AccessComputing

What is MathML?

MathML (Mathematical Markup Language) is an industry standard adopted by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as the approved way of expressing math on the web. Like the more familiar HyperText Markup Language (HTML), which sets the standard for web browsers to display literary text, MathML is an international open standard for encoding math content. MathML is needed because HTML has no means of marking up mathematical expressions. Using MathML provides the highest level of accessibility to math within digital documents.

Canfield Middle School: A Promising Practice in Motivating Math Students with Technology

Deann Shillington, a special education teacher at Canfield Middle School in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho identified a need for intensive, direct instruction in basic skills to help improve her students' math performance. Ms. Shillington wanted to capitalize on the benefits that computer programs have to offer. In collaboration with DO-IT's AccessSTEM project, she acquired computers and a LCD projector.

ATPC Accessible Math Project: A Promising Practice for Creating Accessible Math Textbooks

The Alternate Text Production Center (ATPC) of the California Community Colleges is a publicly funded, system-wide resource dedicated to serving the alternate media needs of the largest postsecondary educational system in the world. The ATPC creates alternate media products for use by California Community College students with print-related disabilities. These products include electronic text and electronic Braille files, hard copy Braille materials, and tactile graphics.

Are there screen readers that can read math equations?

Yes. Screen readers are computer applications that read aloud text, menus, and dialogues that appear on a computer screen. They are commonly used by students who are blind. A related application the text reader is commonly used by students with learning disabilities and other non-visual print disabilities. However, they do not provide the same level of access to items like menus and dialogues that screen readers do.

Alaska Transition Camp: A Promising Practice in Involving Students and Educators in Transition Planning

All-Alaska Academy offers week-long transition camps for students with disabilities to aid them in their transition from secondary to postsecondary institutions or from school to work. Participants attend as part of a team from their district. Teams focus on fostering an academic learning experience for both students and educators.

What issues should a student with AD/HD consider when planning for the transition from high school to college or a career?

After successfully completing high school, people with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) may feel that they no longer require supports to succeed. However, AD/HD can impact behavior and performance both in college and at work. College and employment present new responsibilities and new challenges; coping with AD/HD often requires a lifelong effort. Planning and preparation can smooth potentially challenging postsecondary transitions.

What are strategies for teaching a student with a math-related learning disability?

Dyscalculia is a mathematics-related disability resulting from neurological dysfunction. Students who are diagnosed with Dyscalculia have average to above-average intellectual functioning and a significant discrepancy between their math skills and their chronological-age-peer norms. For a diagnosis of Dyscalculia, it must be determined that the math deficit is not simply related to issues such as poor instruction, vision, hearing or other physical problems, cultural or language differences, or developmental delays.

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