All online app users specially who work to digitized books to make it accessible

Students depending solely on teachers' instruction have been left-out from the online home-based learning experience. Our approach to make the learning experience inclusive will move away from traditional methods and towards technology, while promoting lifelong learning. Early adaptation to accessible assistive technology is not only advantageous, but also cost-effective in the long-run. The free and open digital library (E-Pustakalaya) contains thousands of useful resources for casual readers as well as learners. However, this invaluable resource library is not easily accessible to people with visual impairments. This project will continue to adapt the library to be more easily accessible by ensuring that it meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Furthermore, the elements of the site will be tagged, and screen reader software will be incorporated to make it easy for such users to navigate the site and access the content with ease. Another major issue in the Nepali language content is that there are not many digital books that have been converted to a format that can be read by machines for easy access. Under this proposed project, OLE Nepal will work with Nepal Association of the Blinds (NAB) on creating iOCR software to convert documents in accessible format that can be read by computers/mobile and converted to audio. This will enhance access to information by the visually impaired person as well as digitization process of old valuable books.

January to June 2024

• Students and teachers with visual impairment, persons work on accessibility areas benefited by iOCR.
• Teachers capacity/skill development for facilitating usage to students with visual impairment

KDDIF and OLE are working to reduce the disparities faced by children with disabilities in accessing learning resources. By adapting online modules to be accessible for visually impaired learners, they aim to accelerate learning for those who may have fallen behind due to the lack of alternative learning resources in the past.

For learners with visual impairments, the use of computers equipped with screen reader software addresses the inefficiencies often associated with Braille. Modern technologies, such as laptops, screen reader software, and other assistive tools, help level the playing field by providing visually impaired students with access to a wider range of educational resources.

The iOCR site is hosted on a server maintained by OLE Nepal. This setup reduces the cost of cloud storage and allows OLE Nepal to easily manage the site.

KDDI Foundation