Programmatic availability of virtual classrooms for assistive technologies

Blind learners access digital materials and platforms using assistive technologies such as screen readers and braille displays. Virtual classrooms are e-learning applications, which allow learners to interact e. g. using text chat, audio and video conference and dynamic whiteboard. However, their dynamic, interactive and visual character poses barriers to blind learners who access information text- and line-based using assistive technologies. This paper presents an analysis of programmatic availability of selected virtual classrooms -- i. e. which information can be retrieved via screen readers -- in the context of a requirements analysis for accessible virtual classrooms for blind learners. The goal is to determine to what extend assistive technologies can access the user interface elements and their properties through the virtual classrooms' accessibility APIs by using different inspection tools. The result helps to determine the virtual classroom with the best programmatic availability for assistive technologies.