Data Visualization Accessibility for Blind and Low Vision Audiences

While data visualizations have the potential to convey vast quantities of information, they are not always accessible to audiences with vision impairments. We prepared and distributed an online survey to blind and low vision adults to investigate the accessibility of data visualizations across the following five mediums-computers, phones, tablets, paper, TVs. After analyzing 45 survey responses, we identified that the inaccessibility is pervasive and that people want to interpret data independently. At present, data visualizations are largely inaccessible to blind and low vision users; however, it is possible to improve accessibility with intentional design.