[BlindRUG] RStudio for blind statistics students

Fri May 13 04:07:05 UTC 2022

Hello,

Further to the comments made by Liz, the staff of the proposed course need to be reminded that almost every task possible in RStudio has an R equivalent. Exceptions include version control via Git (not particularly relevant in most stats courses), and the way a person works, especially in R markdown files. The RStudio IDE allows all sorts of tools to be used that just do not work for people editing these files in any other tools. For example, running separate code chunks.

The experiences of Windows users definitely differs on the choice of screen reader, as well as the proficiency of the person driving that screen reader. The R GUI could be used but it doesn't add a lot of value to most users over the terminal mode.

In the end, it is the way we work that will differ, and that may have an impact on course design. I teach into a course that is hugely influenced by the use of RStudio, the tidyverse (including ggplot) and the presentation of work via R markdown documents. I am not particularly disadvantaged by any of these decisions, but the fact that my students must use R markdown is a massive advantage to me as their teacher.

I am now independently doing more of my own marking than at any other time in my career. My reliance on support from other humans is at the lowest it has ever been and is equivalent to any of my sighted colleagues.

HTH
Jonathan

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindRUG <blindrug-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Liz Hare via BlindRUG
Sent: Friday, 13 May 2022 10:25 am
To: Blind R Users Group <blindrug at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Liz Hare <doggene at earthlink.net>; Hannah.King <hannah.king at open.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: [BlindRUG] RStudio for blind statistics students

Hi Hannah,

Your findings are correct. RStudio can't be used with a screen reader. That GUI that comes with an R installation also doesn't work well, at least on a Mac.

Blind R users come up with other solutions like using the
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcode.visualstudio.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7CA.J.Godfrey%40massey.ac.nz%7Cd495af9b45b74e7d139908da34666db6%7C388728e1bbd0437898dcf8682e644300%7C1%7C0%7C637879911792689930%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AKmRv3%2FKku%2B%2FDp37tshBhi%2FodZH6r6MPSND9YywUENM%3D&reserved=0

I use the Emacs editor in the Mac Terminal with the Emacspeak screen reader.
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcode.visualstudio.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7CA.J.Godfrey%40massey.ac.nz%7Cd495af9b45b74e7d139908da34666db6%7C388728e1bbd0437898dcf8682e644300%7C1%7C0%7C637879911792689930%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AKmRv3%2FKku%2B%2FDp37tshBhi%2FodZH6r6MPSND9YywUENM%3D&reserved=0
The learning curve for Emacs and emacspeak is steep at first but if you are going to work with R a lot, it's worth it.

I'm sure other list members have other suggestions for solutions. 

Please note that educational programs should not require or expect the use of RStudio in their materials since it is not for everyone.

Liz

Liz Hare, PhD
Dog Genetics LLC
doggene at earthlink.net
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doggenetics.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7CA.J.Godfrey%40massey.ac.nz%7Cd495af9b45b74e7d139908da34666db6%7C388728e1bbd0437898dcf8682e644300%7C1%7C0%7C637879911792689930%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AomMoBsbIBIDJqKMto3o3h95KpOTqC6aC82y4JTfPl4%3D&reserved=0

> On May 9, 2022, at 12:04 PM, Hannah.King via BlindRUG <blindrug at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good afternoon,
>  
> My name is Aitch, I work at The Open University as an Accessibility and Usability Tester (predominantly accessibility). I'm currently doing some accessibility testing work on RStudio for a statistics module creation team who are considering it for the course. 
>  
> If you don't mind, I've been investigating RStudio - and testing it using NVDA and keyboard short cuts to access - and I've come across an issue that is proving hard to figure out and I wondered if I could ask some questions.
>  
> I can't get the screen reader to read the output of commands in the console. It will read the commands as I type them, but the output itself remains stubbornly illegible. Is there a way to make it read them that I simply haven't figured out yet?
>  
> If not, I wonder if there are any workarounds that you know of, or if you could maybe let me know how blind users do their statistics work? That last may be a more complicated question than I intend!
>  
> Thanks very much in advance,
>  
> H
>  
>  
> <image001.png>
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> Keynes, MK7 6AA
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More information and useful links about using R as a blind person can be obtained at:
http://R-Resources.massey.ac.nz

Look for help using R commands by reading the accessible e-book "Let's Use R Now" compiled by Jonathan Godfrey at:
http://R-Resources.massey.ac.nz/lurn/front.html