Presenting and storing diagrams in a non-visual format

Modelling techniques used in the design of software rely heavily on the use of diagrams. Such diagrams are inaccessible to programmers with visual impairments such as blindness. These diagrams represent non-visual information (structure, inheritance, relationships) that should be able to be represented in a non-visual way. Unfortunately, the way diagrams are rendered on modern computers obscures the meaning of the diagrams. Some techniques for representing the content and meaning of diagrams in a non-visual way will be discussed in this paper. Discussion will also include alternative ways of storing and rendering diagrams so that the content of the diagram has meaning regardless of the rendering technology.