[Nfb-science] procuring physics textbooks

[John J. Boyer]

If you can get an electronic version in Daisy or epub3, with the math in 
MathML, you can try using BrailleBlaster to get both files that you can 
read on your Braille Note and can emboss. The math can be in Nemeth or 
some other Braille math codes. I had similar problems in college, so I 
have made it my life's work to help others in the STEM fields. The name 
BrailleBlaster means that the program is intended to unleash a blast of 
Braille for those who most need it. BrailleBlaster is a free, open 
source Braille transcription program sponsored by APH, ViewPlus and 
AbilitiesSoft. You can learn more about it and download installers for 
Windows and Mac at http://www.brailleblaster.org . I will be happy to 
communicate with you more offlist at john.boyer at abilitiessoft.com .

Thanks,
John

On Sat, Jun 28, 2014 at 04:43:37PM -0400, Daniel via Nfb-science wrote:
> Dear list members,
> 
>  I think I may have posted something here within the last year or so
> about having materials procured for a physics course.  In case some
> of you don't remember, I am Daniel Gillen, a rising college junior
> majoring in physics at Haverford College.  For the upper-level
> course on classical mechanics I will take this fall, there are two
> different textbooks which the course will be using.  In the past,
> the Office of Disabilities Services tried to organize all of my
> materials in-house; this was not shown to be workable when last
> year's fall physics textbook, being in Word documents with math
> entered through MathType, returned either error messages or false
> positives throughout the book.  Since then, they were able to farm
> out the previous semester's text in Braille hard copy, which made it
> more straightforward for showing matrices, as well as the
> possibility of diagrams integrated into the book.  This only helped
> some, but since finding equations required constant thumbing through
> pages of various volumes.  They are now deciding to have this coming
> semester's books both in hard copy, as well as in an electronic
> text-based format to make it possible for me to search more
> efficiently while studying.
>  As of now, I am very concerned about the format of the electronic
> textbook.  Unfortunately, it sounded like the same company that was
> transcribing the book in hard copy could not also distribute the
> electronic Braille files of the book due to copyright laws.  Also,
> it appears that a different company will try to procure Word
> documents with the math notation in MathML, a form which only a
> computer can make sense of.  The main issue here is that I will need
> to have two Braille-readable formats for each book (one hard-copy
> and one electronic Braille which I can read on my BrailleNote Apex's
> Braille display).  In doing so, any conversion of the electronic
> files to Braille-ready format should result in a finished product
> with as few errors or ambiguities as possible.  Yet I've been told
> by the head of the Office of Disability Services after much
> conversation that I could just as well look up the
> ambiguous/erroneously translated expression(s) in the hard copy when
> I'm studying.
>  I apologize for the ramblings-on about this, but I would like to
> know what some of the viable options are/have been.  This is for
> those of you like me who are proficient Braille readers and use a
> Braille note-taker in STEM subjects.  I wonder if there are others
> in this situation who use electronic Braille versions of STEM
> textbooks rather than audio options.  After all, despite my complete
> lack of vision, I am, as some might argue, a visual learner.  I know
> I may be writing this after all of the book orders have been made,
> but please let me know what works/has worked best for you in terms
> of getting through these sorts of courses.  This will hopefully give
> me something to look back at for future courses as I progress
> through the latter half of college.
> 
> Thank you,
> Daniel
> 
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-- 
John J. Boyer, Executive Director
GodTouches Digital Ministry, Inc.
http://www.godtouches.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Peace, Love, Service