An Agenda for Research and Development of Multimodal Graphs

Effective multimodal graphing tools can be beneficial to both sighted and visually impaired students and scientists. However, before this can become a reality, considerable research is required on the auditory graphing components. We suggest mappings, polarities, scaling, context, and training be studied in particular. We point to previous work in these areas and make suggestions for expanded research questions. We recommend that more complex and realistic data sets be used, and that visually impaired participants play a larger role in the research. The design of multimodal graphing software should be informed by empirical findings. Effective research and useful software tools will bring a broader perspective to data analysis for all who use graphs, regardless of visual ability.