Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments
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Transcript of Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments
Teaching Math to Students with Visual ImpairmentsGaeir DietrichDirector * High Tech Center Training Unit of theCalifornia Community Colleges * De Anza CollegeBarbara Illowsky, PhDProfessor of Mathematics & StatisticsDe Anza College
Issues Will not see what you project
on-screen or write on board May have issues taking notes Will require alternate formats for
reading and writing May require sighted assistance
with writing and graphing Will require extra time on tests
A LITTLE ABOUT VISUAL DISABILITIES
Story: OMG a Blind Student! Don’t feel badly for being
nervous!
Even disability services can get nervous
A few tips can help…and remember, learn from your student!
Basic Blindness Literacy Yes, you can say blind or “see you
later”! Speak directly to the person Identify yourself to the person Blind people may use braille…
they very rarely know sign language (unless they are blind and deaf)
When explaining things to a blind person Use very specific, concrete
language.– Avoid words like “this,” “that,”
“here,” “there”– Especially avoid “thing”– “Get that thing over there” is a
meaningless statement for a blind person.
To show the person something tactually, ask the person if you may take his/her hand.
When giving directions to a blind person Make sure that you use specific
language.– Left/right– In front/behind– Degrees of a circle– Clock face– Compass directions
Always give directions from the blind person’s orientation.
VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS AND MATH
Whatcha gonna do?
What Is Often True Strategies that universally help
– In-class note-taker– One-on-one tutoring– Access to electronic text– Extra time on tests– Talking calculators– Tactile graphing strategies
Strategy? Blind strategy or sighted
strategy? Students who used sighted
strategies through junior high will probably always “think sighted” when it comes to math– Transition from sighted strategy to
auditory/tactile strategy can be VERY difficult
Low Vision Strategies Students with some usable vision
will usually prefer large print May work on computer using
enlargement software Many prefer large paper and felt
pen Their strategies will be primarily
visual, not auditory/tactile
Sight-free Strategies Strategies combine tactile and
auditory Auditory math strategies
– MathML– LaTeX (only for “blind geeks”)– Chatty Infty (specifically for blind
users) Tactile strategies
– Braille and tactile graphics
Blindness and Braille Not all blind people read braille
– In fact, many CC students do not Knowledge of braille usually
depends on age of vision loss Not all students who read braille
read Nemeth math braille– As an aside; there are 7 braille codes
Nemeth Is Linear Numbers
– 1234567890–#1234567890
Symbols– x² + 2x + 2 = 10– x^2"+2x+2 .k #10
Braille Options Brailing math is expensive and
time-consuming– Algebra books can cost $25,000+– Calculus books can cost $50,000+
Consider “independent study” with a book already in braille– www.atpc.net– www.aph.org
INSTRUCTOR STRATEGIESHow can you help?
What You Can Do Order books as early as possible
– Consider adopting a book for 3+ years
Provide campus alternate media staff with electronic files for tests
Educate yourself about the issues Be creative Verbalize, verbalize, verbalize!
Use Meaningful Words Use concrete terms 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
– This, that, here, there, thing
Don’t just write it; verbalize it!
– 6x2 = 53x + 9 – Subtract 53x and 9 from both sides– 6x2 – 53x – 9 = 0– Trinomial factoring gives us– (6x + 1)(x – 9) = 0– Set both factors equal to zero– 6x + 1 = 0 and x – 9 = 0– Solve each equation…etc.
READING & WRITING MATH
How to Do Homework
Work with Disability Support Services Someone on campus can help
– Alternate media specialist– Access technology specialist– Disability services director
Please let those folks know they can call Gaeir!– HTCTU Secretary: 408-996-4636
Math to the Student Audio
– Human narration MathML or MathJax
– Can be read with MathPlayer or Chrome VOX
– Text to speech Braille or large print Tactile graphics
Math from the Student Sighted scribes Large print versions Braille to text programs Tactile solutions
GRAPHINGMath Is Pictures, too!
Story: Low-tech Solutions Are Okay (and even fun)! The value of manipulatives
– Pipe cleaners– Wiki Stix
Be Creative! Manipulatives
– Many standard K-12 manipulatives work very well
– Some may need tactile aspects added
Collage– Puff paint– Cut-outs– Real objects
Other Tactile Strategies Magnet boards
– Letters and numbers can be purchased
– Symbols can be cut from magnetic sheets
Corkboard for graphics– Glue heavy thread (or architect’s
tape) to make a grid– Push-pins and string for graphing
Turning It In How do you turn in a graph done
on a corkboard?
Take a picture with your phone!
Commercial Tactile Aids Wikki Stix
– www.wikkistix.com Raised Line Drawing Kit
– www.maxiaids.com Specialized abacus, protractor,
etc.– www.aph.org
MathWindow– www.mathwindow.com
Tactile Diagrams: PIAF “Pictures in a Flash”
– www.humanware.com– Start with computer graphic, print,
photocopy to PIAF (microcapsule) paper
– “Toast” graphic
CALCULATORSMath Machines that Talk
Simple Calculators Lots of choices
– www.maxiaids.com
Scientific Calculator Orion TI-36X Talking Calculator
– Stats, algebra, geometry, trig, calculus
– American Printing House for the Blind
www.aph.org– MaxiAids
www.maxiaids.com
Simple Software Calculator MathTrax Works with screen readers Free from NASA http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/
MathTrax/
Software Graphing Calculator Audio Graphing Calculator
– Computer software, talks– ViewPlus Technology
www.viewplus.com– Note: Graphs can be printed and
PIAF-ed
ONLINE TEACHING CONSIDERATIONS
Beware! Most math software is *not*
accessible with screen readers My Math Lab (Pearson) is working
on accessibility– Many others aren’t even trying
As faculty members, you have real power to help by expressing concern!
MyMathLab Note Not ALL problems are accessible The accessible problems are
marked with a symbol You cannot “fix” the inaccessible
ones The graphing is not accessible Pearson is working on it—talk to
them for more info
Learning Management Systems Most interfaces are fairly
accessible Documents must be accessible
*before* uploading them– Equations must be MathML or LaTeX
Graphics need text descriptions Most chat systems are not
accessible Interactive whiteboards are not
accessible
OER Materials Most OER math books are PDFs,
and the equations are graphics Computers cannot read graphics!
Story: Accessible Statistics Barbara’s OER Stats book is
accessible in MathML
(For an accessible stats calculation program, see R-Project for Stats: http://www.r-project.org/)
Tips for General Interaction
Feel free to contact us! Gaeir (rhymes with “fire”) Dietrich
[email protected] 408-996-6047 * www.htctu.nethttp://accessiblemath.org/resources.htm
Barbara [email protected](408) 864-8211