[Blindmath] Math language options and Accessible Scientific Calculator Options

[Mary Woodyard]

I am responding to the college student who needed the Scientific Calculator.
The one my son chose was the Orion TI36 which has worked very well for him
with all functions except the Simplifying Radicals.  I am not sure how much
of that you will need as I am not a Math Specialist.  My son used this
Simplifying Radicals function more for Coordinate Geometry and Algebra.

 

For Statistics - the Orion did all of the tasks he needed including expected
outcomes, permutations and Combinations and Mean Absolute Deviation.  He
uses it easily.  Another nice feature of the Orion is that Susan Osterhaus
with TSVBI has posted some user training videos for the basic unboxing,
setup and basic Math functions of the Orion that my son found in You tube.
He just searched using Orion TI 36 and Susan Osterhaus.  There were four
videos that he found and he was able to unbox it and set it up by himself.
I have attached the user manual for the Orion 36x so you can see if it will
do what you need.

 

If not, Susan Osterhaus has posted a comparison of 5 or 6 accessible
scientific calculators on the Texas School the Blind Math Page.  You can
find it on their web page under Resources and Math Assistive Technology if
the Orion will not do what you want.  One thing I liked about the Orion is
that it keeps talking with or without headphones. This makes it easier for
his teacher to hear what the calculator is saying.  

 

I also read about a Scientific Calculator IPad ap that sells for $4.99
developed buAdam Croser in some NFB publications.  I have not used this as
his school will not allow it on tests and the Orion he can use.

 

I am also responding to Steve Noble.  You are correct - it is the Math Speak
I was referring to.  Ms. Osterhaus actually recommended we check several
ways to read Math.  I am attaching her recommendations below my email.  The
Math Speak appeal to me is that it has a tutorial link of the TSBVI website
which will make it easier for us to learn together.

Thanks again everyone for all of your help.  Its actually an exciting time
for Math tools being developed - its most interesting to see them evolve!
Mary

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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are actually several suggested ways to read math.  There is Larry
Chang's Handbook for Spoken Mathematics which can be found at:
<http://s22318.tsbvi.edu/mathproject/appB-sec1.asp#main>
http://s22318.tsbvi.edu/mathproject/appB-sec1.asp#main This is the most
direct way to get there, but should you forget or lose this link, go to
<http://www.tsbvi.edu/math> www.tsbvi.edu/math (my website) and click on
<http://s22318.tsbvi.edu/mathproject/> Project Math Access and then the
Handbook. 

 

There is also MathSpeak at  <http://www.gh-mathspeak.com>
http://www.gh-mathspeak.com. This is Dr. Nemeth's way to speak math.

 

I am working on a grant with Design Science and ETS, and we are
investigating SimpleSpeak (Design Science's MathPlayer), MathSpeak, and
ClearSpeak.

 

 

 

 

 

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