Access InContext: Futuring Accessible Prototyping Tools and Methods

TL;DR

This paper discusses the need for accessible prototyping tools and methods in HCI to enhance digital inclusion for people with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of questioning current practices and fostering innovation.

Contribution

It highlights the gaps in existing prototyping tools for accessibility and proposes a platform for collaborative ideation and development of inclusive prototyping methods.

Findings

Identified practical barriers in current prototyping tools for accessibility

Proposed a collaborative platform for designing accessible prototyping methods

Encouraged hands-on exercises to foster innovation in accessible design

Abstract

The popularity of accessibility research has grown recently, improving digital inclusion for people with disabilities. However, researchers, including those who have disabilities, have attempted to include people with disabilities in all aspects of design, and they have identified a myriad of practical accessibility barriers posed by tools and methods leveraged by human-computer interaction (HCI) researchers during prototyping. To build a more inclusive technological landscape, we must question the effectiveness of existing prototyping tools and methods, repurpose/retrofit existing resources, and build new tools and methods to support the participation of both researchers and people with disabilities within the prototyping design process of novel technologies. This full-day workshop at CHI 2025 will provide a platform for HCI researchers, designers, and practitioners to discuss barriers and opportunities for creating accessible prototyping and promote hands-on ideation and fabrication exercises aimed at futuring accessible prototyping.