Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments

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Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments

• Gaeir Dietrich
• High Tech Center Training Unit of the
• California Community Colleges
• De Anza College

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Tips for Teaching Math
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Be wary of assumptions

• Blindness covers a range
• Most blind folks have some sight
• Many do see color
• Not all blind people read Braille
• In fact, many CC students do not
• Not all students who read Braille read Nemeth
  math Braille

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Nemeth Braille for Math

• Numbers
• 1234567890
• 1234567890
• Symbols
• x² 2x 2 10
• x2"2x2 .k 10

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Nemeth Code Information

• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• http//www.tsbvi.edu/math/math-nemeth.htm
• Resources for students and teachers

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What will be true

• Likely to have very good listening skills
• Likely to need one-on-one tutoring
• Likely to require extra time on tests

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Some Issues

• Will not see what you project on-screen or write
  on board
• Will not see a show of hands
• Often prefer sitting near the front so they can
  hear
• Prefer a seat that is easy to find

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What you can do

• Order books as early as possible
• Consider adopting a book for 3 years
• Provide campus alternate media personnel with
  electronic files for tests
• Educate yourself about the issues
• Be creative
• Verbalize, verbalize, verbalize!

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Use Meaningful Words

• Use concrete terms
• Meaningless!
• Here is the equation.
• We start with the equation and factor.
• Set both factors equal to zero and solve to get
  the result.
• Avoid
• This, that, here, there, thing

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In the following example, you would say
everything!

• Dont just write it verbalize it!
• 6x2 53x 9
• Subtract 53x and 9 from both sides
• 6x2 53x 9 0
• Trinomial factoring gives us
• (6x 1)(x 9) 0
• Set both factors equal to zero
• 6x 1 0 and x 9 0
• Solve each equationetc.

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Alternate Formats
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Braille options

• Brailling math is expensive and time-consuming
• Algebra books can cost 25,000
• Calculus books can cost 50,000
• Consider independent study with a book already
  in Braille

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For the CCCs

• Alternate Text Production Center (ATPC)
• www.atpc.net
• ATPC produces Braille and tactile graphics free
  for the CCCs
• Must have syllabus to begin project
• Does only those chapters required
• The more advance notice, the better

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Nemeth Braille Resources

• American Printing House for the Blind hosts the
  Louis Database
• Anyone can search for Braille materials
• www.aph.org
• Hadley School for the Blind
• Free courses
• www.hadley-school.org/Web_Site/2_b_ae_and_hs_prog
  ram.asp

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Other Resources

• FIPSE grant project to produce audio-tactile
  statistics workbook
• Looking for campuses to participate
• Contact Annette Gourgey at CUNY
• laprofessore_at_hotmail.com

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Creating Nemeth on Campus

• Scientific Notebook documents can be translated
  into Nemeth math Braille
• www.mackichan.com
• From other equation editors, save as LaTeX
• Take into Scientific Notebook and save
• Open with Duxbury Braille Translation Software
  (www.duxsys.com)

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Tactile Diagrams

• PIAF paper
• Pictures in a Flash (www.optelec.com)
• Microcapsule paper
• Can start from any computer file

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Graphics Printer

• Tiger Embosser
• Embosses graphics in raised dots
  (www.viewplus.com)
• Creates Dots Plus

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Commercially Available

• Wikki Stix
• www.wikkistix.com
• Sewell Raised Line Drawing Kit
• www.maxiaids.com
• Non-slip abacus (Cranmer Abacus) , Braille ruler,
  protractor, compass, Cubarithm
• www.aph.org
• MathWindow
• www.mathwindow.com

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Other Tactile Strategies

• Be creative!
• Magnet boards
• Letters and numbers can be purchased
• Symbols can be cut from magnetic sheets
• Corkboard for graphics
• Glue thread to make a grid
• Push-pins and string for graphing

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Be Creative!

