[Blindmath] Blindmath Digest, Vol 73, Issue 3

[Sarah Jevnikar]

Hi Tara,
My responses, or further questions, follow yours. As a reference, take a
look at
http://www.access2science.com/
It's also a good idea to change the subject line of digest emails to better
reflect the contents of your note so you can get the best help possible.

*Are there any math books textbooks on bookshare web site that can be read
on a braille display?  I'm not talking about the standard ones with literary
braille but those that would require being displayed in nemeth.  I know they
have BRF files but will they display the correct braille characters since
the books were scanned using different protocols.  It seems some of the math
books have the equations scanned differently.  I think some of the editors
keep the images of equations while others try and type them out to read with
screen reader.  Have any of you found a specific title for a math textbook
offered on bookshare that worked well with a braille display?

SJ: We're a global community so many don't have access to Bookshare. Can any
US-based member comment here?

* I have the new math OCR reader called infty so am looking for PDF files or
other image files to test its accuracy.  Do you all have any copies you
could send me offlist?  I'm going to try the actual scanning of a book later
since I have to find a print math book.

SJ: try this link (a handout from my first year calculus course)

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12727315/Limit%20Proofs%20and%20Examples.pdf

*Are there any other accessible math electronic textbooks that read on a
braile display, either without making any changes or work after being ran
through a translator?

SJ: If brf files are written properly, they should read fine (including
Nemeth) on a braille display. These files are best found by sending a book
to a professional transcriptionist, but running the Infty-translated files
through Duxbury works well too in most cases.

How about  iBooks or Kindle ones?  How about epub, does it read on a
display?  Can Duxbury or Viewplus translate epub files into Nemeth?

SJ: Alas I don't know these answers. I have no reason to believe that the
answer's in the affirmative though.

*Can a DSS office borrow  for free or pay a fee to borrow textbooks that
have been transcribed  by other DSS offices?  Does GHLLC do this for
example?

SJ: These acronyms are lost on me. Can you please clarify?

*Where is the best place to get a nemeth and copuer braille code cheat sheet
that gives the symbols and actual examples of the symbols  being used in
math equations? Is there any place that has the print symbols next to the
nemeth symbol so I can learn both?

SJ: Try the National Braille Press reference sheets:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/NEMETH.html

*Which raised line diagram board produces the most tactile lines, ones that
are thick and convex?

SJ: I don't recall the name, but the American Printing House for the Blind
has some good ones if memory serves.

*Is the pictures in a flash the same as a thermoform machine that uses swell
paper?

SJ: do you mean images using adobe flash? Could you clarify what you're
looking for?

*All of my coursework will most likely be online so I'm specifically
seeking input from those who have completed STEM classes online.
I know  about all the projects and am currently reviewing all their web
sites and user manuals but really am seeking a step by step instructions by
actual blind people who have used them to complete school work.

SJ: I think you'll be a trailblazer here, so will be the one to write the
step by step guides.

I realize this isn't as helpful as you might wish, but we're here to help if
and when you need us.

Sarah

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