[Blindmath] Note reader for Statistics
Mary Woodyard
marywoodyard at comcast.net
Tue Sep 20 13:48:17 UTC 2016
Sabra,
I am noting in your original email this is your last class in Math and am
wondering what your DRC has to say about your issue with accessibility of
reading pictures of hand written notes from your instructor. My son is
currently taking Statistics at a university with a very good DRC. His class
is required to use a calculating software named StatCrunch. The DRC asked
him to try the class and see if he needed a lab assistant before they hired
one. While looking at the website for Statcrunch it was clear from their
disclaimers that it does not support Screen Readers. Therefore the DRC went
ahead and hired a lab assistant/reader for him so that Statistics
inaccessible material would be accessible. Is this an option for your DRC?
He was also fortunate that his text book had been recorded from Learning
Ally.
Do you have a notetaker in your classes? Would it be possible for them to
verbally read/describe the notes you are getting or are you getting them
from directly from your instructor to a tape recorder and make an audio
file? Is there a Teaching Assistant in the class who could record the
verbal description of the notes for you? I don't know if any of these will
work but as it is your last class it is worth trying everything!
I know some else gave you a link to the files you were asking about but I
would go back to your DRC Coordinator and see if there are any other
resources they have to get you oral descriptions of those pictures. Good
Luck!
Mary Woodyard
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Statistics (Sabra Ewing)
2. Re: mathematica accessibility (John G. Heim)
3. Re: Statistics (Zach)
4. Re: mathematica accessibility (Theodor Loots)
5. running software from the command line (Godfrey, Jonathan)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 10:16:19 -0500
From: Sabra Ewing <sabra1023 at gmail.com>
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Statistics
Message-ID: <976B7A20-0BD3-417B-9E70-C5EE6FC4E925 at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I think the tactile ones only work for people who used to be cited in less
they are very simple. I can't read my professors notes because they were
written on a piece of paper and then posted to the website as a picture. I
can't read handwriting.
Sabra Ewing
> On Sep 19, 2016, at 1:21 AM, Godfrey, Jonathan via Blindmath
<blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> There are very few lecturers that can generate a complete lecture of
material without any notes. I do find it strange that anyone would still
want to write on a board at all, but I guess some people can't find the 21st
century. I do use the board to supplement a slide show but there's little to
lose by not knowing what I am writing.
> In the end, I would go hunting for the source material that my lecturer
was using to refer to while he is writing on the board. Practically everyone
uses worked examples from paper, not by dragging details out of their head.
>
> With respect to Excel (if you must): the normal distribution uses two
functions, one for finding probabilities e.g. =NORM.DIST(1.645,0,1,TRUE)
where the arguments are for the quantile, the mean, the standard deviation
and the fact that you want the cumulative density function. To get the
quantile given a probability, use =NORM.INV(0.9500,0,1) instead. Note I've
used mean=0 and sd=1 so that I have a standard normal distribution.
>
> You could generate your own normal tables this way, but note that Excel is
giving answers to 7 decimal places for me. Most printed tables use only 2
decimal places for quantiles and 4dp for probabilities.
>
>
> I think there is a place for good tactile images for showing blind people
what we are trying to show our sighted audience. I'm far from convinced that
tactile images can be used to give a blind person enough information to
reliably answer questions that sighted people take for granted when they are
able to read a printed graph. On my to-do list is a set of what I hope will
be good tactile images. I want them in a form that is suitable for embossing
on decent embossers, and I'm also wanting to go 3d as well.
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Zachary
Mason via Blindmath
> Sent: Monday, 19 September 2016 9:20 a.m.
> To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> Cc: Zachary Mason
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Statistics
>
> I'd be interested also for any suggestions to this response as I'm also in
a little bit of a pickle in my statistics to class. I have a BRF file that
is a Z score table if you would like.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 18, 2016, at 2:30 PM, Sabra Ewing via Blindmath
<blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> I need a streamlined way to be able to read my statistics homework. I
>> know that a lot of you have solutions that use millions of programs.
>> My class is Auditorium sized, this is my last math class, and he is
>> used to hand writing everything and posting it by taking pictures. I
>> know how I used to read my homework, but I don't know what the
>> terminology is for it. I got some practice problems, and I'm going to
>> see if I can read them. I told him that I could read it if he writes
>> it the same way he would tell XL to do it, but I don't know what the
>> name of it is. For example, if you are writing a computer program, and
>> that program involves using a statistical formula, that is how I would
>> read it. I also need to know where to find an accessible electronic Z
>> score table or if one exists in XL. I'm also getting some tactile
>> pictures, but I don't know if they will help. I have never been able
>> to read a tactile picture before unless it has been very simple, so is
>> there any resources I c
> a!
>> n use that can help me get the information without the pictures if it
turns out that I can't understand them? Thanks.
