[Blindmath] Visually Impaired Students Needed for Research Study

Sat Mar 14 18:21:34 UTC 2015

I also don't want to debate terminology, or political 
correctness.  However, your choice of words may impact the range of 
people who respond.

While I am not an authoratative source, I will tell you that to me, 
"visually impaired" means legally blind but having some sight.  When 
I write I usually use the phrase "blind and visually impaired."

Food for thought.

Dave

At 12:39 PM 3/14/2015, you wrote:
>I am the author of the research study.  I have used the term 
>"visually impaired" because it is common use in documentation from 
>AFB, National Eye Institute, CDC, and many other organizations. This 
>term as used by those organizations does not exclude blind 
>individuals (nor does my study).
>
>I am an instructor at Florida International University who has 
>mentored, advocated for, tutored, and assisted several VI students 
>in their quest to master math, IT, and CS courses over the last 
>several years. I am also a PhD candidate at Nova Southeastern 
>University. This research project was inspired by watching VI 
>university students struggle to produce math in a form suitable for 
>their sighted instructors. I have worked in the computer industry 
>prior to teaching for over 35 years (and still do), in many 
>capacities, including extensive software development.
>
>This study is for any student or instructor who is not satisfied 
>with current techniques for facilitating the production of sighted 
>math constructs from a student's Nemeth Braille input, and would 
>like to try a different approach.  The prototype product actually 
>does much more than this.
>
>You may consider me to be grammatically incorrect and/or politically 
>incorrect - that is your prerogative. I am not interested in 
>debating terminology.  I am focused on completing a software product 
>that I strongly believe will be of great use to students who use 
>Nemeth Braille for math. And I will welcome any U.S.  high school or 
>university student with any level of vision or lack thereof who 
>knows Nemeth Braille and would like to participate.
>
>Interested study participants, please contact me at pmcdermo at nova.edu
>
>P. McDermott-Wells
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Sina Bahram [mailto:sina at sinabahram.com]
>Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 1:19 PM
>To: 'Wheatley, Richard'; 'Blind Math list for those interested in 
>mathematics'; 'Amanda Lacy'
>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Visually Impaired Students Needed for Research Study
>
>Technically, visually impaired means you're ugly. Since it would 
>mean that you're impaired, visually. As opposed to vision-impaired.
>
>One of those interesting terms ...
>
>
>
>
>
>President, Prime Access Consulting, Inc.
>Twitter: @SinaBahram
>Company Website: http://www.pac.bz
>Personal Website: http://www.sinabahram.com
>Blog: http://blog.sinabahram.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>Wheatley, Richard via Blindmath
>Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 1:12 PM
>To: Amanda Lacy; Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Visually Impaired Students Needed for Research Study
>
>An interesting point, I am registered as blind, and I used to hate 
>the phrase"visually impaired" but over the last few years I have 
>come to use it to describe myself more and more. Is there 
>techniqually a difference? I always thought that blind was a subset 
>of visual impairment. I just didn't like the sound of being impaired.
>Best wishes
>Richard
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>Amanda Lacy via Blindmath
>Sent: 13 March 2015 16:42
>To: derek riemer; Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Visually Impaired Students Needed for Research Study
>
>It was a joke, geez.
>
>I'm blind, not visually impaired. I've never been visually impaired, 
>so the language the researcher used felt like it excluded me. I 
>thought I was pointing out the obvious.
>
>Also, Sabra is a friend of mine. She didn't think my message was 
>sent by the researcher. She may have found it annoying, but not hurtful.
>
>Lighten up, folks.
>
>Amanda Lacy
>
>On 3/13/15, derek riemer via Blindmath <blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> > +1. Please note that the person who replied with the nasty post is not
> > the person who is doing the study. I don't know what the heck happened
> > there, but that was indeed rude.
> >
> > On 3/13/2015 9:18 AM, Lynn Reed via Blindmath wrote:
> >> That is the most rude and hurtful response I have EVER seen on this blog.
> >> WTH???
> >> Why would someone that is not blind need a screen reader for math??
> >> If you are not trying to help the blind then what are you doing 
> on this blog??
> >>
> >> What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.
> >> ----Ralph Waldo Emerson
> >>
> >>> On Mar 12, 2015, at 4:31 PM, Amanda Lacy via Blindmath
> >>> <blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Sorry, you don't qualify. You're blind, not visually impaired.<G>
> >>>
> >>>> On 3/12/15, Sabra Ewing via Blindmath <blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>>> I am interested in this study. Right now, I do my math and computer
> >>>> braille.
> >>>> I either do it on my note taker so that I can read it, or I type it
> >>>> on the computer and I send it to my teachers. I also read my math
> >>>> that way too.
> >>>> They say my man when you're in awkward for them to read, but I like
> >>>> it that way, so I was thinking maybe a program like this would be
> >>>> able to produce mass that we could both enjoy reading. I do know
> >>>> Nimeth, But sometimes I have to look up a symbol if I don't know it
> >>>> because I don't think it's possible to know all of them and less
> >>>> you have taken the most advanced math courses. I am in calculus
> >>>> right now, and have started getting some electronic braille files
> >>>> that show up on my braille display that way, and I have been able
> >>>> to read them fine, but I did have to learn some new symbols because
> >>>> I had not  done things like take the derivative of a function
