WAB: World Wide Web access for blind and visually impaired computer users

Abstract

A blind or visually impaired user can get lost in hyperspace on one single W3-page. This paper presents Web Access for Blind users (WAB), a working system which makes web-surfing easier for blind persons. Normally, structure and meta information in HTML documents are displayed visually and are difficult for blind users to recognize. WAB transforms structure and meta information into a form that can be more easily read by visually handicapped people. Titles, links and form elements are described textually. Special navigation aids allow the blind user to navigate through the title hierarchy as well as through the list of links. The implemented system works with any World-Wide-Web-browser and any screen reader. No additional software has to be installed on the user's computer.