[BlindMath] Is it possible for screen reader users to do data science?

Mon Jun 26 11:49:45 UTC 2017

To everyone interested in this discussion thread,

As a social scientist interested in the ways data and algorithms are used
to make decisions, I am very very grateful that data scientists spend so
much time cleaning data!  This is because the data used to make decisions
in fields like epidemiology, immigration, criminal justice, and finance --
among others -- often come from databases that are not themselves
necessarily good representations of the populations they are supposed to
model, and often contain evidence of inaccuracies and biases that exist in
the socio-cultural beliefs and values of society itself.

The result is a great risk of dangerous inaccuracies and biases creeping
from the data into the final decisions.  I shared some of these risks with
President Riccobono when he visited the NFB-Idaho convention in April, and
he may talk about them during the upcoming convention in Orlando, with a
focus on how technologies can both help and hurt us if we're not very
careful.

Thank you for your attention to detail and quality in your studies and your
career!

_don

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don Winiecki, Ed.D., Ph.D.
*Professor of Ethics & Morality in Professional Practice*
Boise State University, College of Engineering
1910 University Drive, Mail Stop 2070
Boise, Idaho 83725-2070 USA
E-mail: dwiniecki at boisestate.edu
WWW: http://opwl.boisestate.edu
Telephone: (+01) 208 426 1899
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~d

