[nabs-l] writing and working out math and Chemistry problems

Wed Feb 22 21:24:38 UTC 2017

Hello,
I took general chemistry one last semester.  I would have one of my classmates take pictures with my iPhone of the examples that the professor wrote on the board. Sometimes my professor would print out the examples that he has worked out on the board.  I hired a reader that was proficient in chemistry and I would bring those examples to my reader. My reader would  then read the examples to me and help me work out the problems.  There's also a thing called math window. This is a board that has magnets with braille numbers and math symbols on them.  I believe it's $100.  Do you have an oVR counselor? If you do, oVR is supposed to help you pay the reader. My OVR counselor was not willing to purchase the math window for me.  So I created my own by purchasing magnetic braille letters and numbers online and using A small white board from an arts and craft store.  My reader help me create math symbols using puffy paint  on some plain magnets that I purchased at the store as well.
This was definitely less cumbersome than carrying a   Brailler around. I am not discouraging you from using the Brailer but this is just another option.  Usually there are graduate students or even undergraduate students looking for work in all the different departments. Perhaps, you could email the chair of the chemistry department and ask if he or she knows of any student looking for work. That's one way you could find a reader with knowledge of chemistry.  Same thing for all of your math classes.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me off list.
Good luck!
Liliya 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 22, 2017, at 12:16 PM, Vejas Vasiliauskas via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Ahbee,
> I also forgot to mention that I use the braillenote for a calculator. 
> The Brailler is a bit heavy to carry but I am able to do it because there is a very short distance from the dorm to Disability Services. However, if it was a longer distance, I would probably bring a small suitcase  with me that has the Brailler and paper in it. I really recommend the Brailler because it allows you to line numbers up and look back at your work easily.
> Vejas
> 
>> On Feb 22, 2017, at 11:04, Alexandra Alfonso via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi,
>> I use my braillenote to take and to the actual problems and tests. The
>> brailler is to loud and heavy. Also, I use a software so when I put my
>> work on a flash drive, the teacher can read the math and science.
>> 
>>> On 2/22/17, Ignasi Cambra via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hello all,
>>> When I took math classes both in high school and later in college I decided
>>> to use the LateX programming language on my laptop. In high school I was
>>> using a PC, and later a Mac. LateX is a high level programming language
>>> (think of it as something relatively similar to HTML) that’s used to write
>>> scientific text. You can run LateX files through a compiler, which will give
>>> you a PDF or DIV file that anyone can easily read. In other words… You type
>>> your formulas in plain text after having learned how LateX works, and then
>>> you can print out professional looking documents that people can just read
>>> and grade if necessary. I know this sounds a bit complicated, but it was
>>> very efficient for me. After I learned the LateX language I could easily
>>> produce texts including complicated formulas for math, physics and chemistry
>>> classes. I didn’t need to worry about professors not being able to read my
>>> stuff, and instructors who were familiar with LateX could easily create
>>> documents for me. As a matter of fact when I was in college I took a class
>>> that required me to do exercises every week on a website which wasn’t
>>> accessible. It turns out those exercises were originally programmed using
>>> LateX, so my instructor was able to take them out of the website in LateX
>>> format for me. I also used JAWS scripts and later AppleScript to teach my
>>> screen reader basic LateX tags, and it would actually read formulas
>>> correctly for me. Finally another advantage of this method is that many
>>> science textbooks are actually edited using LateX, so sometimes I managed
>>> for publishers to send me LateX files with entire books, or at least parts
>>> of them.
>>> For anyone who is comfortable with a little bit of programming I doubt
>>> there’s a more efficient way to do this. It would be nice if there was a
>>> completely accessible LateX editor that can interact with screen readers and
>>> automatically convert LateX language into Braille on a Braille display, and
>>> also do the opposite process by converting Braille text into LateX that
>>> could later be used by anyone. This is certainly possible, but as far as I
>>> know nobody has done it yet.
>>> I hope this isn’t too confusing for everyone…!
>>> 
>>> IC
>>>> On 22 Feb 2017, at 12:07, Ahbee Orton via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> So, basically, you all take notes on an electronic device and do your
>>>> actual homework and tests and quizzes on the brailler. I use a Focus 40, a
>>>> bluetooth keyboard, and an iPad when I take notes. I've been trying to
>>>> work out problems in math and Chemistry on these devices. It has gotten
>>>> harder lately to do these problems. I've been making up a code so that my
>>>> teachers can read what I'm doing. That's not best practice, which I know,
>>>> but I've done that for a while now. I'm thinking about switching to the
>>>> brailler. Any thoughts on this? Am I doing it fine?
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>> 
>>>>> On Feb 22, 2017, at 10:55 AM, Vejas Vasiliauskas via NABS-L
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org <mailto:nabs-l at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hi Ahbee,
>>>>> I am taking math right now. I use my braillenote to take notes in class,
>>>>> but I use my Perkins Brailler for everything else. I take quizzes and
>>>>> tests in a separate room so noise isn't an issue. I also use the Brailler
>>>>> for working with my math tutor.
>>>>> That's too bad that your TVI doesn't know Braille. But you can use the
>>>>> print book as a reference for them. For my math tutor, I bring the print
>>>>> book as well as the volume I am working on, so that they can then follow
>>>>> along.
>>>>> Vejas
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Feb 22, 2017, at 05:03, Ahbee Orton via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hi All,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I'm wondering, how did you do math and science in high school and now in
>>>>>> college? I know that it's better on the brailler but it is noisy so it
>>>>>> can be difficult for me or the others to hear the teacher. I would also
>>>>>> wonder what I should do, because my TVI isn't so good at Braille. I'd
>>>>>> have to tell her what the paper says. Any suggestions on completing math
>>>>>> and chemistry assignments and doing the work the teacher's showing on
>>>>>> the board as well? Thanks!
>>>>>> Ahbee
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sent from Ahbee's iPhone
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> NABS-L mailing list
>>>>>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> NABS-L:
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/alpineimagination%40gmail.com
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> NABS-L mailing list
>>>>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> NABS-L:
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ahbeeorton%40yahoo.com
>>>>> <http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ahbeeorton%40yahoo.com>
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> NABS-L mailing list
>>>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org <mailto:NABS-L at nfbnet.org>
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> <http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org>
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> NABS-L:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ignasicambra%40gmail.com
>>>> <http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ignasicambra%40gmail.com>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NABS-L mailing list
>>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> NABS-L:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/alliefa1999%40gmail.com
>>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> NABS-L mailing list
>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NABS-L:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/alpineimagination%40gmail.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NABS-L mailing list
> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NABS-L:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/lily2011a%40gmail.com