Dr. Iris Xie and doctoral student Omorodion Okuonghae’s proposal titled “Accessibility on Wikipedia Mobile Web, App, and Desktop Environments: Blind and Visually Impaired Users’ Access, Use, and Contributions” awarded a Wikimedia Research Fund grant for a period of 18 months. The grant period is July 1, 2026 and will end on December 31, 2027.
While mobile usage among blind and visually impaired (BVI) users has grown substantially, research examining their interactions with Wikipedia across mobile web, app, and desktop environments remains limited. In collaboration with diverse Wikimedia and non-Wikimedia communities worldwide, this study investigates how BVI users interact with Wikipedia across these platforms, identifies and compares the accessibility barriers they encounter when accessing, using, and contributing at different Wikipedia platforms, and evaluates the role of assistive technologies and emerging AI tools. It further aims to generate user-centered design recommendations to enhance accessibility and support BVI Wikipedia communities.
The study employs a mixed-method design, integrating pre-questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, think-aloud protocols, and transaction logs, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of BVI user experiences across mobile and desktop contexts. The findings will promote more equitable participation, improve user experience, and strengthen the overall accessibility and inclusiveness of Wikipedia.
Dr. Iris Xie and doctoral student Omorodion Okuonghae serve as the principal investigator (PI) and co-principal investigator (co-PI), respectively, for the project. Dr. Xie has conducted research involving blind and visually impaired (BVI) users for more than 10 years. Her research interests and expertise include information retrieval system design and evaluation, interactive information retrieval, human–computer interaction, and user studies. Her recent BVI-related research includes two IMLS-funded projects totalling more than $1 million: “Creating Digital Library Design Guidelines on Accessibility, Usability, and Utility for Blind and Visually Impaired Users” and “Universal Accessibility and Usability of Digital Libraries in the Mobile Environment: Developing Design Guidelines to Support Blind and Visually Impaired Users.” The current project represents a natural progression of Dr. Xie’s sustained research on improving information access for BVI users. Omorodion Okuonghae has organized several Wikimedia-related projects at different Nigerian universities with grants from the Wikimedia Foundation, including piloting the first-ever Linked Open Data and Wikibase project in Nigerian Libraries. His research interests lie at the intersection of digital libraries, artificial intelligence, user experience, information retrieval, information literacy, digital accessibility, and the information experiences of Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) users.