From Plots to Words: Model-Aware Multimodal Explanations as a Foundation for Accessible, Non-Visual Interaction

Abstract

Multimodal large language models are increasingly used in interactive systems, yet ensuring consistent, trustworthy reasoning across heterogeneous modalities remains challenging. We present a context-aware, multi-agent framework that integrates textual queries, numerical data, visual representations, and model-derived signals for explainable time-series forecasting. A distinctive feature is that it turns predominantly visual forecasting outputs (e.g., trend plots) into structured, model-aware textual explanations. We argue that this makes the approach a natural foundation for non-visual, accessible interaction of particular relevance to blind and visually impaired users, for whom plot-centric interfaces are largely inaccessible. The framework supports three progressively richer pipelines (baseline, interpretable, explainable), enabling systematic comparison of unimodal, perception-driven, and model-aware responses. In an exploratory evaluation using an LLM-based judge as an early-stage proxy for human assessment, the explainable configuration improves overall explanation quality by up to 32% over a numerical baseline, with notable gains in trustworthiness and model awareness. We position user-centered validation with target users, including screen-reader and speech-interface users, as the essential next step rather than a claim established here.