>>
>> Sabra Ewing
>> _______________________________________________
>> Blindmath mailing list
>> Blindmath at nfbnet.org
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>> .edu BlindMath Gems can be found at
>> <http://www.blindscience.org/blindmath-gems-home>
>
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------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 11:42:35 -0500
From: "John G. Heim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] mathematica accessibility
Message-ID: <ffe35f00-8d8d-a159-f8dd-60c1ee370f63 at math.wisc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII; format=flowed
I manage the research servers for the University Of Wisconsin Department
of Mathematics. I have never had a request for mathematica but a lot of
people use the open-source alternative, sage. If mathematica is not
accessible, maybe you can get your instructor to let you use sage instead.
Around here, there is a mixture of instructors who feel it is their duty
to have the students use free, open-source tools if possible and those
who don't want to be bothered with it. There are some instructors who
would leap at a chance to start using sage instead of something each
student has to purchase and others who would refuse to fiddle with it.
On 09/18/2016 12:17 PM, Daniel Gillen via Blindmath wrote:
> as a college physics major, there were several times that I've had to use
Mathematica instead of MATLAB (my preferred computational language). I find
that both programs are only somewhat accessible when run into man-line mode.
I'm not exactly sure how you run Mathematica on the commandline. However,
The GUI (Graphical user interface) editors in both applications are
completely inaccessible as of this time. I have just found that when
creating code using either scripting/programming language, it was most
convenient for me to edit the file in Notepad, and then run/test it on the
command line. hopefully this is helpful info.
>
> Thank you,
> Daniel
>
> sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 18, 2016, at 12:50 PM, Vincenzo Rubano via Blindmath
<blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> as anyone ever had to deal with Mathematica? If so, how is it in terms of
accessibility?
>>
>> https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/
<https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/>
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help
>>
>> Vincenzo.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
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m
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------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:31:05 -0500
From: "Zach" <zm290 at msstate.edu>
To: "'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'"
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Statistics
Message-ID: <003e01d212b4$bf7f2600$3e7d7200$@msstate.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/itvfrnm9rpmc8j6/AAAp7gTFhDTN98rMlw4uDQPta?dl=0
Here's a link to a dropbox folder with BRF Z, T, and F tables. I recommend
using a BrailleNote or electronic note-taker of sorts with the ability to
search and find. I made the tables into lists more easily navicable than the
wide, many-colomn and row tables that wouldn't fit on any kind of Braille
display.
Hope this helps.
Zac
Zachary Mason
M.S. Student
Animal and Dairy Sciences
Mississippi State University
-----Original Message-----
From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sabra
Ewing via Blindmath
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2016 10:16 AM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sabra Ewing <sabra1023 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Statistics
I think the tactile ones only work for people who used to be cited in less
they are very simple. I can't read my professors notes because they were
written on a piece of paper and then posted to the website as a picture. I
can't read handwriting.
Sabra Ewing
> On Sep 19, 2016, at 1:21 AM, Godfrey, Jonathan via Blindmath
<blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> There are very few lecturers that can generate a complete lecture of
material without any notes. I do find it strange that anyone would still
want to write on a board at all, but I guess some people can't find the 21st
century. I do use the board to supplement a slide show but there's little to
lose by not knowing what I am writing.
> In the end, I would go hunting for the source material that my lecturer
was using to refer to while he is writing on the board. Practically everyone
uses worked examples from paper, not by dragging details out of their head.
>
> With respect to Excel (if you must): the normal distribution uses two
functions, one for finding probabilities e.g. =NORM.DIST(1.645,0,1,TRUE)
where the arguments are for the quantile, the mean, the standard deviation
and the fact that you want the cumulative density function. To get the
quantile given a probability, use =NORM.INV(0.9500,0,1) instead. Note I've
used mean=0 and sd=1 so that I have a standard normal distribution.
>
> You could generate your own normal tables this way, but note that Excel is
giving answers to 7 decimal places for me. Most printed tables use only 2
decimal places for quantiles and 4dp for probabilities.
>
>
> I think there is a place for good tactile images for showing blind people
what we are trying to show our sighted audience. I'm far from convinced that
tactile images can be used to give a blind person enough information to
reliably answer questions that sighted people take for granted when they are
able to read a printed graph. On my to-do list is a set of what I hope will
be good tactile images. I want them in a form that is suitable for embossing
on decent embossers, and I'm also wanting to go 3d as well.
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Zachary Mason via Blindmath
> Sent: Monday, 19 September 2016 9:20 a.m.
> To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> Cc: Zachary Mason
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Statistics
>
> I'd be interested also for any suggestions to this response as I'm also in
a little bit of a pickle in my statistics to class. I have a BRF file that
is a Z score table if you would like.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 18, 2016, at 2:30 PM, Sabra Ewing via Blindmath
<blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> I need a streamlined way to be able to read my statistics homework. I
>> know that a lot of you have solutions that use millions of programs.
