[blindkid] Math technology

SUSAN POLANSKY sepolansky at verizon.net
Sat Apr 10 22:09:07 UTC 2010


Thanks, I did not know but will keep it in mind. 
 
Susan T. Polansky



----- Original Message ----
From: Carol Castellano <blindchildren at verizon.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sat, April 10, 2010 4:23:31 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Math technology

Susan,

You probably already know this--but APH sells 
large and small square graph paper and also a kit 
with a rubber graph background which is used the 
way Jason is using the push pins and noodles.  In 
case the school has a little money it's looking to spend!

Carol

At 01:42 PM 4/10/2010, you wrote:
>Jason is in 8th grade and is completing High 
>School Algebra 1, no one in his class is using 
>graphing calculators yet. The IA makes braille 
>paper into graph paper using the Braille Writer 
>to make the lines. Jason uses alligator clips to 
>clip the graph paper to cork, he marks the graph 
>paper using small push pins then uses dry 
>spaghetti noodles to plot the lines. For a graph 
>he needs to look at for data the IA uses the 
>same graph paper with Wikki Stixs to make the 
>bars then he has a written descritption for the 
>data. I hope this makes sense, I am not much 
>involved in his math since he surpassed my 
>ablilities long ago. The technique must be 
>working as he is a straight A math student.
>
>Susan
>
>
>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: Carol Castellano <blindchildren at verizon.net>
>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents 
>of blind children)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Sat, April 10, 2010 1:07:14 AM
>Subject: Re: [blindkid] Math technology
>
>Interesting you say that, Mike.  We made lots of
>graphs for Serena to use for algebra I & II.  She
>did use them and plotted away.  However, when she
>took physics, she did all of it via math
>formulae.  I really don't know if one was more
>meaningful to her than the other.
>
>For graphing, we glued two pieces of string down
>for the axes.  String is good because it allows
>the person to see the axis and the background at
>the same time, thereby giving context.  Then
>Serena would plot the graph with bits and lines
>of Wikki Stix.  For the ones that needed shading,
>we used aluminum foil.  It was nice because when
>you pressed it down over the graph paper, you
>could still feel the graph lines, again giving
>context, yet it felt different from the bare 
>graph paper.  Seemed to work well.
>
>Carol
>
>At 11:07 PM 4/9/2010, you wrote:
> >Pat:
> >
> >I'm sure many will disagree with me here but I
> >could never fathom how audio could accurately
> >convey graphics to the blind. In my book, graphs
> >are only crutches to illustrate abstract
> >concepts and math teachers are only as good as
> >they can deal with the abstractions without needing to "picture" everything.
> >
> >Mike Freman, B.A. and M.S. in physics
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Renfranz" <dblair2525 at msn.com>
> >To: "blindkid" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> >Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 2:36 PM
> >Subject: [blindkid] Math technology
> >
> >
> >My daughter will be taking Algebra II next year in 9th grade. She uses
> >Braille/Nemeth texts with tactile graphics. She's gotten by just fine with
> >relatively low-tech math tools.
> >
> >We are wondering if it would be useful for her to start using an accessible
> >graphing calculator. Does anyone have any practical advice on using one of
> >these programs? I am looking into the Audio Graphing Calculator from
> >ViewPlus and Math Trax from NASA. They both produce an audio signal
> >representing the shape of the function, while the AGC has the advantage of
> >being able to produce tactile graphs on a Tiger embosser. Maybe there are
> >other products available? Our school district has no experience with any of
> >them. Does anyone¹s teenager think this software is worth learning?
> >
> >We are a little nervous about this, because our experience has been that,
> >math is great because you can pretty much always count on a Brailler, paper,
> >and sticky dots from the hardware store to NOT fail and to NOT require
> >specialized training that gets in the way of actually learning the
> >material...
> >
> >Thanks in advance for any help.
> >Pat
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>
>Carol Castellano, President
>National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>973-377-0976
>carol_castellano at verizon.net
>www.nopbc.org
>
>
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Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nopbc.org  


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