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Title: “Sometimes I feel that I’m being left behind”: Exploring Computing Device Use by People with Upper Extremity Impairment During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this paper, we explore how computing device use by people with upper extremity impairment (UEI) was affected by COVID-19. Someone with UEI has reduced use of their shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, and/or fingers. We conducted six (6) semi-structured interviews with participants with UEI in the US. We found that people with UEI increased computing device use during COVID-19 not only for remote interactions but also in person. Additionally, social distancing for COVID-19 safety created the need for new assistive technology (AT), authentication requirements, and communication platforms, which introduced their own accessibility barriers. We also found that personal protective equipment (PPE) created new barriers during computing device use, which often caused people with UEI to choose COVID-19 safety over the usability of their computing devices. Based on these findings, we describe future opportunities to make computing devices more accessible for people with UEI to manage the shifts in computing device use introduced by COVID-19.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1947022
NSF-PAR ID:
10347152
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '22)
Page Range / eLocation ID:
1 to 9
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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    Funding:

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