Transcript Using VP Arithmetic, VP Algebra, Virtual Learning

Providing Blind Students with
st
21 Century Math Skills
Determining the Extent to Which Two Software Programs 
Virtual Pencil Arithmetic and Virtual Pencil Algebra 
Open the Math Gateway for Students Who are Blind
Careers Conference 2008
Preparing for a Lifetime of Change
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Madison, WI
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Presentation Outline
 Need/rationale
 Focus
of this project
 Findings to date
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Lessons learned
Surprises
Next steps
 Additional
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resources
Adaptive technology
Software
Print
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Need/Rationale

Math is the key language in Math and Science careers.

Post secondary educational institutions will not waive the
Math/Science graduation requirements.

Blind students report that Text on Tape or note takers
may not work effectively for math intensive subjects.

Many colleges provide accommodations consisting of
assistive technology, which the student may never have
encountered, nor learned to use proficiently.
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Project’s Approach

Prepare 10 blind students, their vision (VI) teachers,
other special educators, their math instructors, and their
parents/guardians to use software specifically designed
for use by blind persons, but totally accessible to a
sighted person without modification.

Embed the use of this software within a comprehensive
instructional support strategy.

Measure the feasibility and educational impact of this
technology-rich approach.
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Sample 1, VP Algebra: Quadratic Formula #5
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Sample 2, VP Algebra: Quadratic Formula #5
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Sample 1, VP Arithmetic: Intro Screen
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Sample 2, VP Arithmetic Demo: Multiplication Screen, Tutor Mode
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Sample 3, VP Arithmetic: Multiplication Screen, Tutor mode—
Initial Screen to Begin Solving Problem Presented
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Key Steps

Purchased and provided VP Algebra and VP Arithmetic, and their
respective screen readers (JAWS and Connect Outloud) to participating
blind students, their families, and school staff.

Established, refined, and supported interdisciplinary Math Skill
Development Teams in each participating school district. Each team
included the student, a parent or guardian, one or more math teachers,
and all special education staff supporting the student’s math learning.

Trained all team members to use VP Algebra, VP Arithmetic, and JAWS
or Connect Outloud effectively. Initial training—four hours per team.

Established two online “communities of practice,” one for teams with
students whose pre-project math skills range from 2-6th grade levels,
the other for teams with students whose pre-project math skills are 7th
grade or above.

Collected, analyzed, and interpreted evaluation data.
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Surprises  1

VI Teachers’ caseloads varied greatly.

VI teachers varied in the degree to which they focused on
Nemeth Code with their students.

Some districts assign one special educator [non-VI
instructor] to all special education students in a particular
building. For example, their assigned 15 students include
those with CD, EBD, autism, VI, LD, etc.

Sites using the discussion/discovery approach did not
emphasize development of students’ computation fluency.
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Surprises  2

Unlike the students, many staff and most parents
were not fluent users of technology and common
software, and found it challenging to begin working
with unfamiliar software.
 Districts restricted staff and student use of the
Internet and e-mail outside of their own respective
school networks.
 District restrictions on technology use, and low
technology/software fluency levels exhibited by most
adults on Math Skill Development Teams, greatly
hindered the use and potential value of on-line
communities of practice.
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Surprises  3

Training needed by Math Skill Development
Teams was extensive and complex. Many adult
team members needed to increase their skills in
using web browsers, email, word processing, and
algebra, while learning two new software
programs: VP Algebra and the JAWS screen
reader [if their student used a screen reader.]
Staff [other than math instructors] often did not
demonstrate fluency in algebra.
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Lessons Learned  1

VP Algebra best suits users who:

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
Thrive using a math approach that emphasizes
computational practice.
Are enrolled in a pre-algebra course.
Are legally blind, but can use their remaining vision to
do school work [vs. using a screen reader].
VP Algebra is less suitable for users who:



Grasp math quickly, and perform computations
mentally.
Need Braille output [VP Algebra works only with the
Tiger Embosser—this hardware is quite expensive].
Are enrolled in math classes that emphasize group
discovery, discussion, and problem solving.
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Lessons Learned  2

VP Arithmetic best suits users who:



Thrive using a math approach that emphasizes
computational practice.
Are legally blind, but can use their remaining vision to do
school work.
VP Arithmetic is less suitable for users who:


Grasp math quickly, perform computations mentally, and
compress steps or use “shortcuts” when doing so.
Are enrolled in math classes that emphasize group
discovery, discussion, and problem solving.
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Next Steps

Continue testing VP Arithmetic with middle-school student
[totally blind], and begin testing VP Algebra with her as she
makes an initial foray into algebra, using JAWS, a copy of
which was provided through the project since she had no
prior experience with it.

Continue testing VP Arithmetic with three low-income
legally blind primary students [semester two, 2007-08
school year].

Recruit additional participants for semester two, 2007-08
school year.

Prepare final report, disseminate findings.
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Additional Resources

Assistive Technology/Software

Microsoft Accessibility Site at
• http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx

Adobe Accessibility site at
• http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/
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Teaching Strategies
Project Math Access
Math Education and Nemeth Code
Producing Math Materials in Nemeth Code
Tactile Math Graphics
Abacus Information
Math Technology
Math Resources Adaptive Tools and Technology for Accessible
Mathematics
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Sample of the Trace Center’s List of Assistive Technology
Information Links [http://trace.wisc.edu/resources/]
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Assistive Technology Product Databases
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ABLEDATA (http://www.abledata.com/) is a database of information on assistive technology and rehabilitation
equipment available in the United States. It contains more than 29,000 product listings and covers everything from white
canes and adaptive clothing to low vision reading systems and voice output programs.
Assistivetech.net (http://www.assistivetech.net/) is an online information resource created by Georgia Tech's Center
for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access, under funding by the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research. It provides information on assistive technologies and related resources.
Assistive Technology Training
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EASI (http://www.rit.edu/~easi/workshop.htm) offers online and onsite-training courses about accessible information
technology, focusing on making software, hardware and online information available to people with various disabilities.
California State University-Northridge (CSUN) Center on Disabilities Training Program
(http://www.csun.edu/cod/training/) provides a series of advanced, one and two-day training workshops to offer
in-depth training on specific areas of AT; an Assistive Technology Applications Certificate Program; and customized
training courses.
Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)
(http://www.resna.org/ProfResources/ProfessDevel/Fundamentals.html) has a two-day fundamentals course in
assistive technology that is designed for newcomers as well as experienced professionals looking to expand their
perspective of AT.
University at Buffalo (http://at-training.com/) has a free Assistive Technology Training Online Project which
provides internet-based training in both general and specific areas of adapted computer use. The focus is on AT
applications that address the needs of students with disabilities, particularly in elementary classrooms.
The Alliance For Technology Access (ATA) (http://www.ataccess.org/) is a network of community-based Resource
Centers, Developers and Vendors, Affiliates, and Associates dedicated to providing information and support services to
children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies.
Closing the Gap (CTG). (http://www.closingthegap.com/)Newspaper, Resource Directory, and Forums. Annual
conference held in October in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
California State University-Northridge (CSUN) Center on Disabilities (http://www.csun.edu/cod/). Annual
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conference on "Technology and Persons with Disabilities" held in March in Los Angeles, California.

H327A050021 is funded 100% by the U.S. Department of Education,
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Students with
Disabilities [CFDA 84.327A, Phase One], for the period 01/01/06—
12/31/l07, with a no-cost extension through 09/30/08.

Principal Investigator and Project Director:
John Gugerty, Researcher
Center on Education and Work, School of Education
University of Wisconsin
1025 West Johnson Street, #964
Madison, WI 53706-1796
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