Generating and Using Accessible Mathematics on the Web Sam Dooley Pearson Assessment sam.dooley@pearson.com

Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Online Braille Math http://accessibility.pearson.com/mathex-app/

Braille math is hard! Blind students need high-quality braille math Advanced preparation is costly and takes time Math teachers are often unfamiliar with braille TVIs are often unfamiliar with math notation

Braille math software is harder! Software translation can be problematic Forward translation takes many steps Real-time back translation is non-existent No support for online or classroom use

Braille math needs to be online! Blind students need: A level playing field for STEM instruction To read and write online braille math To interact with sighted instructors and peers To participate in online learning To participate in online assessment

Braille math should be math! Math concepts are independent of notation Braille math codes capture all math notation Math software can be independent of notation Blind students only have full access to math if their math is treated the same as printed math.

Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Accessible Equation Editor http://accessibility.pearson.com/mathex-app/

Accessible Equation Editor Sighted user can create math for a blind user Blind user can create math for a sighted user Real-time, two-way braille math translation Instantaneous interactions with math content Discoverable braille math encoding rules

QWERTY Keyboard Input Math symbols on the keyboard Other symbols on the buttons Keyboard cursor navigation Implicit and explicit selection Backspace, delete, clear

Braille Terminal Output Math output on the screen Braille output on the screen Braille output on the terminal Screen reader support

Braille Terminal Input Each braille cell is like a key Sequences of keys create the math Tooltips with text and braille Cursor position and routing

QWERTY Terminal Output Braille input creates math content Math content becomes math output Math output becomes braille output The math markup is exactly the same

Research Studies Two research studies in Fall 2015 (KY/AZ - Sep, TX - Oct) Goal - to collect feedback from multiple populations on AEE functionality Populations - blind, low vision, regular print readers, learning disabled Criteria - high school students who had completed Algebra I

Research Outcomes Students had limited knowledge of Nemeth Erasing math content was unpredictable Working with grouping symbols was difficult Entering and closing fractions was unexpected Ending trigonometric expressions was unusual

Ongoing Research Additional research studies in 2016 (NFB – Jun/Jul, TBA – Sep/Oct) Goal - to collect feedback on new and more advanced AEE functionality Math expression navigation Math expression modification Nemeth Braille discoverability

Updated Outcomes Cursor tracking improved position awareness Dot 8 helped identify closed expressions Erasing content is still unpredictable Nemeth discoverability is helpful, but the keyboard navigation is overwhelming Nemeth symbol search was requested

Technical objectives Real-time translation from math into braille Real-time translation from braille into math Accessible to both sighted and blind users Online equation editor software component

Accessible Online Math! Blind students can have: A level playing field for STEM instruction Tools to read and write online braille math Interaction with sighted instructors and peers Active participation in online activities

Braille math is math! Blind students can read the same math Blind students can write the same math The math can be shared the same way The math can be scored the same way Blind students can now have full access to math since their math is the same as printed math.

Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Online Spoken Math

Speech output for static math Browser MathJax Presentation MathML Screen reader MathPlayer

Speech output for dynamic math Speech output for the entire content Speech output for the input context Speech output for the input actions Speech output for keyboard events

Natural spoken math output Dynamic math produces more math output User intervention is even more essential More output means more math speech modes Spoken output can reinforce braille output Blind students can have math read for them, and they can read their math for themselves.

Speech input for dynamic math Dragon Naturally Speaking Recognizes words from spoken input Transmits characters to applications Supports popular software packages

Custom speech input rules Custom rules support specific software Grammar rules recognize spoken phrases Spoken phrases become character sequences Character sequences become input tokens Input tokens invoke editor template rules

Natural spoken math input Spoken text recognition needs work for math Math notations use well-established patterns Notational patterns support spoken input rules Spoken input can augment braille input Blind students can read their math to create it, and they can write their math to create it.

Dynamic Online Accessible Math — Online Braille Text

Braille codes for text Uncontracted Braille (Grade 1) Computer Braille Code (CBC) English Braille, American Edition (EBAE) Unified English Braille (UEB)

User interfaces for text Plain text editors (Notepad, Emacs) Word processors (WordPerfect, Word) Math expression editors (MathType, Wiris) Worksheets (Scientific Word/Notebook)

Natural text plus math input Content MathML to represent math Simplified HTML to represent text Braille input/output for textual content Nemeth Braille input/output for math Integrated text/math transitions

Dynamic Online Accessible Math! Dynamic braille input/output for math Dynamic speech input/output for math Dynamic braille input/output for text Blind students can now have full access to math since their math is the same as printed math.