CASVI: A Computer Algebra System Aimed at Visually Impaired People

The biggest barrier for visually impaired people to pursue a bachelor of science degree is not the blindness itself but the access to mathematical resources. Resources such as Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) are not accessible, which means that even the execution of elementary math becomes a challenging task. In this paper, we present Casvi, a CAS for visually impaired people, which allows to perform symbolic and numeric computation using the Maxima’s math engine. Casvi offers modules for algebra, linear algebra, differential calculus, integral calculus among others. Moreover, it provides an intuitive user interface based on synthetic speech and non-speech sounds.