[BlindMath] Seeking Help with Excel Data Analysis Tools

Tue Jan 28 17:27:44 UTC 2020

Hello Elizabeth,

I find your desire to work independently quite commendable.

I would argue that if you are in the driving seat it doesn't really matter whose hand is clicking the mouse. The point is that this exercise is teaching you something about histograms and the way they look. Excel is just being used to make you undertake a set of tasks manually using a digital tool. Other software options would make the histogram correctly with a single command, but using that software then means you discuss the appearance of a histogram once it is completed. 

I'd liken the difference to buying a cake from a bakery as against baking one at home by starting with the ingredients. You start with a desire for cake and all going well, you get to eat cake. The question is, was all that work doing the measuring and mixing really worth it? You could read about how to make a cake; you could even watch a cooking show to learn how a cake is made.

The designers of the course you are taking have decided that you need to get your hands dirty. I'm not going to argue their pedagogical choices, but let's just say that I have made it very clear to my colleagues that I will not teach students how to do statistics using the wrong tools, notably Excel.

As you have discovered, Excel does not offer a sensible way for a blind person to make a histogram. The set of tasks you must undertake are extremely difficult to undertake using a screen reader, and there is practically no way to know if the outcome is really what you were hoping for. There are bound to be more tasks that are equally impossible or burdensome to think about though. You cannot afford to spend six hours on a  task that your classmates get done in six minutes, and on the assumption that the staff teaching your course are decent people, they'll agree.

I do think that you will need to lean on the course teaching group for assistance. They are asking for something unreasonable. I do suggest that you demonstrate what can and cannot be done using a screen reader to show them why you've had to invest so much time thus far. I'd also then ask them to show you how they would complete the tasks they are asking you to do without touching their mouse. You'll have to do that diplomatically though, whereas I get to be much more direct as an equal living thousands of miles away!

Best of luck,
Jonathan

---
A. Jonathan R. Godfrey PhD, MInfSc, BSc, BBS.
Senior Lecturer in Statistics
School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Elizabeth Mohnke via BlindMath
Sent: Wednesday, 29 January 2020 3:26 AM
To: blindmath at nfbnet.org; nfbcs at nfbnet.org
Cc: Elizabeth Mohnke <lizmohnke at hotmail.com>
Subject: [BlindMath] Seeking Help with Excel Data Analysis Tools

Hello All,

I am currently enrolled in a statistics class that uses the data analysis tools in Microsoft Excel. However, I am having a difficult time figuring out how to use the data analysis tools in Microsoft Excel.

Our first Excel project assignment was to create a histogram using the data analysis tools. I have spent about six hours trying to complete this assignment without much success.

I am using a laptop running Windows 10 with Excel 2016. I have tried using the data analysis tools to create a histogram with both JAWS 2019  and NVDA without any success.

I also tried using my old desktop computer running Windows 7 and Office 2013  with an older version of JAWS. It looks as though I may have been able to complete the steps for creating a histogram through the data analysis tools, but I am only able to see it as part of the Excel worksheet in colums and rows. So I have no idea if it actually shows up visually as a histogram. And it does not appear as though I have the ability to edit any of the labels or close the gaps between the bars in the historgram as described in a class video.

Does anyone know if it is possible to independently use the data analysis tools in Microsoft Excel without any sighted assistance? Do the data analysis tools not work as well with a screen reader in Office 2016 compared to Office 2013? If I need to use sighted assistance to complete my Excel project assignments using the data analysis tools, how would I go about doing this in a way that does not feel like the sighted person is doing all the work for me?

Ideally I would like to be able to find a way to complete my Excel project assignments for my statistics class on my own. However, the amount of time I am spending trying to figure this out is simply not sustainable for the rest of the semester. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Elizabeth
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