E-learning and accessibility: A web application for Indian language transliteration into Braille

Education is rapidly evolving, especially with the growth of online learning during the pandemic. As this transformation continues, it's crucial to ensure that students with visual disabilities are not left behind due to accessibility barriers. The lack of built in accessibility features in web pages and applications underscores the importance of integrating such considerations into their design. This paper presents a web application designed to assist individuals with visual disabilities and low vision by transliterating Indian languages, including Bengali, Odia, Hindi, English, and Telugu, into their respective Braille scripts. The key features of the application include text based input, voice based navigation, multilingual voice input, shortcut keys for major functionalities, low vision support, and compatibility with Braille embossing. We also reviewed existing Braille transliteration tools and highlighted the interactive accessibility features integrated into our web application. We have also shared insights from initial cross browser compatibility tests, user testing, and preliminary user evaluations. Our goal is to empower individuals with visual disabilities to access online educational content in Braille across multiple Indian languages, thereby fostering inclusivity in learning environments and supporting special educators in delivering accessible resources.