Math Accommodations

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Math Accommodations
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Issues

• Accessing books/problem sets
• Doing homework/tests
• Getting information in class

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Tips for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
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Suggestions for Instructors

• Face the students
• Do not talk facing the board
• Repeat student questions
• The deaf student may not have been looking at the
  questioner
• Make sure you can be seen clearly
• Do not stand and talk in front of a bright window
• Use gestures
• Pointing to what youre talking about is helpful
• Build in pauses
• Deaf students do a lot of multi-tasking, allow
  some pauses

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Tips for Students with Upper Limb Impairments
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Software

• Math equation programs allow keyboard entry
• Scientific Notebook
• MathType (plug-in for Word)
• MathTalk allows voice entry
• Requires MathTalk, Dragon NaturallySpeaking and
  Scientific Notebook (all three!)

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MathTalk

• http//www.mathtalk.com/ OR
• http//metroplexvoice.com/

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Books On-screen

• Scan to PDF
• Read visually on-screen (no TTS)
• Foot pedal mouse
• Use Dragon to advance pages onscreen
• Remove spine and rebind to lay flat
• Use hardware page-turning systems

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Tips for LD Students
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Verbalize

• Instructor side
• Concrete, specific descriptions
• Verbalize equations and operations
• Student side
• Verbalize the process
• Have students explain patterns they see

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Strategies

• Spread one semester courses over two
• Teach strategies, not just algorithms
• Tactile graphs
• Manipulatives
• Color highlighting
• Draw pictures

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Self-help

• Work in quiet without clutter
• Videotape students studying
• Students may be totally unaware of what they are
  doing while studyingvideotaping provides
  feedback

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Word Problems

• Learn key words
• and, sum, increased mean add
• take away, difference, less mean subtract
• of, times means multiply
• per, out of, ratio of, quotient mean
  divide
• Highlight what is important
• Look for key words
• List information
• Draw pictures

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Auditory Math

• Math books in MathML
• Create in MathType or Scientific Notebook
• MathPlayer reads and highlights
• Free download from Design Science
• http//www.dessci.com/
• ReadWrite Gold, Dolphin Tutor, and WYNN work
  with MathPlayer
• Kurzweil only works from the Web interface.

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Please Note

• Many LD students do not find hearing problem sets
  helpful
• HOWEVER, many LD students find hearing word
  problems extremely helpful!

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Online for LD

• ModuMath Tutorials
• Video tutorials for basic math and algebra
• http//www.modumath.org/
• ALEKS
• Assessment and learning
• http//www.aleks.com/highered/math/
• Khan Academy (videos)
• http//www.khanacademy.org/
• Please note Although helpful, these programs
  not fully accessibledo not require them for all
  students.

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MuchoMath

• Professor Larry Perez atSaddleback College
• lperez_at_saddleback.edu
• You Tube math videos
• www.saddleback.edu/faculty/lperez/

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Learning Styles for Math

• Christine Tunstall at Mt. SAC
• Instructional Specialist in ABI
• Resources to help students learn how to learn
  math
• http//instruction.mtsac.edu/ctunstall/
• http//instruction.mtsac.edu/ctunstall/dsps_33/cla
  ss_handouts.html

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Tips for Low Vision Students
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Software for Writing Math

• Keyboard entry
• Scientific Notebook
• MathType
• Equations can be enlarged
• Voices what is written
• Chatty Infty
• http//www.inftyreader.org/

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Creating Large Print

• Start with PDF
• Crop pages
• Print to fit page (11 in. x 17 in.)
• Can tile pages
• Portion of page enlarged to full sheet

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Enlarging Math in Word

• Math equations created withMathType plug-in
• http//www.dessci.com/en/products/
• Create a Preferences file
• Can save multiple preference files
• Apply preferences
• Enlarge text with Ctrl Shift gt

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Tips for Blind Students
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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 Example

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

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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! Say each step.
• 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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Braille options

• Brailling math is expensive and time-consuming
• Algebra books can cost 25,000
• Calculus books can cost 100,000
• Check books already in Braille and see if
  instructor is willing to use the problem sets
• Work with an instructor on independent study
  with a book already in Braille

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Lots of Math in Braille!

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

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Other Nemeth 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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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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Graphics Printer

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

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Graphing

• Requires tactile (distinguishable by feel)
  accommodations
• Tactile diagrams
• Manipulatives

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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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Other Tactile Strategies

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

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Be Creative!

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

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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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Calculators

• Both software and hardware calculators are
  available

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Scientific Calculator

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

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Other Calculators

• www.maxiaids.com
• Search on calculator

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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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MathTrax

• Free from NASA
• http//learn.arc.nasa.gov/mathtrax/index.html

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LaTeX for BVI

• LaTeX can be read with a screen reader
• LaTeX structure is similar to Nemeth
• TeXnic Center LaTeX Editor and the MiKTeX package
  associated with it
• http//www.texniccenter.org/
• http//miktex.org/

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Math Online

• MathML and MathPlayer
• Create in MathType, Scientific Notebook, etc.
• http//www.htctu.net/math/mathtypeeq1.xht

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MathJax

• Opens math equations in another window
• Can be read with a screen reader
• www.mathjax.org
• http//www.mathjax.org/demos/copy-and-paste/

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STEM for Blind

• http//www.blindscience.org/
• https//nfb.org/ncbys-flyer
• www.tsbvi.edu/math/

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More Accessibility Info

• http//www.calstate.edu/accessibility/tutorials/m
  ath.shtml
• http//accessiblemath.dessci.com/
• http//metrc.uoregon.edu/
• Mathematics eText Research Center

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More Information

• Gaeir Dietrich
• gdietrich_at_htctu.net
• 408-996-6047