[Blindmath] Teaching calculation algorithms to blind students

[bente at casilenc.com]

Li,

   I am a math learning specialist at a community college and here is my
opinion.  I would not recommend allowing any student to rely on only a
calculator.  Eventually as children progress through our elementary,
middle, high school, and college the mathematics becomes more complex. 
Students need to solve multi step problems.  They must have a way of
keeping track of their progress toward a solution.  For sighted
students that is paper and pencil (using the calculator to do the
computation).  For blind students that is either Nemeth Braille code or
technology.  Some students use computers with math software that can be
read back using JAWS, a screen reader.  Calculators are good for
computation, but they should be a tool that is used as necessary, not
something to replace everything else.

Bente J. Casile
Math Learning Specialist
Disability Support Services
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, NC






 Hi all,
>
> I want to know more about how elementary general education math
> teachers teach the standard algorithms (the vertical procedures used
> by sighted students to do addition, subtraction, ..) to students with
> complete blindness in inclusive classrooms. Since many general ed.
> teachers do not use the abacus or braillewriter, how can they give
> blind students direct instruction on calculation algorithms?
>
> Or, the calculation algorithms are left for itinerant TVIs. General
> ed. math teachers only use some manipulatives to help students (both
> sighted and blind) to understand calculation, probably from 1st to 3th
> grade. When it comes to use pencil and paper and standard algorithms
> to carry out calculations (more complex problems, probably for 4th or
> 5th grade students), they do not directly teach blind students. Is
> this true?
>
> I was even told that carrying out more complex calculation manually
> using standard algorithms is not important any more. As long as
> students understand calculation (probably using manipulatives), they
> can use calculators. So, even for sighted students, they do not need
> to do a lot of calculations using pencil and paper. Is this true?
>
> Thanks a lot.
>
> lz
>
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