[Nfb-science] AP. Physics Logistics Questions

[aerospace1028 at hotmail.com]

greetings Chelsea,
It sounds like they've changed the A.P. physics a little since i was in high school.  I only remember one semi-virtual lab, dealing with position, velocity and acceleration.  The computer gave each group three graphs (distance vs time, velocity vs time, and acceleration vs time) and we had to use a cardboard target and a laser detector to reproduce (as closely as possible) the three graphs.

Do you have any other information about the nature of these labs?  Is it a true virtual lab: where you are presented with say a balistics problem and you enter in elevations and angles and maybe an animation displays the results?  Or is it more like a computerized test: you're given a physics problem, and you have to choose the right radio-button answer or fill in an edit box with the value, and the whole deal is timed?  This is how homework was handled in the University CHIP (Computerized Homework in Physics) allowed everyone to get the same problems with different values to discourage straight out copying; and you were only allowed five tries before it locked you out from answering again and creditted you with an incorrect answer.

As far as the exam, Michael's response is basically correct.  When I took both the calc and physics tests, any graphing questions I just described the graph to my scribe (i.e. "a parabola that opens up, crosses the x-axis at 1 and -1 and the y-axis at -1.").  They're not looking for drafting precision: it's more the shape, intercepts, and critical points (maxima et minima).  As long as you understand where these values should be (and in physics, their significance) you should be fine as long as you and your scribe comunicate effectively.  I lucked out and my scribe was theteaching assistant with whom I had worked on all the in-class tests.

I hope that was somewhat helpful:-)
--Paul


>Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:09:30 -0400
>From: Chelsea Cook <astrochem119 at gmail.com>
>Subject: [Nfb-science] AP. Physics Logistics Questions
>To: nfb-science at nfbnet.org
>Message-ID: <4acd2d81.151bf30a.7eeb.ffff869f at mx.google.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>Hello,
>
>I am a senior in high school enrolled in advanced placement 
>(college-level) courses in Physics and Calculus. The course 
>content is not a problem for me, however, I am having issues with 
>my physics class doing "virtual labs," essentially graphics-based 
>simulations that are not accessible with JAWS. A major portion 
>of the grade calls for these. Currently, I am having a sighted 
>person sit with me through the lab, but I find that method to be 
>inefficient for me to complete the various labs in a timely 
>fashion. I can't seem to complete the labs at home because I 
>have no one willing to sit and describe the interface to me. 
>Another main issue with this course is that it is a 
>distance-learning course: My school system is reluctant (at best) 
>to provide transportation to and from the other high school, so I 
>can't network with my peers as much as I would like to. Any 
>thoughts?
>Also, concerning the AP. exam in May: Has anyone ever taken an 
>AP. test in a science or math course before on this list? My 
>teachers (vision and academic) and I are concerned about the free 
>response questions, where graphs or drawings are often always 
>required to complete the question. We are not sure how the 
>College Board will accept my answers, given that it is a 
>standardized test. I am a heavy Braille and JAWS user. On the 
>matter of scribes used for copying answers, I am concerned about 
>the margin of error present.
>Any help would be appreciated,
>Chelsea Cook

 		 	   		  
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