[nabs-l] college and math

Sun Jan 18 23:13:11 UTC 2009

Hi all,

This is a very interesting and important discussion, and indeed there
are an increasing variety of methods available to blind students in
higher-level math courses. Since I have not taken any hard math
courses after high school calculus (for which I used a Braille
textbook and a Braille Lite), I am not very knowledgeable about the
high-tech solutions that are out now to convert math symbols into
readable text. However, I have taken several statistics courses (which
require use of formulas and symbols, though stats is not quite as
math-intensive as other mathematics) and there are some low-tech
solutions I've developed/used. These solutions are imperfect and
certainly won't work for everyone, but they are worth considering at
least in the short term:

Many people are worried about using an audio text or readers to learn
math concepts and complete assignments. It's true that many of us
(including myself) have a hard time processing a math problem without
having a Braille copy in front of us, but that doesn't mean that audio
texts and readers are completely un-useful. In fact, since my stats
text wasn't available in Braille, I have done a lot of stats work
using a textbook on audiotape (and this was the old analog cassette
where it took forever to find the right page, not the fancy CD's we
have today!) The trick is to use either a Braille notetaker like a
Braille Note or a Perkins Brailler to take detailed notes on what you
are hearing. Of course audio quality will vary, but in my experience
RFBD books do a pretty decent job of verbalizing formulas and
equations in a way that makes sense in words. As soon as I hear the
formula/equation, I'll write it down in Braille either in Nemeth code
or in words (i.e. square root of the sum of the X's squared over n-1).
You can write Nemeth code on the Braille Note just for your own
reference, even if it doesn't print out exactly right. The key is that
you've converted the audio from your recorded text, reader or class
lecture into a Braille format that you can utilize for your own
learning and later application.

Once you've learned the formulas, the next challenge is to complete
the homework assignment. I've sometimes done math assignments on the
Braille Note using a Computer Braille file. Most of the symbols from
Nemeth, I believe, are the same as in computer Braille. For the few
symbols that differ, if I'm not sure how to write them in computer
Braille so they print out correctly, I might make up a symbol (i.e.
"sqrt" equals "square root") and put a little note at the top of the
assignment explaining what "sqrt" means. I've been using this
technique for years and never once has it caused any problems. Ditto
for Greek letters; just write out "sigma", "beta", etc. Of course if
you can figure out how to write the actual symbol, that's great, but
this is an acceptable alternative.

If you have a PC with speech software but not a Braille Note, you can
also write your math assignments on the computer. If you  have trouble
solving a math problem without having it in front of you, use a
Brailler or other Braille writing device to copy the problem that JAWS
reads to you, and then solve it and write your solution in MS-Word.

Finally, don't forget that the professor and teaching assistants can
be valuable sources of conceptual reinforcement and clarification.
I'll sometimes ask my stats TA's to explain a formula in words if I'm
unsure about the correct order of operations, etc. Re-explaining a
formula in words takes just a couple of minutes and once it's been
explained once, I can write it down in my Braille Note either in words
or in Nemeth and reference it later when I need it.

I haven't used readers much for stats, but I know that others have had
success using math readers. Coupling a reader with a method for taking
Braille notes for yourself will ensure that you have the material in a
format you can easily access later.

Cheers and happy calculating!
Arielle

On 1/16/09, Nicole B. Torcolini <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
> Thank you for the comment, and also thank you to Sarah.  However, I am
> slightly hesitant to recommend it for higher level college math because it
> only contains those symbols which I myself have used, which includes some
> calculus symbols. For a full list of supported symbols, see the manual at
> www.accessisoft.com
>
> Nicole
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Serena" <serenacucco at verizon.net>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 3:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] college and math
>
>
> Hi Nicole
>
> Wow!  You designed the software?  You must be a real Math genious!
>
> Serena
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nicole B. Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 1:37 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] college and math
>
>
>> Yes, I know how to use Nemetex. I'm the one who designed it.
>>
>> Nicole
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "gmail" <nijat1989 at gmail.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 7:59 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] college and math
>>
>>
>> Greetings everyone on the list,
>>   I am having some math trouble. I am attending college at the University
>> of Colorado at Boulder, and I am taking a math class this semester. I have
>> been looking at some nemeth math translation software and have been trying
>> a
>> software called Nemetex. Does anyone here use any math translation
>> software
>> that works with the BrailleNote? If so, can you please tell me where I can
>> get it?
>>   The Nemetex software is a pretty good software, but I still haven't
>> figured out how to use it. Does anyone on this list know how to use it, or
>> any other software that may work with the BrailleNote?
>>   In middle and high school I did all my math on the Perkins Braille
>> Writer
>> and my Teacher translated the Braille into print math. Since there is
>> nobody
>> to do the translation now, I am looking for some other ways of producing
>> work that my teacher can read.
>>   If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
>>   Thank you very much.
>>   Nijat
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Dave Wright" <gymnastdave at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:01 AM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] college and math
>>
>>
>>> Hey there all,
>>> Here's a message passed on from the BlindMath list... If anyone has
>>> suggestions for this HighSchool teacher, please don't hesitate to pass
>>> them on... I think this is a great recruiting opportunity...
>>>
>>>
>>> Best Regards:
>>> David Wright
>>>
>>> Email: dwrigh6 at gmail.com
>>> Mobile: 512-203-2474
>>>
>>> http://www.knfbreader.com
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Kathy Fraase" <kathy_fraase at bismarckschools.org>
>>> To: <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:24 AM
>>> Subject: [Blindmath] college and math
>>>
>>>
>>>>I have a student who is blind that is going to college next year.  She
>>>> is trying to decide between a public or private college.   We are trying
>>>> to figure out how to get a math book in Braille for college.  Where does
>>>> one look to see what is available and where would one find a braillist
>>>> to get one brailled quickly?  Have people taken a math class without a
>>>> brailled text?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This is an above average student who has done very well in high school.
>>>> She is good with technology and uses a laptop and braillenote very well.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Any thoughts or suggestions on this topic or college for a student who
>>>> is blind would be appreciated.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Kathy
>>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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