Independence Science Access Blog

Visual display and mathematical expressions pose a number of challenges for students who are visually impaired, particularly those people who are blind or have very low vision. Read below to learn how to create outside the box accessible learning strategies. Techniques were gathered from a presentation by Imke Durre at the Seventh International Conference on Higher Education and Disability in Austria.

1. Elimination of braille-to-print translation

A simple approach to create tests and assignments in a format accessible to sighted instructors is to write mathematical expressions in a linear format. This is similar to that used in programming languages and is an intuitive method for both print and non-print readers. Imke Durre used this approach throughout her career with a refreshable Braille display and a computer.

For example, one half is written as 1/2 and two-squared is written as 2^2.

To have direct Braille access to electronic texts and allow print readers to instantly read in print.  Or learn how to use the Braille Note or MPower to Produce Math Expressions in Print.

2. Elimination of print-to-braille transcription

For a more timely delivery of instructional materials over transcription into Braille, try using a refreshable Braille display. This will allow for the school’s disabled student services office to arrange for student assistants to scan the course materials into electronic files that the blind student can read with a standard word processor. If mathematical expressions are included, an assistant can edit them to be consistent with the linear format.

3. Alternatives to creating illustrations

When a student with visual impairments is given an assignment that involves the creation of figures, the student can instead compile the data in a tabular form, allowing it to be reviewed with speech or Braille output. If the task requires a student to show knowledge or skills by drawing diagrams, maps or illustrations, blind students may wish to either obtain permission from the instructor to write a step-by-step description of how the graph is created or verbally communicate their knowledge of the subject to the instructor.

The most advanced way for a student to analyze a graph, would be to use the Logger Pro software that has been made accessible by Independence Science. With text-to-speech technology the student can hear the graph points plotted by the pitch of the tone, or they can print the graph out with an embosser to get a raised line version of the graph. Learn more about audible graphing here. www.independencescience.com

4. Multiple approaches to accessing information presented in visual form

            With figures in textbooks, handouts or online course materials it is not always necessary to reproduce them in tactile form. Generally, one of these alternative approaches is sufficient:

• It is possible to gain at least a basic understanding of the material from the text and figure captions in most situations.
• Information may also be available in tabular rather than graphical form in electronic documents. Particularly when using refreshable Braille output, this approach is very accessible.
• When exploring fairly simple figures, such as scatterplots, line plots, and outline maps, a tactile version embossed on a tactile graphics embosser can sometimes be of value.
• If the needed information is not readily accessible in another form, your best option may be to ask a fellow student, a designated assistant, or the instructor for verbal descriptions of images.