Digital Resources for Persons with Disabilities
Promoting Accessible Education for All
Indian Resources
| Resource | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment – Dept. of Disability Affairs. | Information on disability acts, chemes, and services. | https://disabilityaffairs.gov.in |
| National Digital Library – Disability Portal | Accessible e-books and academic resources for students with disabilities. | https://disability.ndl.gov.in |
| NIEPVD (Visual Disabilities) | The National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (Divyangjan), formerly NIVH, is a premier national institute under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, dedicated to the rehabilitation, education, and empowerment of visually impaired persons in India through decades of inclusive services, training, and research. | https://niepvd.nic.in |
| Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan | The Sugamya Bharat App is a crowdsourcing initiative by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) to report and improve accessibility in buildings, transport, and digital spaces. It empowers citizens and Divyangjan to highlight accessibility issues across India for redressal. | https://sugamyabharat.gov.in/ |
| UDID Swavlamban Portal | Apply for a Unique Disability ID and access related services. | https://www.swavlambancard.gov.in |
Global Resources
| Resource | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Bookshare India | Accessible books in audio and Braille formats. | https://www.bookshare.org |
| DAISY Consortium | Developing and promoting global standards for accessible books. | https://www.daisy.org |
| W3C – Web Accessibility Initiative | Guidelines for creating websites and tools for all users. | https://www.w3.org/WAI |
Websites for Persons with Disabilities (Library & Education Support)
| Sr.No | Website / Portal | URL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sugamya Pustakalaya | https://www.sugamyapustakalaya.org.in/ | India’s largest accessible online library for the print-disabled. |
| 2 | Benetech | https://benetech.org/literacy-digital-access/saksharta-literacy-program/ | Promotes accessible technologies; developer of Bookshare. |
| 3 | Divyangjan Portal | https://disabilityaffairs.gov.in/ | Indian government’s disability welfare platform. |
| 4 | e-Anudaan | https://grantsmsje.gov.in | Grants for NGOs working with persons with disabilities. |
| 5 | NAB Goa State Branch | http://www.nabgoa.org/ | The National Association for the Blind (NAB), India, established in 1952, is the largest NGO in the country dedicated to supporting the visually impaired through its state and district branches. The Goa State Branch, founded on 10th February 1983, serves around 2,000 visually impaired individuals and conducts regular awareness programs. |
Assistive Software for Persons with Disabilities in Colleges
For Visually Impaired (Low Vision / Blindness)
| Software | Description | Features |
|---|---|---|
| JAWS (Job Access With Speech) | Most widely used screen reader software. | Converts screen text into speech or Braille output. |
| NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) | Free, open-source screen reader for Windows. | Lightweight, works well with Microsoft Office and browsers. |
| VoiceOver (Mac) | Built-in screen reader for Apple devices. | Reads aloud content and supports gestures for navigation. |
| ZoomText | Screen magnifier and reader. | Magnifies text and reads documents, emails, and web pages. |
| Dolphin Screen Reader | Screen reading software used in many colleges globally. | Also available in a networked campus version. |
| BrailleBlaster | Braille translation software. | Converts educational content into Braille. |
For Print Disabilities / Dyslexia
| Software | Description | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Kurzweil 3000 | Learning tool for students with reading difficulties. | Text-to-speech, highlighting, dictionary, summarization. |
| ClaroRead | Assists dyslexic learners with reading and writing. | Reads selected text aloud, works with Word and PDFs. |
| Bookshare (via Read2Go, EasyReader) | Online library of accessible books. | Offers DAISY, EPUB, and audio formats. |
| Snap & Read | Chrome extension for reading support. | Reads text aloud, simplifies vocabulary, translates. |
For Motor Disabilities
| Software | Description | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Click-N-Type | On-screen virtual keyboard. | Helps users with mobility impairments to type. |
| Dragon NaturallySpeaking | Voice recognition software. | Allows full voice-based control and dictation. |
| Windows Speech Recognition | Built-in speech input for accessibility. | Lets users control PC using voice commands. |
For Hearing Impaired
| Software | Description | Features |
|---|---|---|
| AVAZ AAC | Speech app for children with autism and speech delays. | Converts text/images to voice; used in inclusive classrooms. |
| Proloquo2Go | Symbol-based (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)AAC app. | Used with iPads for non-verbal communication. |
| Google Live Transcribe / Otter.ai | Real-time transcription tools. | Converts spoken content into real- time captions. |
For Cognitive Disabilities / Neurodivergent Students
| Software | Description | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ghotit Real Writer | Assists students with dyslexia/dysgraphia. | Grammar, spelling correction, and context awareness. |
| MindMeister / MindNode | Mind-mapping tools. | Visualize ideas and tasks for better learning. |
Library-Specific Tools
| Software | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Sugamya Pustakalaya | Accessible online library for print-disabled users (India) |
| DAISY Player (AMIS, Thorium) | Reads DAISY-format books downloaded from accessible libraries |
| Koha + Accessibility Plugin | Integrated Library System with screen-reader-friendly modules |