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Generating and Using Accessible Mathematics on the Web

This article discusses the challenges faced by blind students in accessing and using braille math software and emphasizes the need for online accessibility. It highlights the benefits of a dynamic online accessible math platform that allows blind students to interact with sighted instructors and peers, participate in online learning and assessments, and have equal access to STEM instruction.

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Generating and Using Accessible Mathematics on the Web

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  1. Generating and Using Accessible Mathematics on the Web • Sam Dooley • Pearson Assessment • sam.dooley@pearson.com

  2. Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Online Braille Math • http://accessibility.pearson.com/mathex-app/

  3. Braille math is hard! • Blind students need high-quality braille math • Advanced preparation is costly and takes time • Math teachers are often unfamiliar with braille • TVIs are often unfamiliar with math notation

  4. Braille math software is harder! • Software translation can be problematic • Forward translation takes many steps • Real-time back translation is non-existent • No support for online or classroom use

  5. Braille math needs to be online! • Blind students need: • A level playing field for STEM instruction • To read and write online braille math • To interact with sighted instructors and peers • To participate in online learning • To participate in online assessment

  6. Braille math should be math! • Math concepts are independent of notation • Braille math codes capture all math notation • Math software can be independent of notation • Blind students only have full access to math if their math is treated the same as printed math.

  7. Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Accessible Equation Editor • http://accessibility.pearson.com/mathex-app/

  8. Accessible Equation Editor • Sighted user can create math for a blind user • Blind user can create math for a sighted user • Real-time, two-way braille math translation • Instantaneous interactions with math content • Discoverable braille math encoding rules

  9. QWERTY Keyboard Input • Math symbols on the keyboard • Other symbols on the buttons • Keyboard cursor navigation • Implicit and explicit selection • Backspace, delete, clear

  10. Braille Terminal Output • Math output on the screen • Braille output on the screen • Braille output on the terminal • Screen reader support

  11. Braille Terminal Input • Each braille cell is like a key • Sequences of keys create the math • Tooltips with text and braille • Cursor position and routing

  12. QWERTY Terminal Output • Braille input creates math content • Math content becomes math output • Math output becomes braille output • The math markup is exactly the same

  13. Research Studies • Two research studies in Fall 2015 • (KY/AZ - Sep, TX - Oct) • Goal - to collect feedback from multiple populations on AEE functionality • Populations - blind, low vision, regular print readers, learning disabled • Criteria - high school students who had completed Algebra I

  14. Research Outcomes • Students had limited knowledge of Nemeth • Erasing math content was unpredictable • Working with grouping symbols was difficult • Entering and closing fractions was unexpected • Ending trigonometric expressions was unusual

  15. Ongoing Research • Additional research studies in 2016 • (NFB – Jun/Jul, TBA – Sep/Oct) • Goal - to collect feedback on new and more advanced AEE functionality • Math expression navigation • Math expression modification • Nemeth Braille discoverability

  16. Updated Outcomes • Cursor tracking improved position awareness • Dot 8 helped identify closed expressions • Erasing content is still unpredictable • Nemeth discoverability is helpful, but the keyboard navigation is overwhelming • Nemeth symbol search was requested

  17. Technical objectives • Real-time translation from math into braille • Real-time translation from braille into math • Accessible to both sighted and blind users • Online equation editor software component

  18. Accessible Online Math! • Blind students can have: • A level playing field for STEM instruction • Tools to read and write online braille math • Interaction with sighted instructors and peers • Active participation in online activities

  19. Braille math is math! • Blind students can read the same math • Blind students can write the same math • The math can be shared the same way • The math can be scored the same way • Blind students can now have full access to math since their math is the same as printed math.

  20. Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Online Spoken Math

  21. Speech output for static math • Browser • MathJax • Presentation MathML • Screen reader • MathPlayer

  22. Speech output for dynamic math • Speech output for the entire content • Speech output for the input context • Speech output for the input actions • Speech output for keyboard events

  23. Natural spoken math output • Dynamic math produces more math output • User intervention is even more essential • More output means more math speech modes • Spoken output can reinforce braille output • Blind students can have math read for them, • and they can read their math for themselves.

  24. Speech input for dynamic math • Dragon Naturally Speaking • Recognizes words from spoken input • Transmits characters to applications • Supports popular software packages

  25. Custom speech input rules • Custom rules support specific software • Grammar rules recognize spoken phrases • Spoken phrases become character sequences • Character sequences become input tokens • Input tokens invoke editor template rules

  26. Natural spoken math input • Spoken text recognition needs work for math • Math notations use well-established patterns • Notational patterns support spoken input rules • Spoken input can augment braille input • Blind students can read their math to create it, • and they can write their math to create it.

  27. Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Online Braille Text

  28. Braille codes for text • Uncontracted Braille (Grade 1) • Contracted Braille (Grade 2) • Computer Braille Code (CBC) • English Braille, American Edition (EBAE) • Unified English Braille (UEB)

  29. User interfaces for text • Plain text editors (Notepad, Emacs) • Word processors (WordPerfect, Word) • Math expression editors (MathType, Wiris) • Worksheets (Scientific Word/Notebook)

  30. Natural text plus math input • Content MathML to represent math • Simplified HTML to represent text • Braille input/output for textual content • Nemeth Braille input/output for math • Integrated text/math transitions

  31. Dynamic Online Accessible Math! • Dynamic braille input/output for math • Dynamic speech input/output for math • Dynamic braille input/output for text • Blind students can now have full access to math since their math is the same as printed math.

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