This is a recurrent question, meaning that unfortunately we still have no good solution for the problem of blind / visual impaired people interested in using modeling tools. We discussed the topic of UML for the blind a few years ago and gave a couple of suggestions like using textual modeling notations (for those languages that have one) or, a more extreme one, to use a 3D printer to at least being able to “see” the generated model (which if we look at this last comment may even become a reality ).
Still, in this case Marvin wrote to me saying:
“Hi, I’m a blind IT programming student doing certificate UV programming from http://www.upskilled.edu.au and using visual studio community edition 2013. I’m now using a screen reader jaws for windows from http://www.freedomscientific.com but need to use the visual studio modelling projects, to design uml, case, state, use, class and sequence diagrams for a core subject that cannot be changed by my lecturer and need some way for my screen reader to read the output of those tools ”
As I said before I could point him to the various UML textual tools (that combined cover most UML diagrams) but I just want to make sure there have been no new developments that can make his life easier. Anybody has pointers on accesible modeling tools ?
Image credit goes to Paul Wright
FNR Pearl Chair. Head of the Software Engineering RDI Unit at LIST. Affiliate Professor at University of Luxembourg. More about me.
Yes, the modelling tool of excellence would indeed not handicap people on precise drawing or field-ish typing.
Because in modelling and most other IT disciplines the very key point is about thinking and abstraction, I would like to encourage Marvin to capitalize his talent into thought process, because we in the IT industry are in dire needs of strong thinking, while we can get coders and UML “painters” a dozen a dime.
Because in IT the key is about communication, I would also very much recomment to Marvin to pair with others such that his rich tought processes are actually forwarded to other team members, some of which could actually produce partial representations of those thoughts as pictorial renderings.
Hi Jordi,
This stirs vague memories of work I have seen in the early 2000’s, which used speech rendering and (IIRC) directional input to allow blind developers to explore visual models. IIRC, they could, for example, follow the association(s) to the right of the currently focused class and continue exploring from there.
Unfortunately, I cannot remember more details or the specific name of the prototype etc. I also do not know whether this tool is still being maintained and available or what kinds of models it covered. I will check with colleagues from the time and get back in touch once I know more.
Best,
Steffen
Hi again,
The tool was developed by the TeDUB project, see http://www.alasdairking.me.uk/tedub/index.htm
Apparently, though, it was not particularly successful and hasn’t been maintained. Many thanks to Birgit Demuth for digging this out again.
(BTW, she tells me they are using PlantUML with good success and just had a blind student very impressively talk them through a live creation of some visual UML diagrams as part of a talk he gave…)
Best,
Steffen
Hi to all. I am blind and I am enterprise egovernment architect. I am using Enterpreise architect to define model structure, but, some people without visibility issues must draw model and diagrams for me. For some purposes I am using Graphwiz, but it is no tool to easy write diagrams in DOTX/etc. for blind. So, i am using outlines and i must draw my mindmaps and architecture layouts on flipchart by classical pen on paper. I was not find any usable tool too. M.Rada
Thanks for sharing your experience and please do let us know if at some point you have a better tool / solution
There a number of textual modeling tools for UML but I don’t know any with support for more EA diagrams
Yes, I was find and actually using plantuml notation/syntax and http://www.planttext.com for generating diagrams. It is great tool. And otherwise, plantuml has plugin for Google docs and many applications.