[nabs-l] nabs-l Digest, Vol 55, Issue 54

Sat May 28 00:20:20 UTC 2011

I concur with Ruth's comments below. No one disputes the utility, nay,
almost the necessity, even, of Nemeth code Braille for mathematical work.
However, there are times when Braille isn't available that audio
presentation of mathematics becomes a necessity. I adduce as proof of this
contention the fact that Dr. Nemeth himself developed what he called
"math-speak" to clearly convey even complex equations. I do hope that
something on the order of his Math-speak is used as a template for the
forthcoming software.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Loew, Ruth
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2011 11:01 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] nabs-l Digest, Vol 55, Issue 54

In response to Kevin Fjelsted's posts: It is certainly not ETS's intent to
displace braille.  For the math-to-speech project, researchers are
intentionally creating audio structured so that it can supplement braille
when the latter is available, supporting multi-modal access.  The audio will
also permit access to math content on occasions when braille is unavailable
and for individuals who do not know Nemeth braille.  

A different project, on which ETS is working with Measured Progress and the
NimbleTools testing platform, is to make that platform compatible with
refreshable braille displays.  (Currently no platform for computer-based
standardized testing is compatible with refreshable braille.)  ETS continues
to make braille forms of its tests available, including those tests that are
offered on computer, and routinely approves Perkins braillers or braille
slates as testing accommodations on request.

I hope this is helpful.

Ruth C. Loew, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Office of Disability Policy, ETS
phone: 609-683-2984
fax: 609-683-2220

-----Original Message-----

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 12:01:17 -0500
From: Kevin Fjelsted <kfjelsted at gmail.com>
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Math-to-Speech technology project
Message-ID: <4DDF92D5-CE12-4264-91D6-5B8D71FFABBE at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

An interesting corollary on this whole thing although it may not see to be
related but I experiencing increasing resistance in testing centers when I
tell them I need to bring a Braille Writer in order to solve math problems.
If we are not virulent we will be locked out of testing centers when we
insist on Braille either reading or writing.

-Kevin

-------------------------------------------

THis is definitely a very dangerous slippery slope to put so much emphasis
on speech for Math.
I am currently fighting a huge battle with a disability services office for
major university who has tried to force the use of speech over Braille
Nemeth code.

In the first place if there is any extensive math to be done the problem
steps are almost always going to require that one write them down. If one is
BLind  then Nemeth code is the only way to go.
This touches at the very root of an issue that is trying to force speech at
the expense of Braille.  to provide an excuse to avoid using Braille by
permitting speech for Math is very dangerous. 
 As much emphasis should be placed on accurate translation to Braille Nemeth
in this project as the speech effort.
For this  amount of money, is any of it being allocated to Nemeth Braille on
the fly support translation from Design Science software? 
-Kevin
Kevin Fjelsted [kfjelsted at gmail.com

On May 26, 2011, at 11:27 AM, Loew, Ruth wrote:

New Math-to-Speech Technologies to Help Blind and Visually Impaired Students
Master Mathematics

Princeton, N.J. (May 24, 2011) -
Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Design Science have announced they are
working jointly to modify MathType(tm) and MathPlayer(tm), so that classroom
materials, tests and other documents containing mathematical content may be
clearly spoken by computers. This new math-to-speech technology will provide
students who are blind or have other visual impairments the tools they need
to learn, practice, and take math and science tests on a more equal footing
with their classroom peers.

Some of the country's leading subject-matter experts and developers of
assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired will
assist on the project which begins July 1, 2011, and is supported by a $1.5
million Institute of Education Sciences grant.

"Existing assistive technology that provides synthetic speech for electronic
text does at best a limited job of making math accessible for this group of
students," explains Lois Frankel, an ETS Assessment Specialist and the
leader of the effort. "The current technology falls short because it
generally does not 'know' how to describe mathematical expressions,
especially in a way that provides access to their nonlinear structure.

"ETS and Design Science will work together to enhance MathPlayer, the tool
that voices the math encoded in MathML, so that it sounds more like what
students - particularly those in Algebra I - are used to hearing," Frankel
says. "We also plan to work on a number of customizations to MathType,
including a feature to allow teachers and other users to select how
mathematical expressions are described. For example, they could select
whether the machine says 'four over five' or 'four fifths.' Another
customization we plan to add is keyboard navigation that allows blind or
visually impaired users to go back and replay voiced segments in
mathematically meaningful 'chunks.' Our goal is to provide students and
teachers with a better system for voicing mathematical notation that
includes some truly useful functionality."

"It has been a long-term Design Science goal to make math accessible, and
our team has been working hard at it for over six years," said Neil Soiffer,
Senior Scientist at Design Science. "It's a great opportunity to be
partnering with an organization the stature and importance of ETS, to push
the state-of-the-art forward."

Working with Frankel and Soiffer on the effort are ETS Assessment Specialist
Beth Brownstein, Research Scientist Eric Hansen, and Senior Research
Scientist Cara Laitusis. Among the other organizations and consultants who
will take part in the project are:

	De Witt & Associates, specializes in accessibility training,
learning systems and support, and will provide advice on the implementation
of MathML accessibility tools and assist in the development of training
modules for students and teachers.
      GW Micro, a leading firm in the adaptive technology industry, will
modify its Window-Eyes screen reader software to work seamlessly with the
tools developed by the project.	Jim Allan, the accessibility coordinator and
webmaster for the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
	Maylene Bird, a teacher of mathematics to visually impaired students
at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
	Christine Hinton, a Program Development Specialist for the New
Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, will help recruit
student participants from inclusive schools in New Jersey.
	Gaylen Kapperman, a professor with a visual disability, with
specialization in research and development projects pertaining to
mathematics instruction and assistive technology used by individuals who are
blind or are visually impaired.
	Abraham Nemeth, the author of The Nemeth Braille Code for
Mathematics and Science Notation and a blind expert in making mathematics
accessible to blind individuals.
	Susan Osterhaus, a secondary mathematics teacher and statewide math
accessibility expert at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually
Impaired.

"The criteria for success in this project will be three-fold," explains
Marisa Farnum, Vice President of Assessment Development at ETS. "First, will
students using the tailored tools over the status quo be better able to
solve algebra problems at an appropriate level? And, are they better able to
correctly identify the structure of algebra-level math expressions when
using the tools? Second, will math teachers be able to use the authoring
tools developed by this project to quickly and easily create math materials
that are accessible to their students with visual impairments? And finally,
do the teachers and students who participate as subjects in these
development efforts find the tools provided usable and convenient?"

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