Accommodating Math in Higher Ed Gaeir Dietrich—High Tech Center Training Unit John Gardner—ViewPlus Technologies Neil Soiffer—Design Science

Issues for Students with Disabilities Getting materials Getting materials Accessing materials Accessing materials –Books –Problem sets/worksheets Writing math Writing math –Doing homework –Taking tests Graphing math Graphing math Getting information in class Getting information in class

Accessible Textbooks RFB&D RFB&D Bookshare (math coming soon) Bookshare (math coming soon) Open Educational Resources Open Educational Resources –Accessibility varies Braille through ATPC/APH Braille through ATPC/APH AMX Database AMX Database Publishers (Pearson has K-12 math) Publishers (Pearson has K-12 math)

Science Materials American Physical Society (APS) American Physical Society (APS) –Making journals accessible American Chemical Society (ACS) American Chemical Society (ACS) –Chemistry in the Community –Talking book in DAISY (navigable audio) format available from Bedford, Freeman & Worth

Books on the Computer For individuals who need to read on-screen For individuals who need to read on-screen Foot pedal mouse Foot pedal mouse Use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to advance pages onscreen Use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to advance pages onscreen Remove spine and rebind to lay flat Remove spine and rebind to lay flat Use hardware page-turning systems Use hardware page-turning systems

Creating Large Print Start with PDF Start with PDF Crop pages Crop pages Print to fit page (11 in. x 17 in.) Print to fit page (11 in. x 17 in.) Can tile pages Can tile pages –Portion of page enlarged to full sheet

Creating Large Print: Starting with Word Use Page Layout Tab to set size Use Page Layout Tab to set size Set a larger size by either: Set a larger size by either: –Modify Normal Style to desired size –Use ctrl-shift-> MathType tab: format equations MathType tab: format equations –Create MathType preference file

MathML Math with HTML Math with HTML –Math is fancy text, not a picture – … … </math Can create MathML with: Can create MathML with: –Word+MathType –OpenOffice –Almost all math editors/applications

InftyReader for OCR OCR for mathematics OCR for mathematics –Math is not a picture, it’s fancy text –Sometimes tricky: math or text? –Only InftyReader handles math Input: TIFF or PDF files Input: TIFF or PDF files InftyEditor: for fixing OCR errors InftyEditor: for fixing OCR errors

From PDF to Word… PDF file PDF file –Math is generally inserted as pictures OCR with InftyReader OCR with InftyReader –Original PDF –InftyReader –InftyEditor: IML File Editing –Word File –Fixed up Word File

From Word to Braille Nemeth Code is Math Braille Code Nemeth Code is Math Braille Code Word+MathType+ Word+MathType+ –Tiger Software Suite –Duxbury

From Word to the Web Web pages w/MathML Web pages w/MathML –Our fully cooked Web Page AT+MathPlayer AT+MathPlayer –Screen readers –Screen enlargers –LD

From Word to DAISY MathDAISY MathDAISY –Word+MathType+MathDaisy Math Daisy Players Math Daisy Players –ghBraille Player (Win), ReadHear (Mac) –Dolphin Easy Reader Our full cooked Daisy Book Our full cooked Daisy Book OpenOffice OpenOffice

From You to Word Word+MathType Word+MathType MathType MathType –Full keyboard access Conversion to/from LaTeX Math Conversion to/from LaTeX Math –Example homework

MathTrax Free from NASA Free from NASA –Verbal description of graph + Sonification

AGC Software Calculator Audio Graphing Calculator Audio Graphing Calculator –Computer software, talks –Graphs can be printed on Tiger or PIAF

Graphics in Dots Tiger Embosser Tiger Embosser –Embosses graphics in raised dots

PIAF “Pictures in a Flash” Uses microcapsule paper Uses microcapsule paper –Can start from any computer file –Can draw on the paper

Graphics with IVEO Pictures that talk Pictures that talk

DotsPlus on the Tiger Requires Word and MathType and a Tiger embosser Requires Word and MathType and a Tiger embosser Can also print from MathPlayer Can also print from MathPlayer

Nemeth on the Tiger Tiger Software Suite (TSS) uses LibLouis Tiger Software Suite (TSS) uses LibLouis Start with Word and set equations with MathType Start with Word and set equations with MathType The TSS Word plug-in will translate The TSS Word plug-in will translate Print to braille with Tiger embosser Print to braille with Tiger embosser

Nemeth with DBT Can set math equations with Scientific Notebook or MathType in Word Can set math equations with Scientific Notebook or MathType in Word Take into Duxbury Braille Translation Software (DBT) Take into Duxbury Braille Translation Software (DBT) Not perfect! Not perfect! –Knowledge of Nemeth math braille and proofreading required

Braille Alert! Not all braille readers can read Nemeth math braille Not all braille readers can read Nemeth math braille –Make sure you ask! Students who say they read “Grade One Braille” will not know Nemeth Students who say they read “Grade One Braille” will not know Nemeth

Backtranslation Nemeth to print Nemeth to print Nemetex Nemetex Not perfect! Will require sighted proofreading. Not perfect! Will require sighted proofreading.

Writing Math Keyboard entry Keyboard entry –MathType (plug-in for Word) Chatty Infty Chatty Infty LaTeX with a screenreader LaTeX with a screenreader MathTalk allows voice entry MathTalk allows voice entry –Requires the MathTalk program, Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Scientific Notebook

Free Statistics Software R Project for Statistical Computing R Project for Statistical Computing Use command line to enter statistics Use command line to enter statistics

Handheld Calculators Many handheld calculators available Many handheld calculators available From basic math to scientific math and statistics From basic math to scientific math and statistics

Other Tactile Strategies Magnet boards Magnet boards –Letters and numbers can be purchased –Symbols can be cut from magnetic sheets MathWindow MathWindow Raised Line Drawing Kit Raised Line Drawing Kit Corkboard for graphics Corkboard for graphics –Glue thread to make a grid –Push-pins and string for graphing

Be Creative! Manipulatives Manipulatives –Many standard K-12 manipulatives will work WikiStixs WikiStixs Collage Collage –Puff paint –Cut-outs –Real objects

Instructor Suggestions Face the students Face the students –Do not talk facing the board Repeat student questions Repeat student questions –A deaf student may not have been looking at the questioner Make sure you can be seen clearly Make sure you can be seen clearly –Do not stand and talk in front of a bright window Use gestures Use gestures –Pointing to what you’re talking about is helpful Build in pauses Build in pauses –Deaf students do a lot of multi-tasking, allow some pauses

Use Meaningful Words Use specific language Use specific language –Blind students will not know what “this thing here is” Use concrete terms Use concrete terms Meaningless! Meaningless! –“Here is the equation.” –“We start with the equation and factor.” –“Set both factors equal to zero and solve to get the result.” Avoid Avoid –This, that, here, there, thing

Thank you! For more information For more information –See our resource list –Available on the CSUN Web site Please complete evaluation sheet. Please complete evaluation sheet.