Investigating Accessibility at the Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC): A Systematic Review on Users Engagement and Ethical Considerations for Persons with Disabilities

Accessibility is a highly significant theme at the Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC), representating 22.41% of the papers total published between 2016 and 2022. In this context, the present study examines the research works on accessibility published on IHC between 2016 and 2022, aiming to gauge the extent of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) involvement in scientific research and the adherence to ethical standards. To accomplish this, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted, analyzing 91 studies. The findings revealed that studies focusing on accessibility and involving individuals comprised 80.2% (73 out of 91) of the total. Among these, 82.2% (60 out of 73) displayed a moderate level of interaction (Consultative). Remarkably, the participation of PWDs was noted in 72.6% (53 out of 73) of the studies. These individuals assumed diverse roles and the most frequent was Testers with 39.6% (21 out of 53) of them. Interestingly, no instances were identified where PWDs served as Co-researchers. In addition, it was evident that there is a need for greater adherence to ethical protocols, with only 17.8% (13 out of 73) of the studies undergoing scrutiny by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP). Although there is a moderate improvement with 31.5% (23 out of 73) of studies utilizing Informed Consent Forms, compliance remains insufficient, considering the mandatory nature of this procedure as per the Disability Act (Estatuto da Pessoa com Deficiência in portuguese). Additionally, a mere 7.7% (7 out of 91) of papers disseminated their findings to the communities under study. In conclusion, it is imperative to prioritize ethical standards to ensure legal compliance and uphold the rights of PWDs in research endeavors. Also, the roles of PWDs within research projects must be carefully considered in the design of studies involving this community.