Enhancing eBook Accessibility: Exploring 2D Tactile Displays for Blind and Low-Vision Readers

Ensuring that electronic books (eBooks) are inclusive and accessible to all readers, including people who are blind or have low-vision, is crucial for promoting equal opportunities in education and information access. In this paper, we explore the potential use of 2D refreshable tactile displays to convey eBooks for people who are blind or have low-vision. Therefore, we introduce a design of an eBook reader that incorporates interaction concepts derived from suggestions in the existing literature on how eBook readers can be customized for this target group. In addition, we followed a participatory design approach by involving blind users in a preliminary study. We integrated their feedback along with their suggestions for improving the interactions and the representation methods implemented in the reader. This paper discusses the design decisions and presents users’ suggestions and feedback gathered during our preliminary study. It also highlights our insights for future work in developing user interfaces and interaction concepts for 2D refreshable tactile displays.