[Blindmath] Math Computer Program

[John Gardner]

Hi, I will soon be releasing the final beta version of LEAN Math.  If you'd
like to join the beta list, you are welcome to do so.  Just send me an
e-mail requesting it.

LEAN Math will soon become a commercial product from ViewPlus, but it will
basically be free.  ViewPlus will sell it to companies and agencies along
with a support and training package, but blind individuals can get it free
without support.  I hope that this list will become a LEAN support center
for blind people.  I'll be doing what I can personally to answer questions
and provide guidance.

LEAN Math is an editor and interface to applications that accept MathML.
The first edition is as an interface to MathType in MS Word.  So if you have
MS Office and MathType, for you it is free.  And you will have a nice way to
read and write standard scientific documents in MS Word.

I have designed LEAN Math to work as efficiently as possible with audio
feedback, and it works with any screen reader.  It also shows several kinds
of braille (including Nemeth), though presently you cannot compose the
equation by typing braille.  There are also lots of functions supporting
equation manipulation permitting one to solve algebraic equations almost as
easily as sighted people can do with a pencil.

LEAN Math comes with two apps that install short cuts on your desktop.  One
is the LEAN Editor.  You must have a Word file open.  If the cursor is on a
MathType equation when LEAN_Edit is opened, it opens in that editor.
Otherwise the editor opens with a blank equation.  It takes an hour or so to
read through the documentation that is within the editor to learn how to
read and write equations, then you just do it.  When you've finished
composing an equation, press CTRL+s to save it, and presto you have a
MathType equation with alt text, something readable by sighted or blind
people.

The other app is LEAN_In, an app that will insert alt text in MathType
equations that can be read by any screen reader.  Alt text can be words or
braille.  

John Gardner

-----Original Message-----
From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elise
Berkley
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2014 4:01 AM
To: BlindMath
Subject: [Blindmath] Math Computer Program



Hello, everyone.  I am a new subscriber and I love this list already.

 

I am a new math student in college (even though I am 49 years old).  I have
been totally blind for 19 years so I still have visuals of numbers, etc.  I
have Jaws on my laptop and we all know it does not work that well with
numbers.  I am looking for a software that will work to speak math better to
me because I am a math major and have a long way to go.  I can't afford
anything too expensive.  Thanks for your help and, again, I have learned new
things from all of you already.  Elise Berkley

 

Elise Berkley

"The joy of the Lord is my strength."