[Athen] Converting Math Books

[Noble,Stephen L.]

Yes...but it isn't so easy. To get Read&Write to read math expressions in a textbook, you'll need to...

1) Create the book so that the end product is HTML where all the math expressions are created as MathML (e.g., use MathType's "publish mathpage" command).

2) Load the book in IE11 on a windows PC which has MathPlayer installed

3) Use the "Read the web" setting in R&W, but be sure to turn off the setting to automatically read the next block of text


You may find it simpler to create the textbook as a Word doc (no need to export to HTLM) where the math expressions are either MathType expressions or native Word OMML expressions (either is fine for consumption), and then have the student use the free Central Access Reader to read the Word doc on their PC. While it doesn't have all the nice features of R&W, it will probably be simpler in the long run.


Hope that helps,


--Steve Noble
steve.noble at louisville.edu
502-969-3088
http://louisville.academia.edu/SteveNoble<https://exchange.louisville.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=CdhMttRtdkSZAY1GqZCRu5k28cp7bNAIPUU6wKc1De8y-_GlninyxASwkrwRp4PfcJ9J6C2iqrk.&URL=http%3a%2f%2flouisville.academia.edu%2fSteveNoble>


________________________________
From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu> on behalf of Robert Spangler <rspangler1 at udayton.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 4:09 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network
Subject: [Athen] Converting Math Books

Hello all:

Currently we have a textbook that we are editing and splitting into chapters.  It is an engineering book with many mathematical symbols throughout.

Our student workers use Abbyy FineReader for editing the books.  Generally, they will convert text by selecting it and choosing text, or selecting it and choosing picture.  It is easier to choose picture in a paragraph that contains a lot of symbols; otherwise, they would have to go through and convert all of the symbols as pictures.  This, however, results in the paragraph not being readable by TTS.

What do folks do for converting math and engineering books?  Our students use Read and Write for reading their books.  I think, since most of them have reading disabilities, they primarily use TTS for reading the text but actually look at the math symbols when working out the problems.  Is what we are doing now sufficient?  Is there actually a way to make Read and Write read out the mathematical symbols?  I understand that if this book were being prepared for a blind person such as myself a lot more work would be involved.  We have not had to do this yet, but when we do I'm sure I'll be depending a lot on the expertise of people on this list.

Thanks so much!
Robert


--
Robert Spangler
Disability Services Technical Support Specialist
rspangler1 at udayton.edu<mailto:rspangler1 at udayton.edu>
Office of Learning Resources (OLR) - RL 023
Ryan C. Harris Learning & Teaching Center (LTC)
University of Dayton  | 300 College Park  |  Dayton, Ohio 45469-1302
Phone: 937-229-2066
Fax: 937-229-3270
Ohio Relay: 711 (available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing)
Web Site: http://go.udayton.edu/learning<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__go.udayton.edu_learning&d=DwMFaQ&c=OAG1LQNACBDguGvBeNj18Swhr9TMTjS-x4O_KuapPgY&r=67olWPWhVEsI50vpRdydglG2RHA1T81UHrTuRDeUqW4&m=umwUFIcpmU2sWnC1dtbSCm7sefPAmO290-QeRUnV3rg&s=JnF0mxIT5ZLZQlIOvEPzfSqFJs_otuF4Nu5yXgd2Dno&e=>

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