[Blindmath] To all you blind physics experts

[Madeleine Rothberg]

Hi Amanda,
I'm a sighted researcher working on media accessibility, but my husband is
a physics professor and is teaching those topics right now. He thinks you
might benefit from having tactile diagrams of the images to be discussed
in class, before the class, so that you can follow along. This will mean
your professor will need to give you those images ahead of time and not
stray from the plan for the lecture. Good luck!

-Madeleine Rothberg

On 2/10/12 1:23 AM, "Amanda Lacy" <lacy925 at gmail.com> wrote:

>There seem to be several of you on here, so I am hoping for some advice
>even though this isn't exactly about math.
>
>I am currently in general physics II and beginning to struggle. My
>physics professor (Prof. Underwood) says that the units which will
>probably be the hardest for me are electromagnetism (the one we're on
>now) and optics. I have the book from Learning Ally and write down all
>the homework problems and important equations on the computer. I've also
>started experimenting with one of Prof. Baldwin's programs in order to
>emboss important diagrams and follow along in class. I try to ask lots of
>questions during Prof. Baldwin's office hours, in class, and in lab. I
>have a tactile drawing pad and at least two people who give me pieces of
>there time and expertise when they can, but still I am lost in class. The
>subject matter is so visual that Prof. Underwood is often drawing and
>redrawing complex things on the board as he lectures. Then I hear such
>tantalizing statements as, "learn this right-hand rule," or "this very
>important concept explains how an electric motor works." I hadn't f
> ollowed whatever it was which led to such statements. At the end of
>class, my unanswered questions are often more numerous than they had been
>at the beginning. As a consequence of not following lecture, some of my
>homework looks completely unfamiliar to me so that I have no idea how to
>proceed. Prof. Underwood is talking about building some 3D models for me.
>He is really doing the best he can and sometimes seems unsure what to do
>with me. I don't always know what to do with me either.
>
>If any of you can describe strategies you used which did not rely on
>vision, I would be grateful. I am genuinely curious about what I'm
>supposed to be studying. If I can satisfy that curiosity, then the A will
>come on its own, as it always does.
>
>
>Thanks,
>Amanda
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