[NFB-Science] Technical gaps that need to be filled for math classes.

[Peter Donahue]

Hello again Kendra and everyone,

	Concerning Braille textbooks my wife is a Braille Proofreader with
the Education Service Center Region 20. They transcribe lots of textbooks
containing lots of graphics. I'm copying her on this message so you two can
connect off list to discuss Region 20's possibly transcribing some of this
material for you.

	Part of the reason why Braille quality is low is due to many Braille
transcription groups expecting their members to produce material on a
volunteer basis. This we believe to be wrong. Producing Braille material is
a time-consuming business. If more of these outfits paid their transcribers
and proofreaders for their work perhaps the textbooks and other material
they produce would be of a higher quality. This is food for thought.

Peter Donahue



-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Science [mailto:nfb-science-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Kendra Schaber via NFB-Science
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2019 9:05 PM
To: NFB Science and Engineering Division List; NFB Science and Engineering
Division List
Cc: Kendra Schaber
Subject: Re: [NFB-Science] Technical gaps that need to be filled for math
classes.

Hi Tina!
 I'm saying that I see some serious gaps here and that they are too wide for
today's college world. Mind you, I'm trying to bridge some of it with the
experts that I did manage to find. However, it's not the fact that my
textbook isn't the same book as everyone else because as my teacher said,
"math is math". The bigger problem is that the companies who make these
textbooks don't always get the braille translation compleetly right and they
also don't always get the books to school on time. But Yes, I'm struggling
because of these barriers dispite my best efforts and support. As for
graphics and graphs, I don't know what's going on with the so called
graphiti. I have heard that it's been mentioned on the APH's website for
years and has been promissed to us for years without any results.
Unfortunently, I don't know if there are any other efforts out there. Even
if there are not, I'd like to know if that grafiti has died like the
dinosaurs or is still alive but is stuck in the production or
experimentation. Either way, the tactile graphics needs to catch up to the
rest of our technology for those of us in STEM fields and in STEM education.
As for multimedia, the graphic calculator itself is in audio form and the
Polaris Braille Sense prints out the graph that you can make. But there is
nothing tactile that you can make that allows you to quickly find the
minamum and maximum for example. You have to do that on the calculator
because the graphs that you make on the Polaris are for the sited folks like
the teachers. Mind you, this is fine because it allows one to send in their
graphs. But it still does leave gaps. As for the vidios, yes, they do leave
as many gaps as they fill. I think part of them is because they have visual
conponents that are not accessible to us. So, they leave out spasific
dirrections that a non sited person would need.


Thank you for taking the time to read this Email!
Blessed be!!!
Kendra Schaber
Chemeketa Community College,
350 Org,
Citizen's Climate Lobby,
National Federation of the Blind of Oregon,
Capitol Chapter,
Salem, Oregon.
Home Email:
Redwing731 at gmail.com
Chemeketa Community College Email:
Kschaber at my.Chemeketa.edu
Phone:
971-599-9991
"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear", Author unknown.
Sent from my iPhone SE.
Sent from my Gmail Email
Get Outlook<https://aka.ms/qtex0l> for iOS

________________________________
From: NFB-Science <nfb-science-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Tina Hansen
via NFB-Science <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2019 18:16
To: 'NFB Science and Engineering Division List'
Cc: Tina Hansen
Subject: Re: [NFB-Science] Technical gaps that need to be filled for math
classes.

Kendra,

I feel your frustration. Because of this, I'd like to try and sum up what's
happening here.

It seems like you're looking for help with the graphing calculator, and the
stuff on You Tube leaves more gaps than it fills. Does anyone know where to
get fuller training on this calculator?

Graphics and Technology: This seems to be a big issue. Does anyone know
what's going on with the Grapheti display device from APH? I think, Kendra,
that's what you're talking about.

Finally, it seems you're having a big issue with having to use a different
textbook then the other students. Also, your Braille note taker can't handle
the graphs, so you're forced to carry around this massive Braille book. Not
only that, despite your best efforts, you're struggling. Matters seem to be
further complicated by the delay in you getting your textbook on par with
everyone else, so you need a live reader to fill in this gap. Yet you're
still struggling despite your best efforts.

Given what's happening here, I wonder if it's time for some new technology
to try and address these concerns. Is it time for some new math apps? I know
there was an app dubbed Virtual Pencil some years back. I used it, and liked
the concept. I don't know if it's still out there.

I wonder if it's time to look into multimedia presentation of tactile
graphics. I'm interested in how to combine sound with touch. Has anyone
looked into this? Is there a way to do this via an app on a smart phone or
tablet? I understand there are some people working on these issues, and I
want to hear more about this. How can I learn about it? Thanks.


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