[Blindmath] Teaching Undergraduates with Vision loss

Tue Aug 9 17:04:25 UTC 2011

Dick, 
I found your post very interesting. So I thank you for sharing it.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Richard Baldwin
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 12:59 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Teaching Undergraduates with Vision loss

Sorry that I misunderstood.

That being the case, I'm sure that Christine knows a lot more about the
barriers than I do and she certainly didn't need a lecture from me.

Christine, please accept my apologies.

Dick Baldwin

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 11:03 AM, Susan Mooney <susanannemooney at gmail.com>wrote:

> Dick, I think it's the other way around. I believe Christine is blind and
> her students are sighted.
>
> SM
>
> On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 11:21 AM, Richard Baldwin <baldwin at dickbaldwin.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Hi Christine,
> >
> > You didn't say what subject you will be teaching, but if it is in any way
> > related to physics, your students might find my free ebook titled
> > Accessible
> > Physics Concepts for Blind Students at
> > http://cnx.org/content/col11294/latest/ to be useful.
> >
> > Regarding interaction, as someone who has taught both computer
> programming
> > and physics to a blind student at the college level, if you can set aside
> > time for lots of one-on-one interaction, you will probably find that time
> > to
> > be very productive. The above mentioned ebook is an ongoing project
> > resulting from my experience tutoring a blind student in physics.
> >
> > Regarding the use of Power Point slides, unless the blind student has a
> > copy
> > of the slides and can follow along with a portable computer and a screen
> > reader in the classroom, slides are not effective. Even then, you need to
> > ensure that you and the blind student are on the same slide keeping in
> mind
> > that the blind student with a screen reader can only experience one line
> of
> > text at a time. Also keep in mind that the student has an auditory
> conflict
> > listening to the screen reader while also listening to you.
> >
> > If the slides contain images, you will need to describe each image in
> > detail
> > because screen readers are incapable of helping the student  "see" the
> > image. I recommend that you think carefully about every image in advance
> of
> > each lecture and identify the essential features of the image needed to
> > convey the information for which the image is intended. Then be prepared
> to
> > explain those essential features in detail. In fact, if you can meet with
> > the student before class and discuss the upcoming images, that would
> > probably be beneficial.
> >
> > In my opinion, the extensive use of unexplained images, particularly in
> > physics textbooks, is one of the greatest barriers that blind students
> face
> > in their efforts to succeed in such courses. Textbook authors often
> assume
> > that images will be self-explanatory, which they may be if you can see
> > them.
> > Unfortunately they then take the notion that a picture is worth a
> thousand
> > words literally and omit the thousand words that a blind student needs to
> > understand the material. If you can't see the images, they obviously
> aren't
> > self-explanatory.
> >
> > The other great barrier is the extensive use of mathematical equations
> that
> > are rendered in a manner (pdf) that resists automatic conversion to a
> form
> > that a blind student can understand. So, even if your blind student has a
> > pdf copy of the textbook, considerable manual assistance may be needed to
> > convert portions of the pdf files into a form that a blind student can
> > understand. Such manual conversions take a lot of time and effort on
> > someone's part, so you need to be very flexible regarding schedules.
> >
> > I could probably go on and on about the barriers that blind students
> > continually face in college classes, particularly technical classes, but
> I
> > don't want to be preaching, so I'll stop at this point.
> >
> > Hope that this has been at least a little helpful.
> >
> > Dick Baldwin
> >
> > On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 9:36 AM, Christine Szostak <szostak.1 at osu.edu>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Friends and Colleagues,
> > >  This winter I will be teaching an  undergraduate course. Since many
> > > scientists and mathematicians frequently teach, I was wondering if
> anyone
> > > has tips for teaching with out any vision at  the university level
> (e.g.,
> > > tips on handling grading, attendance, classroom interaction,
> PowerPoint,
> > > teaching visual material...).
> > > Many thanks,
> > > Christine
> > > Christine  M. Szostak
> > > Doctoral Candidate
> > > Language Perception Laboratory
> > > Department of Psychology, Cognitive Area
> > > The Ohio State University
> > > Columbus, Ohio
> > > szostak.1 at osu.edu
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> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Richard G. Baldwin (Dick Baldwin)
> > Home of Baldwin's on-line Java Tutorials
> > http://www.DickBaldwin.com
> >
> > Professor of Computer Information Technology
> > Austin Community College
> > (512) 223-4758
> > mailto:Baldwin at DickBaldwin.com
> > http://www.austincc.edu/baldwin/
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>
> --
> Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God, do you learn. --CS
> Lewis
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-- 
Richard G. Baldwin (Dick Baldwin)
Home of Baldwin's on-line Java Tutorials
http://www.DickBaldwin.com

Professor of Computer Information Technology
Austin Community College
(512) 223-4758
mailto:Baldwin at DickBaldwin.com
http://www.austincc.edu/baldwin/
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