Jump to content

2025:Program/Towards an Inclusive Wikipedia: Leveraging AI for Improved Accessibility for BVI users

Add links
From Wikimania
View on Commons

Session title: Towards an Inclusive Wikipedia: Leveraging AI for Improved Accessibility for BVI users

Session type: Poster
Track: Research
Language: en

In this era of information explosion, Wikipedia remains a global hub for vital, free knowledge; yet blind and visually impaired (BVI) users continue to face accessibility challenges when interacting with the platform (Costabile et al., 2024). While assistive technologies like screen readers offer some support, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize accessibility and inclusion within the Wikimedia ecosystem. This future-thinking poster explores the possible integration of AI-driven solutions, including interactive audio navigation system, AI-powered image recognition and description, real-time content summarization and adaptation, and an adaptive user interface to enhance Wikipedia’s usability for BVI users. The poster advocates for the adoption of AI-driven accessibility features for improved accessibility for BVI. It also emphasizes the importance of community-driven innovation to ensure equitable access to knowledge for all.

Description

This poster will explore the critical role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing the accessibility of Wikipedia for BVI users. It will address the challenges faced by BVI users in accessing Wikipedia's vast repository of knowledge, while also highlighting the possibility of integrating innovative AI-driven solutions to bridge the accessibility gap. The poster will emphasize the importance of inclusiveness and collaboration in creating a more accessible Wikipedia for all. The limitation of current accessibility features in Wikipedia, the potential AI-powered solutions, as well as use case examples will be discussed in the poster. The poster will also propose a roadmap for integrating AI-enabled innovations to create a more inclusive, multimodal Wikipedia experience for BVI users.

Aims: The overall objective of this poster is to stimulate the development of an inclusive Wikipedia for blind and visually impaired users. The specific aim of this poster is to: • To raise awareness about the accessibility challenges faced by BVI users on Wikipedia. • To showcase the potential of AI in improving Wikipedia's accessibility. • To promote collaboration and community involvement in developing and implementing AI-powered accessibility solutions. • To inspire further research and development in the field of AI-driven accessibility for Wikipedia.

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

This poster session directly aligns with the Wikimania 2025 theme, "Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity, Impact, Sustainability," by focusing on expanding access to knowledge for all, particularly blind and visually impaired (BVI) users. As inclusivity is central to the Wikimedia movement, it is crucial to explore new ways to enhance accessibility for BVI users beyond screen readers. This poster offers a future-focused approach to bridging the accessibility gap by proposing a roadmap for integrating AI to create a more inclusive, multimodal Wikipedia experience. By leveraging AI to address accessibility challenges, this poster demonstrates how tangible impact can be made, driving both immediate improvements and long-term sustainability within the Wikimedia ecosystem.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Resources

Speakers

  • Omorodion Okuonghae
Omorodion Okuonghae is an experienced librarian, researcher, and Wikimedian with over seven years of experience. He has worked at Wesley University Ondo and Glorious Vision University (formerly Samuel Adegboyega University). As a research scholar, Omorodion has published numerous scholarly works and presented papers at local, national, and international conferences. In 2019, he was honored as the best paper presenter at the 57th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Library Association. His research interests include artificial intelligence, uses and usability of information systems, scholarly communications, digital libraries, and information literacy.
  • Tega Omorodion
A Teacher/school librarian and a member Nigerian Wikimedia user group
  • infor
.
Retrieved from "https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=2025:Program/Towards_an_Inclusive_Wikipedia:_Leveraging_AI_for_Improved_Accessibility_for_BVI_users&oldid=517321"