MAIDR Project
Contribution overview
I co-authored Sensing the Shape of Data, a study on how blind and low-vision (BLV) learners interpret histogram concepts through non-visual modalities. I contributed to study design, in-person data collection, and mixed-method analysis.
At a glance
- Role: Co-author and research collaborator
- Lead: JooYoung Seo (UIUC)
- Study: Within-subjects multimodal histogram study with 7 BLV participants
- Methods: Task-based evaluation, confidence and timing measures, and qualitative gesture analysis
- Representations: STGs (swell-touch tactile graphics), BDPs (braille data patterns), and sonification
Paper context
My role: Co-author and collaborator. Lead: JooYoung Seo, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Scope: We evaluated learnability (not just accessibility) for three histogram concepts: skewness, modality, and kurtosis.
Research objective
Measure how representation choice affects BLV learners' accuracy, efficiency, and confidence while interpreting histogram concepts using STG, BDP, and sonification.
What I did
- Designed and ran an in-person, within-subjects user study comparingswell-touch tactile graphs (STGs), Braille display patterns (BDPs), and sonification for non-visual interpretation of histogram patterns.
- Led mixed-method analysis combining quantitative metrics (accuracy, confidence, response time) with qualitative gesture coding (for example, whole-to-part vs part-to-whole exploration).
Methods: Within-subjects protocol, multimodal task evaluation, non-parametric analysis, and qualitative interaction coding.
Findings and impact
Key findings
- BDPs showed the highest accuracy trend.
- Sonification enabled faster task completion.
- STGs supported stronger participant confidence.
- Participants switched strategies across modalities rather than relying on one method.
Why it matters
The work extends MAIDR from accessibility to learnability, informing inclusive statistics teaching and future multimodal tools.
Reflection
This work reinforced that accessibility studies must include BLV participants from the start. Next, I would add more real-world analysis workflows to test transfer and adoption.
Skills demonstrated
- Within-subjects study design with BLV participants
- Multimodal evaluation (STG, BDP, sonification)
- Mixed-method analysis (quant + qualitative coding)
- Research translation to accessible learning/tool design
- Cross-functional collaboration in accessibility research
Publications and resources
Methods
- Within-subjects study design
- Multimodal task evaluation
- Qualitative gesture coding
- Cross-functional collaboration