[Athen] Converting Math to Audio

[Hadi Rangin]

Hi John,

The method Dr. John Gardner described is the most practical way of crating math in audio format in U.S.

You asked:
I would be interested to know if anyone can say to what level of math sophistication this (kind of) new technological approach proves effective.

As a person who studied math and computer science as blind person in Germany and U.S., and was involved in making math more accessible for blind user, I have real doubt that audio math would be an effective way for learning and interacting with math.
Math is not a passive science. You need to manipulate it and actively interact with it in order to learn it and you can not manipulate math with audio effectively and independently.
I believe the most effective way for learning and interacting with math for a blind person is reading math with refreshable Braille display. there are several math notations including European and GS notations that can be used to communicate math with others.

Hadi



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Elmer 
  To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network 
  Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 9:52 PM
  Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Math to Audio


  While we have not had a need to use this technology since it has become available, we have the requisite software and are ready if needed.  

  In the days prior to this, we did have a blind student who took math through intermediate algebra as well as statistics.  

  Our solution was to scan the book, OCR the text part, then go back in and add all of the math, using written English, as if you were reading the text out loud.  This required explaining how this was going to be done with the student and getting the student's input on how to best do so, while also involving the faculty teaching the classes to determine how they were saying things in class.  

  While the student did well in her classes, it was a nightmare to produce, especially since it was, early on, just me doing it along with everything else.  I was fortunate, for the later, more complex books, to be able to partner with the Alternate Text Production Center, a program of the Ca. Comm. College system Chancellor's Office, which, conveniently, is located on our campus.  They are our single point of contact for getting e-text from publishers and take care of our Braille needs, including Nemeth for math books.  BTW, they also do fee for service Brailling and have a catalog of already transcibed books (including math).  Already transcribe books, are, as I recall, a real bargain, compared to having something transcribed.

  You can reach them at:  atpcnet.net.  The phone # is listed on the website, and the Braille person is Sandy Greenberg.

  I would be interested to know if anyone can say to what level of math sophistication this (kind of) new technological approach proves effective.

   

  John F. Elmer
  Alternate Media Specialist
  Ventura College
  Educational Assistance Center (DSP&S)
  4667 Telegraph Road
  Ventura, CA  93003
  805.654.6400, x1278



  -----athen-bounces at athenpro.org wrote: -----


    To: "'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'" <athen at athenpro.org>
    From: "John Gardner" <john.gardner at orst.edu>
    Sent by: athen-bounces at athenpro.org
    Date: 11/12/2007 04:18PM
    Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Math to Audio


            Hello Dan.  Use the MathType editor to put math into MS Word.  MathType is the most common math editor in the world, and most universities have site licenses.  If you need to buy it, the cost is something like $79 from Design Science, http://dessci.com . 
     
    From the MathThype menu, press the "publish to math page" option, and select MathML as the way to represent math.  Then you get an XML page, which is XHTML for text and MathML for the math. 
     
    Install the free MathPlayer plug-in (from Design Science) in Internet Explorer 6 or 7, and use any common screen reader to read the XML page.  The Math is spoken.  This is the only way I know to generate audio for math except by using a human being. 
     
    Good luck. 



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On Behalf Of Daniel Weems 
    Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 1:37 PM 
    To: athen at athenpro.org 
    Subject: [Athen] Converting Math to Audio 


    Hello Everyone! 
     
    I am researching the best methods for converting Math into audio.  I currently convert Math into Nemeth code but am lacking the process to convert math into audio.  Can someone help me out? 
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