Resource List for Accessing Math and Science

Accommodating Mathematics in Higher Ed · CSUN Conference 2010

Gaeir Dietrich, High Tech Center Training Unit of the California Community Colleges

John Gardner, ViewPlus Technologies

Neil Soiffer, Design Science

with:

Additions by Steve Jacobs, InftyReader Group, Inc.

I. Obtaining Scientific Books in Accessible Formats

• Braille Books:

  • ATPC http://www.atpc.net/home.nsf

  • Louis Database http://www.aph.org/louis.htm

• Human recorded audio books: RFB&D http://www.RFBD.org

• Electronic files in DAISY or BRF Format: Bookshare http://www.bookshare.org

• XHTML and/or MathML

  • http://www.calculus.org (tutorials, textbooks, etc.)

  • http://people.math.gatech.edu/~cain/textbooks/onlinebooks.html

II. Converting Mainstream Scientific Documents to Accessible Format

• Infty Reader http://inftyreader.org
  InftyReader is an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) application that recognizes and translates scientific documents. InftyReader can import files of the following types: TIF, BMP, GIF, PNG and PDF. InftyReader can translate files into IML (proprietary format), LaTeX, XHTML (MathML) and MS Word 2007 (XML). InftyReader can recognize tables including math expressions in the cells so long as the ruled lines are not broken. InftyReader incorporates the use of three OCR engines. The first is InftyReader's own OCR engine which has been designed to recognize scientific and mathematical symbols in formulae. The second and third OCR engines are from the Toshiba Corporation (ExpressReaderPro) and MediaDrive Corporation (WinReader).  The ExpressReaderPro and WinReader OCR engines operate simultaneously in order to improve the recognition results of characters appearing in ordinary text areas.

• MS Word:

  • MathType http://www.dessci.com (exports as XHTML+MathML)

  • Tiger Software Suite http//www.viewplus.com (translates to braille with Nemeth, UK, French, or Marburg math braille or DotsPlus)

  • Duxbury Braille Translator http://www.duxburysystems.com (translates from Word or Scientific Notebook to braille with Nemeth math braille)

III. Reading Math

• XHTML+MathML MathPlayer http://www.dessci.com (Makes MathML audio—readable by screen readers in documents displayed in Internet Explorer)

• MS Word MathType http://www.dessci.com (The hot key ALT-\ converts MathType equations to Latex, which is readable by screen readers)

• ChattyInfty http://inftyreader.org is a talking math editor. It can export files into the following formats: LaTeX, HTML, MathML, Human Readable TeX (HrTeX), Word 2007, Spoken Text (entire document, current paragraph and selected text), and Word XML. Can Import files of the following types: LaTeX, image file (TIF, BMP, GIF, and PNG), Scanner, and PDF file. ChattyInfty is an extended version of InftyEditor with a plug-in speech interface to output in voice the content of editing data by InftyEditor including math expressions, accordingly to the cursor movement. It is an editor of math documents with voice output, usable by people with visually impairments. See: Beta Speech Recognition (SR) Interface to ChattyInfty

• DAISY books:

  • EasyReader http://www.dolphinuk.co.uk (reads math in audio and links to IVEO Viewer for accessing DAISY SVG graphics)

  • gh Player DAISY Reader http://gh-accessibility.com (Reads math in audio or braille and links to IVEO Viewer for accessing DAISY SVG graphics)

  • Read Hear (by gh for Macintosh): http://gh-accessibility.com

• Bright Line Reading Guide: AFB www.aph.org (Colored overlay to help with reading. Works for some low vision and LD students)

  • Magnetic squares for Nemeth math, algebra, geometry: MathWindow http://www.mathwindow.com

IV. Writing Math

• ChattyInfty http://inftyreader.org is a talking math editor. It can export files into the following formats: LaTeX, HTML, MathML, Human Readable TeX (HrTeX), Word 2007, Spoken Text (entire document, current paragraph and selected text), and Word XML. Can Import files of the following types: LaTeX, image file (TIF, BMP, GIF, and PNG), Scanner, and PDF file. ChattyInfty is an extended version of InftyEditor with a plug-in speech interface to output in voice the content of editing data by InftyEditor including math expressions, accordingly to the cursor movement. It is an editor of math documents with voice output, usable by people with visually impairments. See: Beta Speech Recognition (SR) Interface to ChattyInfty

• Scientific Notebook: MathTalk+Dragon Naturally Speaking http://www.mathtalk.com (voice input)

• MS Word: MathType http://www.dessci.com (Latex equations convert to MathType with hot key ALT-\)

• Latex (mainstream layout language with ASCII source code)

  • http://www.miktex.org (Windows)

  • http://www.ctex.com (Windows)

  • http://www.tug.org/mactex (Macintosh)

  • http://www.tug.org/texlive (Unix, Linux, Windows)

• Nemeth math braille to print back-translators

  • Nemetex Nemeth Back-Translator http://www.accessisoft.com/nemetex.htm

  • Alpha Text http://braille2print.org/backnem2.htm

V. Calculating

• Handheld calculators. A number with different capabilities are available from:

  • MaxiAids www.maxiaids.com

  • ILA http://www.independentliving.com

  • LS&S http://LSSproducts.com

  • American Printing House for the Blind http://www.aph.org (Orion TI-36X, works for algebra I & II, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, calculus, computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering)

• Audio graphing calculator Windows software application:

  • GC http://www.viewplus.com (audio tone graph and embossed output)

  • MathTrax http:///www.nasa.gov

  • Accesible mainstream computational applications:

    • Maple http://www.maplesoft.com

    • Matlab www.mathworks.com

• Low tech hand tools APH—Louis database www.aph.org (follow the shop APH link)

  • Cranmer abacus (non-slip)

  • Braille ruler, protractor, compass

  • Brannan Cubarithm (braille math-cube board)

  • Graphic aids for mathematics

• Tactile system for solving algebraic word problems: Hands-on Equations http://www.borenson.com

VI. Graphics

• High resolution embossed tactile graphics: ViewPlus embossers http://www.viewplus.com (Tactile copy embossed from any Windows’ application)

• Capsule paper graphics: PIAF http://www.humanware.com

• Audio-tactile graphics:

  • IVEO Creator http://www.viewplus.com (Creates/converts graphics to accessible DAISY SVG.  Audio-tactile access with a touchpad and tactile copy - that may be created by printing the file to a ViewPlus embosser)

  • IVEO Viewer http://www.viewplus.com (free viewer for accessible SVG permits audio/tactile access to DAISY SVG using touchpad and tactile copy - that may be created by printing file to a ViewPlus embosser)

• Algebra assessing, learning, graphing: ALEKS www.aleks.com/highered/math/

• Nemeth braille and tactile graphics: Alternate Text Production Center (ATPC) http://www.atpc.net/home.nsf

• Raised Line Drawing Kit: MaxiAids http://www.maxiaids.com (The Geometric Set is good; search on keyword “Geometry”

• Peel and stick color-coded tactile patterns: Tactile Colour Communication Society http://www.tactile.org

• Stick-on lines: Wikki Stix http://www.wikkistix.com

VII. Math Learning Tools

• Video tutorials for basic math and algebra: ModuMath Tutorials http://www.modumath.org/

• Algebra2go videos for math: MuchoMath http://www.saddleback.edu/faculty/lperez/

• Math tips and Nemeth cheat sheets: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/

• ALEKS assessment and learning tool, algebra and graphing http://www.aleks.com/highered/math/

Copyright © 2006-2010 by IDEAL Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 This website was last updated on