[BlindMath] Affordable and accessible calculator for CS student

[John Gardner]

Jonathan is right, and moreover, the university does not have the right to insist on a stand alone calculator being used unless it is something the student uses commonly and knows how to use. 

John


-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jonathan Godfrey via BlindMath
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 12:41 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jonathan Godfrey <A.J.Godfrey at massey.ac.nz>
Subject: Re: [BlindMath] Affordable and accessible calculator for CS student

Hello Don,

I'm not questioning the quality of an accessible calculator in general, but this specific situation is all too common in that blind people are asked to find the solutions to the problems created by assessment exercises throughout their education. Sometimes that is a useful life skill to develop, but spending additional money just to sit exams makes little sense to me.

Surely the university should supply the calculator if it refuses to accept the reasonable accommodation of the student using a laptop and approved calculator software on it.

Even the cost of providing a human supervisor to ensure the student doesn't go outside the agreed software restrictions is a cheaper solution than purchasing a calculator which will only be used a handful of times.

In an era when universities are grappling with how to assess all students, courtesy of AI and the copious discoverable solutions on the net, worrying that a student can make use of material already on their own device seems utterly trivial.

Jonathan

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Donald Winiecki via BlindMath
Sent: Thursday, 20 April 2023 3:55 am
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics <blindmath at nfbnet.org>; NFB Science and Engineering Division List <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>; NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Donald Winiecki <dwiniecki at handid.org>
Subject: [BlindMath] Affordable and accessible calculator for CS student

I have a contact who is looking for an affordable and accessible calculator for a Computer Science undergraduate student. The device must be standalone because the school does not allow use of a phone or computer during exams.

I am happy to get suggestions for such devices, and where they could be purchased.

Best,

DON WINIECKI
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