> >>>> before so I didn't know that symbol.
> >>>>
> >>>> Sabra Ewing
> >>>>
> >>>>> On Mar 12, 2015, at 1:50 PM, P. McDermott-Wells via Blindmath
> >>>>> <blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> What is the study about?
> >>>>> If you are a visually impaired student who knows Nemeth Braille,
> >>>>> you are invited to participate in a research study. A computer
> >>>>> software program is being developed that will provide tools to
> >>>>> assist visually impaired students in doing mathematics. This
> >>>>> program will provide a Nemeth Braille editor and a real-time chat
> >>>>> feature.  It will translate Nemeth Braille to MathML, which can be
> >>>>> inserted into a Microsoft Word document. The chat feature will
> >>>>> allow you to communicate real-time with a math instructor, by
> >>>>> translating Nemeth Braille to MathML and back as you communicate.
> >>>>> The goal of this study is to determine if this program will reduce
> >>>>> the time required for a visually impaired student to create math
> >>>>> documents representing typical math assignments encountered in
> >>>>> high school or entry-level college mathematics courses.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> When and where will this study occur?
> >>>>> We will schedule a test session with you at your convenience. You
> >>>>> can participate from home, and do not need to travel to the
> >>>>> researcher's location.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Why are you asking me?
> >>>>> You have been invited because you have been identified as a
> >>>>> visually impaired university or high-school student who knows 
> Nemeth Braille.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> What will I be doing if I agree to be in the study?
> >>>>> You will be given two sets of math problems typical of coursework
> >>>>> found in a high school math course or an entry-level college math
> >>>>> course, and asked to work through those problems.  For the first
> >>>>> set, you will use your current methods to work the problems and
> >>>>> produce results in a form that could be submitted to a sighted
> >>>>> instructor.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> You will need to tell us what tools and methods you normally do
> >>>>> your math homework, and you will need to measure the time it takes
> >>>>> you to complete the first set of problems.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> For the second set, you will be asked to use a computer program
> >>>>> that allows you to enter and edit Nemeth Braille math expressions
> >>>>> and produce a document with your work in a form that could be
> >>>>> submitted to a sighted instructor.
> >>>>> You will have the opportunity to utilize a real-time chat
> >>>>> communication feature that will give you access to a math
> >>>>> instructor who will be able to help you solve the math problems as
> >>>>> needed.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> You will need to spend some time practicing with the program to
> >>>>> become comfortable in its use prior to the study session.  We
> >>>>> estimate that you will need a minimum of 1 hour of use to become
> >>>>> comfortable with its use.
> >>>>> You
> >>>>> will spend 60-90 minutes during the actual research study session
> >>>>> using this program.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> We are NOT testing your math abilities!  We are testing to
> >>>>> determine if this program will make it easier for you to produce
> >>>>> your math work and/or to get instructor help when you need it.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Is there any audio or video recording?
> >>>>> This research project will include audio and/or video recording of
> >>>>> your actions using the computer program. Your computer screen is
> >>>>> what will be video-recorded, and your voice will be audio-recorded
> >>>>> during the test session.  These audio and video recordings will be
> >>>>> available to be heard only by the research team.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Will I get paid for being in the study?  Will it cost me anything?
> >>>>> There are no costs to you and there will be no payments made for
> >>>>> participating in this study. You will, however, have an
> >>>>> opportunity to obtain a copy of the final version of the software
> >>>>> program for your use when it is released, at no charge to you.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> You will have to install on your computer the computer program we
> >>>>> provide, and also install the free personal version of the
> >>>>> TeamViewer software program
> >>>>> (http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx) that will allow the
> >>>>> researcher to watch your actions while using the program. You will
> >>>>> also need to have a working microphone on your computer, or be
> >>>>> able to use a cellphone during the study session.
> >>>>> I have some questions.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> If you would like to know more about this study, please contact
> >>>>> the researcher (contact information is at the end of this document).
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Researcher: Patricia McDermott-Wells, PhD student at Nova
> >>>>> Southeastern University
> >>>>> Telephone: 561-798-3940
> >>>>> Email: pmcdermo at nova.edu
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>> <http://www.blindscience.org/blindmath-gems-home>
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> >
> > --
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > --
> >
> >
> >     Derek Riemer
> >
> > Department of Computer science Undergrad, proud CILA member, music
> > lover, avid skier, and much more.
> >
> > "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be
> > changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin
> >
> > email me at derek.riemer at colorado.edu
> > <mailto:derek.riemer at colorado.edu>
> > Phone: (303) 906-2194
> >

         David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
E-Mail:  dandrews at visi.com or david.andrews at nfbnet.org