[BlindMath] Affordable and accessible calculator for CS student

[dandrews920 at comcast.net]

Somewhere, maybe on another list, I think I saw where he said the student
was in India, so the rights and practices we take for granted here, may not
be available.

Dave



-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of John Gardner via
BlindMath
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 3:25 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Cc: John Gardner <john.gardner at viewplus.com>
Subject: Re: [BlindMath] Affordable and accessible calculator for CS student

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
_______________________________________________