On Sun, Jun 25, 2017 at 11:23 PM, Brandon Keith Biggs via BlindMath <
blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hello Jonathan,
> Thank you for this very fascinating message!
> What data sonification tools do you know of?
> I am currently working on a project to sonify data and have not had much
> success finding anything that is very good.
>
> After starting on this project, I had no idea so much time would be spent
> cleaning data. It is crazy how strange data sets can be. I just made an
> audio diagram of a sanky diagram, and I was given 3 excel files with the
> two lines not equal in the data set, even though they should have been, and
> variables spread all throughout the 3 documents with lots of duplication.
> Also the 3 documents corresponded to the other sets, but you could only
> tell through one variable.
> Anyways, I had no idea this was normal and was a little upset at the amount
> of work I had to do to clean up the data. It's good to know it is normal...
> Thank you,
>
>
> Brandon Keith Biggs <http://brandonkeithbiggs.com/>
>
> On Sun, Jun 25, 2017 at 2:58 PM, Godfrey, Jonathan via BlindMath <
> blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> > Hello Dickson et al.,
> >
> > I agree with Vincent. I would note that the vast majority of data science
> > is not actually a visual exercise. Experts put the proportion of work
> being
> > done to collect and clean data at anywhere from half to 90%. Yes, some of
> > the cleaning is done by investigating unusual observations in graphs, but
> > there are so many non-visual ways of gaining such information.
> >
> > I would observe that statisticians were doing work well before graphs
> were
> > being created and that there are plenty of somewhat forgotten ideas that
> > might prove useful for a blind person to substitute for creating a graph.
> > For example, I have two variables and want to know if they are linearly
> > related. A sighted person jumps straight for a scatter plot and eyeballs
> > the results to help them decide if the relationship can be explained by a
> > straight line. While they are dithering, I've fitted the straight line
> > model and I'm checking the residuals because that's what is going to
> happen
> > anyway if the sighted person decides the relationship is linear. If the
> > relationship wasn't linear, I've found that out by investigating the
> > residuals; OK, I'm doing that with another scatter plot, but at least my
> > scatter plot is going to exaggerate any nonlinearity that existed in the
> > original relationship. I've also see the R squared of the model to decide
> > if there is any relationship to want to question he linearity of as well.
> > Then, if there is something to get excited about, I make the graph for
> the
> > poor sighted audiences I must work with.
> >
> > The problem I have is that the use of the all too readily available
> > software that creates awesome data visualisations gets used in
> introductory
> > teaching to the detriment of the old-fashioned stuff that generally gets
> > pushed into the higher level courses. I was once asked if there was room
> to
> > create an accessible intro stats course for blind people. I didn't think
> so
> > at the time, but I've toyed with the issue on and off for the last few
> > years. The trend I've observed is to emphasise what you can see from the
> > current display of data, as against what a graph can show in a
> theoretical
> > sense. The same ideas get taught, but sort of in the wrong order for a
> > blind person.
> >
> > Compare the two quotes:
> > "Let's look at this data, and hey, what's that funny point over there?
> > Well it's called an outlier and this (insert name of graph here) can
> > identify the existence of outliers for you."
> > Versus:
> > "A (insert name of graph here) can highlight the existence of outliers.
> > Let's look at some examples, one with an outlier and  one without."
> >
> > The first is disabling to anyone not able to see the graph in question,
> > while the second is less disabling. Unfortunately, the second (older)
> style
> > is considerably less stimulating for a sighted audience. The former goes
> > well with someone actually creating the graphs in a live demonstration
> > while the second suits the pre-prepared (I call it the cooking show
> > approach) style of lecturing. Actually most live demonstration style
> > lectures require some preparation too, but it's obvious that the actions
> > are being completed on the spot. Most smart lecturers now do the former
> and
> > have the latter (pre-prepared back up plan) waiting just in case.
> >
> > Your choice of nonvisual technique will depend on the scenario in
> > question, and on your personal ability to comprehend what that nonvisual
> > technique has to offer.
> >
> > I realise that some people swear by sonification as a substitute for
> > visual inspection of data.  I've also heard data sonification described
> as
> > an alternative to visual inspection of data with its use having an
> additive
> > impact to visual inspection. For others, sonification just makes a lot of
> > noise. Rather unfortunately, I find myself in this last category. I do
> like
> > that it can be done and I'll help anyone trying to create a useful tool
> for
> > sonifying data (in R only though) but that's because I'm interested in
> > getting a wide range of options for blind end users as against just
> working
> > towards tools that I personally will find useful.
> >
> > I hope that you (Dickson) are considering coming to Orlando for the NFB
> > Convention where we will almost certainly have discussions on the
> problems
> > you face.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Jonathan
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: BlindMath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> > Martin, Vincent F via BlindMath
> > Sent: Monday, 26 June 2017 5:15 a.m.
> > To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> > Cc: Martin, Vincent F
> > Subject: Re: [BlindMath] Is it possible for screen reader users to do
> data
> > science?
> >
> > It can be done using a number of methodologies.  I have done it with and
> > without sighted assistance.  Using a combination of tactile graphs and
> > sighted assistance is how I did forecasting work.  I also am using
> > sonification of data to interpret graphical output as well.  Work is
> being
> > done for sonifying graphs using "R", SAS has intergrated what we called
> the
> > "sonification sandbox" in Dr. Bruce Walker's sonification lab at Georgia
> > Tech and it is readily available right now.  It was unveiled at CSUN this
> > Spring and I use it with SAS right now.  I am also using sonified graphs
> > with the graphical output of SPSS in my current research as well.  I am
> up
> > to dissertation proposal on what type of experiment I want to do, but I
> am
> > sure it is similar to what most data analysts also use to make inferences
> > with their visual graphs as well.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: BlindMath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> > Dickson Tan via BlindMath
> > Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2017 12:40 PM
> > To: blindmath at nfbnet.org
> > Cc: Dickson Tan <dickson.tan.2013 at gmail.com>
> > Subject: [BlindMath] Is it possible for screen reader users to do data
> > science?
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> >
> >
> > Given that visualization is used often in data science to see patterns,
> is
> > it possible for a screen reader user to do data science? I've heard of
> some
> > tools for doing basic bar/line graphing, but as far as I know, they are
> > immature, and can't handle other types of graphs.
> >
> >
> >
> > If not, how far would I get without being able to access visualizations?
> >
> >
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Dickson
> >
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