>> My class is Auditorium sized, this is my last math class, and he is
>> used to hand writing everything and posting it by taking pictures. I
>> know how I used to read my homework, but I don't know what the
>> terminology is for it. I got some practice problems, and I'm going to
>> see if I can read them. I told him that I could read it if he writes
>> it the same way he would tell XL to do it, but I don't know what the
>> name of it is. For example, if you are writing a computer program,
>> and that program involves using a statistical formula, that is how I
>> would read it. I also need to know where to find an accessible
>> electronic Z score table or if one exists in XL. I'm also getting
>> some tactile pictures, but I don't know if they will help. I have
>> never been able to read a tactile picture before unless it has been
>> very simple, so is there any resources I c
> a!
>> n use that can help me get the information without the pictures if it
turns out that I can't understand them? Thanks.
>>
>> Sabra Ewing
>> _______________________________________________
>> Blindmath mailing list
>> Blindmath at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Blindmath:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/zm290%40msstat
>> e
>> .edu BlindMath Gems can be found at
>> <http://www.blindscience.org/blindmath-gems-home>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2016 08:57:24 +0200
From: "Theodor Loots" <theo.loots at gmail.com>
To: <jheim at math.wisc.edu>, "'Blind Math list for those interested in
mathematics'" <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] mathematica accessibility
Message-ID: <065601d2130c$3fb00040$bf1000c0$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Dear All,
I make use of Mathematica quite frequently, but without the gui; which isn't
accessible at all. So yes, as many have pointed out, write up your code in
a text editor, and run the code on the commandline. I prefer to set some
settings that saves the generated output in LaTeX form, which is easy to
follow and include in documents that may result from the computations.
Best,
t
-----Original Message-----
From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of John G.
Heim via Blindmath
Sent: Monday, 19 September 2016 6:43 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Cc: John G. Heim <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] mathematica accessibility
I manage the research servers for the University Of Wisconsin Department of
Mathematics. I have never had a request for mathematica but a lot of people
use the open-source alternative, sage. If mathematica is not accessible,
maybe you can get your instructor to let you use sage instead.
Around here, there is a mixture of instructors who feel it is their duty to
have the students use free, open-source tools if possible and those who
don't want to be bothered with it. There are some instructors who would leap
at a chance to start using sage instead of something each student has to
purchase and others who would refuse to fiddle with it.
On 09/18/2016 12:17 PM, Daniel Gillen via Blindmath wrote:
> as a college physics major, there were several times that I've had to use
Mathematica instead of MATLAB (my preferred computational language). I find
that both programs are only somewhat accessible when run into man-line mode.
I'm not exactly sure how you run Mathematica on the commandline. However,
The GUI (Graphical user interface) editors in both applications are
completely inaccessible as of this time. I have just found that when
creating code using either scripting/programming language, it was most
convenient for me to edit the file in Notepad, and then run/test it on the
command line. hopefully this is helpful info.
>
> Thank you,
> Daniel
>
> sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 18, 2016, at 12:50 PM, Vincenzo Rubano via Blindmath
<blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> as anyone ever had to deal with Mathematica? If so, how is it in terms of
accessibility?
>>
>> https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/
>> <https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/>
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help
>>
>> Vincenzo.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> ZE-Light e ZE-Pro: servizi zimbra per caselle con dominio email.it,
>> per tutti i dettagli
>>
>> Clicca qui
>> http://posta.email.it/caselle-di-posta-z-email-it/?utm_campaign=email
>> _Zimbra_102014=main_footer/f
>>
>>
>>
>> Sponsor:
>>
>> Caselle con tuo dominio su piattaforma Zimbra, fino a 30 GB di
>> spazio, sincronizzazione dati e backup
>>
>> Clicca qui: http://adv.email.it/cgi-bin/foclick.cgi?mid=13324&d=18-9
>>
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>> Blindmath mailing list
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Blindmath:
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>> 0rcn.com BlindMath Gems can be found at
>> <http://www.blindscience.org/blindmath-gems-home>
> _______________________________________________
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Blindmath:
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> sc.edu BlindMath Gems can be found at
> <http://www.blindscience.org/blindmath-gems-home>
_______________________________________________
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------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2016 08:50:34 +0000
From: "Godfrey, Jonathan" <A.J.Godfrey at massey.ac.nz>
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Blindmath] running software from the command line
Message-ID:
<D59DA89C3CD73C44A799E7087F8E6A9E20D45E0D at tur-exch-node2.massey.ac.nz>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi all,
I've been tidying up a bunch of notes and experiments I have run over the
years on running software from the command line. I've posted on the list
about this before because I do think it is an invaluable skill to get sorted
out by anyone wanting to use any statistical or mathematical software.
These notes now appear on
https://r-resources.massey.ac.nz/batchprocessing/
I've still got a few to add but I'd welcome feedback in the meantime.
It currently includes one contribution from Theodor Loots (mathematica) that
I adapted following his post on this list a few years ago, and another from
his use of SAS will come soon enough. Thanks T.
I have to run some remaining jobs on lab machines because I don't have every
software option immediately available anymore.
If you have a worked example for software not on my list then please do
share it with me off-list. You'll get the credit.
Cheers,
Jonathan
------------------------------
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