Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments
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Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments Gaeir Dietrich Director * High Tech Center Training Unit of the California Community Colleges * De Anza College Barbara Illowsky, PhD Professor of Mathematics & Statistics De Anza College
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Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments. Gaeir Dietrich Director * High Tech Center Training Unit of the California Community Colleges * De Anza College Barbara Illowsky, PhD Professor of Mathematics & Statistics De Anza College. Issues. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments
Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments
Gaeir DietrichDirector * High Tech Center Training Unit of theCalifornia Community Colleges * De Anza College
Barbara 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
