Representation of web based graphics and equations for visually impaired As e-learning is becoming useful to make learning more

interactive and effective, and also due to the use of Internet based resources in the learning process, visually impaired community face a disadvantage, especially due to its collaborative and interactive nature. In this research we focus on making e-learning a common platform for all learners without any discrimination between normal and visually impaired users. As graphics is an integral part of an e-learning based learning process, accessibility to tactical graphics as well as audio descriptions are important requirements for visually impaired people. Most of the printers which support graphic printing such as thermal embossers that can be used by visually impaired are costly. Many visually impaired learners in the world cannot afford to have such printers, especially due to the recurrent cost being excessive. Currently most of the books printed using normal text braille printers just ignore the images from documents and convert only the textual part. Our research focuses on techniques and algorithms to abstract information regarding graphics embedded in the learning content. Based on such information, we will develop mechanisms to print images using normal text braille printers, mechanisms to represent the images using electronic braille readers when available, and to facilitate using voice aids. Firstly our focus will be on simple images such as maps in a course page that needs to be understood or printed by a visually impaired learner. Prior to printing the image, the image needs to be converted to a textual format suitable for the braille reader or printer. When converting the image into a textual format data loss due to resizing of the image should be minimized. In addition to the images, as a learning aid, we also research on the presentation of Mathematical contents in e-learning systems and the ways of printing them using standard braille printers. Currently support for some mathematical contents is available and we are in the process of improving it further to suit elearning environments and braille printing. Currently the above functionalities are not available in braille converters. Further, currently available converters cannot convert a web page directly into braille. In our e-learning solution we will enable printing and reading facility for complex web pages such as forum posts and portal blocks including mathematical contents and images for visually impaired.