[Blindmath] Fwd: [nabs-l] graphing and graphing calculators

[Arielle Silverman]

This came across the NABS list. If you have suggestions, please send
them to Ashley directly, or put them on-list and I will forward them
back to her. Thanks!
Arielle

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:08:39 -0400
Subject: [nabs-l] graphing and graphing calculators
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>

Hi all,

It recently came to my attention that my friend’s vision teacher
discouraged algebra 2 honors based on its pace and visual emphasis;
more graphs are involved. She told me she  took algebra 1 honors and
did fine and felt the next part would be okay but wasn’t sure how to
do the graphing part other than by hand. She said there is no
accessible graphing calculator. I only know of the computer audible
graphing calculator for blind students which obviously displays the
graph in an audible sound.

I did not have to use these fancy graphing calculators in algebra 2
much but apparently the curriculum changed to involve more graphic
equations since I took it in this same county. When I needed to use
it, I had a reader who was my vision teacher type in the info in the
calculator and then draw the graph once it came up. I have some vision
so could see  it on large graphing paper with a bold pen.
Most equations I just solved algebraically, as opposed to graphing them.


So, what have you done? What do you do when other students use
scientific graphing calculators? How do you access the same info? What
options are out there for scientific talking calculators? This student
has no vision. I thought she could just use a reader and they could
show her the graph but they do not think it’s a good idea. Also, she
was told she could not use a reader on the state standardized test. I
was shocked as this seems like a reasonable accomodation, if she
cannot operate the calculator herself.
She is in public school as well, and its sad that the teacher of the
vision impaired isn’t coming up with a solution.

So curious to know how you handle it. One idea I had was to use the
computer such as excel to draw some of the graphs, but this couldn’t
be used on state tests, as its my understanding no technology can be
used there.

Thanks.
Ashley
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