn this paper, we aim to understand accessibility issues for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) with single- user VR applications. To this end, we recruited eight participants with I/DD for this study. We asked each participant to use a single- user VR application (on Meta Quest 2) and then conducted semi- structured interviews about their experiences. A subsequent thematic analysis of our interviews resulted in identifying several accessibility problems in using VR for people with I/DD. Overall, we found that participants had difficulty: perceiving (including comprehending) the various elements of the virtual environment and using physical controllers to engage with (i.e., act within) the virtual environment. The participants then suggested potential improvements to make the virtual environments more accessible. Based on these findings, we call for further research in four broad areas to foster an accessible VR experience for people with I/DD.2025PKPiriyankan Kirupaharan et al.VR Medical Training & RehabilitationCognitive Impairment & Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia)Special Education TechnologyDIS
Designing and Evaluating a VR Boxing Experience with Blind PeopleVirtual Reality (VR) offers immersive experiences through advanced interaction mechanisms and rich sensory stimuli but is often inaccessible to blind people due to its over-reliance on visual feedback. While prior work has investigated specific aspects of VR accessibility, there is little knowledge on how to design full, feature-rich VR experiences accessible to blind people. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a VR Boxing experience, developed through participatory design with an ex-professional boxer who is now blind. A user study with 15 blind participants explored their perceptions of the three-mode experience developed - Heavy Bag Training, Coach Training, and Combat - to inform the design of accessible VR experiences. Our findings highlight the importance of combining natural movement, rich auditory feedback, and well-timed guidance that also fosters user independence. Furthermore, they demonstrate the value of structured progression in complexity, while also opening opportunities for engaging spatial awareness and coordination training.2025DFDiogo Furtado et al.Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, LASIGEFull-Body Interaction & Embodied InputGame AccessibilityCHI
A Taxonomy of Sounds in Virtual RealityVirtual reality (VR) leverages human sight, hearing and touch senses to convey virtual experiences. For d/Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people, information conveyed through sound may not be accessible. To help with future design of accessible VR sound representations for DHH users, this paper contributes a consistent language and structure for representing sounds in VR. Using two studies, we report on the design and evaluation of a novel taxonomy for VR sounds. Study 1 included interviews with 10 VR sound designers to develop our taxonomy along two dimensions: sound source and intent. To evaluate this taxonomy, we conducted another study (Study 2) where eight HCI researchers used our taxonomy to document sounds in 33 VR apps. We found that our taxonomy was able to successfully categorize nearly all sounds (265/267) in these apps. We also uncovered additional insights for designing accessible visual and haptic-based sound substitutes for DHH users.2021DJDhruv Jain et al.Social & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchDeaf & Hard-of-Hearing Support (Captions, Sign Language, Vibration)DIS
Virtual Showdown: An Accessible Virtual Reality Game with Scaffolds for Youth with Visual ImpairmentsVirtual Reality (VR) is a growing source of entertainment, but people who are visually impaired have not been effectively included. Audio cues are motivated as a complement to visuals, making experiences more immersive, but are not a primary cue. To address this, we implemented a VR game called Virtual Showdown. We based Virtual Showdown on an accessible real-world game called Showdown, where people use their hearing to locate and hit a ball against an opponent. Further, we developed Verbal and Verbal/Vibration Scaffolds to teach people how to play Virtual Showdown. We assessed the acceptability of Virtual Showdown and compared our scaffolds in an empirical study with 34 youth who are visually impaired. Thirty-three participants wanted to play Virtual Showdown again, and we learned that participants scored higher with the Verbal Scaffold or if they had prior Showdown experience. Our empirical findings inform the design of future accessible VR experiences.2019RWRyan Wedoff et al.MicrosoftAccessible GamingGame UX & Player BehaviorCHI