[BlindMath] Need help with recommendations for Comp Sci course requirements

[Jonathan Godfrey]

Hello.

If it isn't HTML, then what alternatives do you propose? MS Word files can't be made as accessible; pdf from LaTeX is not even close, leaving you with the source files or HTML as the only viable alternatives.

If you use HTML, then you can use MathJax for equations, it is easy to protect code blocks with useful tools to play with the code, and so much more.

You could investigate Quarto as a markdown flavour which is a substitute for Jupyter notebooks. It is also great for R as well.

Quarto is not the only way to make use of markdown based tools such as mermaid for flow charts.


Perhaps the major advantage HTML has is that you do not need everything to be in one file. Elements that need a different workflow (such as flow charts) could be put on a separate page (HTML document) and hyperlinked.

HTH,
Jonathan


-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ketty Ombadykow via BlindMath
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2024 6:38 AM
To: blindmath at nfbnet.org
Cc: Ketty Ombadykow <mko30 at echo.rutgers.edu>; RADR AFT <radr.aft at echo.rutgers.edu>; Jason Khurdan <jkhurdan at oit.rutgers.edu>; Michelle Meyer <michelle.meyer at rutgers.edu>
Subject: [BlindMath] Need help with recommendations for Comp Sci course requirements

Hello Everyone,
I work at Rutgers University responsible for remediating course materials for accessibility for students who use screen readers.  I joined this listserv a little while ago to learn from you all about what tools, preferences, methods, and whatever I can glean from your discussions to help provide accessible materials for our students.

This Fall 2024 I have a new transfer student who is taking 3 math and computer science courses (which I have handled before with the Professors providing their Latex files for handouts, homework and exams which we converted to HTML with Mathjax, and ppt files early to alt text).

The Fall Comp Sci course requires learning HTML and flowcharting. The syllabus asks for
Flowcharting software:

  *   Draw.io is available free online (https://app.diagrams.net/ )
  *   Optional: Flowcharting software Flowgorithm is available for free download only for Windows machines (http://flowgorithm.org/)
  *   MS Word can also generate flowcharts, but some students find it more cumbersome to utilize
JavaScript software
(You will be writing JavaScript programs so you will need software to do that!)

  *   https://js.do/ on-line JavaScript Editor
  *   Other JavaScript/HTML Editors to download if you prefer:
     *   Visual Studio Code
     *   Atom Text Editor
     *   Sublime
     *   Codepen.io
     *   Notepad++ (Windows only) - Available in Rutgers' Computer Labs

QUESTIONS:

  1.  What do you use to build a flowchart, say for designing code?
  2.  Would any of you have any input on which, if any, of these flowcharting software above are accessible for the screen reader student? Is there a preference? Are there "watch out" tips?
  3.  For a JavaScript Editor, are any provided in the list above accessible? If not, what do you use?
  4.  For Calculus and Statistics courses, do you prefer getting them in HTML? MS Word with math equation editors?

Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!

Best Regards,
Ketty

M. Ketty Ombadykow, M. Ed., M.S.| Alternate Format Text/Assistive Technology
Rutgers University | Rutgers Access & Disability Resources (RADR)
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