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Making a Computer Speak Algebra However You Want

This presentation explores the development of a flexible speech synthesis system for high school algebra that allows teachers to customize the computer's speech style. The project aims to improve accessibility and navigation within mathematical expressions. The presentation also discusses research studies and future steps for the project.

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Making a Computer Speak Algebra However You Want

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  1. Making a Computer Speak Algebra However You Want CEC 2013 Convention & Expo SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS April 5, 2013

  2. Presented bySusan A. Osterhaus Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Outreach Programs 1100 West 45th Street Austin, TX 78756 susanosterhaus@tsbvi.edu www.tsbvi.edu/math/

  3. Presentation Overview • Project Motivation, Goals, and Background • Development to date: discussion and demonstration • Research Studies • Next Steps

  4. Project Motivation • Text-to-speech (TTS) vs. Math-to-speech • Limited choice of syntax/semantics • Limited screen-reader support • Limited or no within-expression navigation • Difficult to author • Works in limited environments • ETS Experience

  5. Project Goals • High school algebra • Classroom-like synthesized speech “style”: ClearSpeak • Speech is flexible so computer will speak the way the teacher wants • Can be used in any math document – including both instruction and assessment • Interactive navigation • Author in Word with easy playback

  6. Not Part of Project • Braille • Support for other formats • Authoring by people with visual impairment • Solving math problems • Tutoring/Curriculum • Integration with standardized testing

  7. What is MathML? • Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) is an application of XML for describing mathematical notations and capturing both its structure and content. It aims at integrating mathematical formulae into World Wide Web pages and other documents. It is a recommendation of the W3C math working group. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia • MathML = Math Accessibility

  8. Behind the Scene: MathML (What is MathML?) <math><mroot><mi>x</mi><mn>3</mn></mroot></math>

  9. Project Software for Math • MathML Tools: • Authoring: MathType+Word • Audio rendering: MathPlayer • Screen reader • Window-Eyes (Word & IE)

  10. Many ways to Speak Math • How do you say…

  11. Many ways to Speak Math • How do you say…

  12. Many ways to Speak Math • How do you say…

  13. Many ways to Speak Math • How do you say…

  14. Many ways to Speak Math • How do you say…

  15. Many ways to Speak Math • How do you say…

  16. How Math Speech Works • Rules • Preferences • Exact Speech

  17. ClearSpeak • Many ways to speak math • ClearSpeak design philosophy • Other design philosophies • MathSpeak • SimpleSpeech

  18. Demonstration • Authoring • Using MathType in Word to enter math and use preferences • Entering exact speech in Word • Playback • Word with Window-Eyes

  19. Project Goals Recap • ClearSpeak • Author in Word • Allow setting preference and exact speech • Playback in Word and IE • Interactive navigation

  20. Creating Expressions and Questions for Studies • Level • Degree of complexity • Relevance of speech variations • Provide useful data • Test comprehension, not computation • Guide decisions about speech rules, preferences

  21. Feedback Study #1 • Compared ClearSpeak, MathSpeak, SimpleSpeech • Fractions, exponents, parentheses • Focus: was expression understood? • Research/Statistical consultation • 16 HS students: blind or low vision

  22. Results Summary • ClearSpeak more understandable than Simple Speech or MathSpeak • Students overall preferred ClearSpeak • Students got more answers correct with ClearSpeak than with Simple Speech or MathSpeak

  23. One Expression’s Results

  24. Familiarity and Understanding

  25. Feedback Study #2 • Can Prosody help understanding? • Pauses • Pitch • Rate Changes • Volume Changes • Rejected pitch and volume changes • non-speech sounds not an option • Focus on pauses, rate-change vs. start/end

  26. Feedback #2 Example vs. • With Pauses / rate change • Expression 1 • Expression 2 • With “end root” • Expression 1 • Expression 2

  27. Feedback #2 Another Example Nested Parentheses: • Uniform Pauses • Non-uniform pauses • Non-uniform pauses and “First Paren”

  28. Navigation • Simple char by char mode for beginners • Powerful navigation features for experts • Read • Describe • Multiple ways of moving • Tree • Character, Placemarker, Semantic • After tree move: read or describe • 10 Placemarkers, 2 Cursors, Where am I?

  29. Participation Opportunities • Blind or Visually Impaired Students • Teachers

  30. Contact Information • Lois Frankel: lfrankel@ets.org • Neil Soiffer: neils@dessci.com • Beth Brownstein: bbrownstein@ets.org • Susan Osterhaus: susanosterhaus@tsbvi.edu • MathPlayer: http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/ The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A110355 to the Educational Testing Service. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

  31. Thank you for attending this session.

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