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Abstract
A number of researches have been conducted to improve how people with visual impairments interact with various types of images on the web (e.g., photos and artworks). However, few research studies have explored ways to enhance the experience of reading comics. As a formative study, we first conducted an online survey with 68 participants who were blind or had low vision. Based on their prior experiences with audiobooks and eBooks, we propose a digital comic book reader designed for individuals with visual impairments. An interview study and prototype evaluation with eight participants with visual impairments revealed insights that can further enhance the usability of digital comic books for this audience.
We then focused on a specific type of digital comic called webtoon, which is read online, allowing readers to leave comments and share their thoughts on the story. To enhance the webtoon reading experience for BLV users, we propose an interactive webtoon reader that integrates comments into novel webtoon interactions. Since comments can highlight key moments in the story and provide additional context, we designed a system that offers: 1) comment-based adaptive descriptions with selective detail customization and 2) panel-anchored comments for easier retrieval of relevant descriptive insights. Our evaluation showed that Cocomix users could tailor descriptions to their needs and make better use of reader-generated comments. https://hcil-ewha.github.io/homepage/index.html