• Manipulatives
• Many standard K-12 manipulatives will work
• Collage
• Puff paint
• Cut-outs
• Real objects

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Electronic Solutions
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Hardware Calculator

• Orion TI-36X
• Hand-held, talks
• American Printing House for the Blindwww.aph.org

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Software Calculator

• Audio Graphing Calculator
• Computer software, talks
• ViewPlus Technology www.viewplus.com
• Note Graphs can be printed on Tiger Embosser or
  to PIAF paper

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Computer Options

• Virtual Pencil Algebra
• Auditory output and input
• Set up through its own interface
• www.hentermath.com
• Math ML with MathPlayer
• Auditory output for Web pages (free!)
• Works with screen readers (JAWS, Window Eyes,
  Super Nova)
• Set up in MathType
• www.dessci.com
• WinTriangle
• Auditory output and input
• Set up in MathType
• www.wintriangle.com

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General Resources

• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
  (TSBVI)
• www.tsbvi.edu/math
• Blindmath List
• www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath
• Chisenbop Finger Counting
• www.cs.iupui.edu/aharris/chis/chis.html
• Calculus
• http//163.238.35.147/CalculusForTheBlind/index.ht
  ml

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Tips for General Interaction
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When a blind person enters the room

• Speak to the person by name
• Identify yourself
• If the person will be remaining in the room, let
  him/her know who else is there
• Always speak directly to the blind person, not to
  his/her companion

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When you encounter a blind person

• Greet the person by name.
• Tell the person who you are.
• After a while, the person may learn your voice,
  but dont assume theyll recognize you.
• Its not polite to play guessing games when only
  one person is guessing!
• Make it clear when the conversation is at an end
  or you are leaving.

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When talking with a blind person

• Look directly at the blind person.
• A person can hear when you are speaking directly
  to him/her
• Speak in a normal tone.
• Feel free to use words like look and see.
• Blind people also say see you later.

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When assisting a blind person

• If you think the person needs help, ask.
• Offer assistance dont just assume the person
  needs help.
• Ask the blind person directly how you can help
  him/her.
• Do not ask the person who is with the blind
  person.

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When explaining things to a blind person

• Use very specific, concrete language.
• Avoid words like this, that, here, there
• Especially avoid thing
• Get that thing over there is a meaningless
  statement for a blind person.
• To show the person something tactually, ask the
  person if you may take his/her hand.

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When giving directions to a blind person

• Make sure that you use specific language.
• Left/right
• In front/behind
• Degrees of a circle
• Clock face
• Compass directions
• Always give directions from the blind persons
  orientation.

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When guiding a blind person

• Never grab the persons cane or dog or arm.
• Let the blind person take your arm. Do not grab
  his/her arm.
• When guiding a blind person, let him/her take
  your elbow.
• Most blind people will prefer to take your left
  elbow (i.e., they will grasp your elbow with
  their right hand).

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When the person has a dog

• Never distract a working dog.
• Never call to the dog or use its name when its
  working.
• Never grab a dogs harness.
• Never give commands to the dog.
• Never feed the dog.

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Interacting with the dog

• If you would like to pet a guide dog, ask the
  handlers permission.
• Never encourage the dog to interact with you
  unless the handler tells you its okay.
• Sometimes handlers will use attention as a
  behavior modification tool.
• Interacting with the dog without permission can
  interfere with its training.

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Understanding the dog

• Guide dogs undergo strict training, but the
  training continues with the blind handler.
• Do not be disturbed when you see a handler
  correcting his/her dog.
• Remember that these dogs are working dogs, not
  pets!!

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In conclusion

• "Since mathematics is an experience of the mind
  anyway, it should be doable for the student. The
  student probably has a way of creating 'pictures'
  in his/her mind already. You just have to figure
  out which descriptors to use to promote
  understanding in pre-algebra and algebra.
• --Claudia, for the Teacher2Teacher service

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Feel free to contact me

• Gaeir (rhymes with fire) Dietrich
• gdietrich_at_htctu.net
• 408-996-6043
• www.htctu.net