Bigger than the EAR BOX: A Theory-Grounded Review of XR Accessibility Research for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities
Abstract
Extended Reality (XR) technologies have received growing attention in accessibility research involving Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) communities. Yet less attention has been given to the assumptions shaping this work. We present a theory-grounded review of XR research involving DHH users. Drawing on Disability Studies, Deaf Studies, and DeafSpace, we develop a theoretical framework with four analytical dimensions: orientation toward access, distribution of responsibility, conceptualization of DHH communities, and spatial and perceptual assumptions. We apply this framework to 53 XR studies involving DHH users, identified through a search and screening of ACM publications from 2015 to 2025. Our analysis shows that XR accessibility is frequently framed as supporting communication within hearing-default environments, while overlooking the diversity of DHH communities. We identify directions for redistributing accessibility labor and reconfiguring space, and offer our framework as a tool for future XR research involving DHH communities.
