[Blindmath] Math graphs

Wed Oct 3 10:57:05 UTC 2012

Hello Catalina,

There is a company which makes a $30 product called Sensational Blackboard.
This is a board that allows you to draw, with a ball-point pen, on a plane
piece of paper.  You can feel the diagram, and sighted individuals can see
your figure.  This works well for sketching quick graphs and other figures.
Their contact information is: (303-238-4760 http://sensationalbooks.com/).

Regards
Louis Maher
713-444-7838
ljmaher at swbell.net
http://www.nfbtx.org/localchapters/houston  

-----Original Message-----
From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:07 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math graphs

Hi Catalina,
What format is your textbook currently in? Do you have access to any tactile
versions of the graphs or is any audio description provided?
Or are the graphs simply left out of your text?
I agree with others that there are several ways  for you to succeed in this
type of math class. As you have seen, some blind folks like to use tactile
graphs and others prefer verbal descriptions. We all learn differently and
whether you use a tactile graph or get someone to describe it to you  is
your choice. If your college does not have a lot of Braille embossing
resources, you could start by working with the professor or a reader to
describe things. If you are still having trouble following, you could
investigate some low-tech ways  to make tactile graphs on your own.
It's important to remember that algebra itself is mathematical, not
graphical. Sighted people like to use graphs as one way of representing
mathematical relationships, but most algebraic concepts can be represented
equally well in words or equations. Reading every graph from your book in
detail might not be essential for understanding the main ideas of the
course.
I am personally one who prefers verbal descriptions or equations to tactile
graphs, as I have good math skills but poor spatial skills. I have taken
math up through calculus and am on my fifth statistics course now as I  am
getting a Ph.D. in experimental social psychology.
I never had any tactile graphs for any of my stats classes and rarely needed
to get a description either, because statistics can be understood in terms
of equations or  verbally. In my current advanced stats course (structural
equation modeling), the sighted students draw or interpret diagrams to solve
problems. I have other students or the professor describe diagrams to me,
and write my own models in the form of equations, commands to a computer
program or in words (i.e. "An arrow connects y1  and y3 passing through y2".
The only time I really worry about the graphics is when I do my final  class
assignment since that will be presented to other students and possibly
published. In that case, I will work with a reader to make sure the diagram
makes sense visually.
Best,
Arielle

On 10/1/12, Ken Perry <kperry at blinksoft.com> wrote:
> If tactile diagrams are not available then audible spoken descriptions 
> can work.  I went through college with no tactile graphs.  I am 100% 
> blind and took all the way up to calculus 3.  It can be done.  Now 
> that doesn't mean it is a perfect situation but it can be done.
>
> Ken
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of John Gardner
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 1:18 PM
> To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math graphs
>
> Sorry, but verbal descriptions of graphs used in algebra are seldom
useful.
> Get tactile diagrams.
> John Gardner
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pickrell, Rebecca M 
> (TASC)
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 8:05 AM
> To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math graphs
>
> You will need someone to explain the graphs to you.
> I'd suggest you ask your professor to do this, explain that you want 
> to understand this, that you can't access the graphs so you'd like 
> them to describe them.
> Go in with the attitude that you care and want to learn this.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Catalina Acevedo
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 6:08 AM
> To: blindmath at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Blindmath] Math graphs
>
> Hello,
> My name is Catalina. I am taking a math class and use Braille.
> I have a difficult time with my class because the 3 chapters of my 
> math textbook at my college are almost entirely graphic. I told the 
> instructor I cannot do it since it is very hard to understand the 
> graphs for this intermediate to advance algebra class. But they tell 
> me they don't know how to accommodate me. They use MyMathLab, which is not
accessible for me.
> Does anyone have any suggestions, please? How does a blind student 
> navigate a textbook that has a lot of graphs?
> Thanks a lot,
> Catalina
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