![[2602.18623] Finding the Signal in the Noise: An Exploratory Study on Assessing the Effectiveness of AI and Accessibility Forums for Blind Users' Support Needs](https://arxiv.org/static/browse/0.3.4/images/arxiv-logo-fb.png){kind=logo}
[2602.18623] Finding the Signal in the Noise: An Exploratory Study on Assessing the Effectiveness of AI and Accessibility Forums for Blind Users' Support Needs
Summary
This study evaluates the effectiveness of AI and accessibility forums for blind users, highlighting user experiences and identifying support gaps in these resources.
Why It Matters
As AI tools and online forums become essential for blind users seeking assistance, understanding their effectiveness is crucial for improving accessibility. This study sheds light on user challenges and suggests design improvements, making it relevant for developers and policymakers focused on inclusive technology.
Key Takeaways
- Blind users face cognitive overload due to fragmented and redundant content in forums.
- AI tools can provide direct assistance but often produce unreliable and verbose responses.
- There is a need for design improvements to enhance the reliability of assistive resources.
- User feedback is essential for identifying persistent support gaps.
- Improving the usability of these resources can significantly benefit blind users.
Computer Science > Human-Computer Interaction arXiv:2602.18623 (cs) [Submitted on 20 Feb 2026] Title:Finding the Signal in the Noise: An Exploratory Study on Assessing the Effectiveness of AI and Accessibility Forums for Blind Users' Support Needs Authors:Satwik Ram Kodandaram, Jiawei Zhou, Xiaojun Bi, IV Ramakrishnan, Vikas Ashok View a PDF of the paper titled Finding the Signal in the Noise: An Exploratory Study on Assessing the Effectiveness of AI and Accessibility Forums for Blind Users' Support Needs, by Satwik Ram Kodandaram and 4 other authors View PDF Abstract:Accessibility forums and, more recently, generative AI tools have become vital resources for blind users seeking solutions to computer-interaction issues and learning about new assistive technologies, screen reader features, tutorials, and software updates. Understanding user experiences with these resources is essential for identifying and addressing persistent support gaps. Towards this, we interviewed 14 blind users who regularly engage with forums and GenAI tools. Findings revealed that forums often overwhelm users with multiple overlapping topics, redundant or irrelevant content, and fragmented responses that must be mentally pieced together, increasing cognitive load. GenAI tools, while offering more direct assistance, introduce new barriers by producing unreliable answers, including overly verbose or fragmented guidance, fabricated information, and contradictory suggestions that fail to follow prompts,...
