Enhancing Digital Accessibility: A Comparative Review of Tools for Divyang and Multilingual Users in Digital Archives
Ashish Shridatt Dixit
International Journal of Computational Linguistics Research, Vol. 15, No. 4, 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6025/ijclr/2024/15/4/140-145
Link: https://www.dline.info/jcl/fulltext/v15n4/jclv15n4_2.pdf
Abstract:
This paper explores five key tools designed to create digital spaces for Divyang
(differently-abled) and multilingual users, focusing on their features, comparative
analysis, and potential improvements. The objectives are to evaluate the
effectiveness of these tools, identify their unique challenges, and suggest future
directions for enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in digital libraries. The tools
analysed include speech recognition software, environmental control systems, realtime
text-to-braille converters, multilingual digital libraries, and cross-language
information retrieval systems.Our contributions include a detailed comparative
analysis of these tools based on accessibility, usability, integration, and challenges,
along with real-world examples. The findings highlight significant advancements in
making digital environments more inclusive. Speech recognition and environmental
control systems effectively remove physical barriers, while multilingual digital libraries
and cross-language retrieval systems address language barriers. Real-time textto-
braille converters significantly improve access to printed materials for visually
impaired users.However, challenges remain, including the accuracy of speech and
translation software, the high costs of specialised hardware, and the need for
culturally sensitive translations. By addressing these issues through innovation
and collaboration, we can create more inclusive digital spaces catering to all usersâ€™
diverse needs.