MAVIS: Mathematics Accessible to Visually Impaired Students
Proposal # HRD-98-00209
Institution: New Mexico State University
Arthur Karshmer, Principal Investigator
ABSTRACT
Mathematics Accessible to Visually Impaired Students (MAVIS) is an
access project dedicated to ensuring that communication between
mathematics faculty and their blind students is clear and meaningful.
Two major problems exist when attempting to establish this
communication. First, faculty cannot easily make their mathematics and
science instructional and assessment materials accessible to these
students. Second, blind students cannot independently communicate
their course work with faculty in print, and few teachers will be
proficient in Braille codes. The goal of the proposed research is to
give better access to visually impaired students to the educational
domains of science, engineering, mathematics and technology. The
objectives of the MAVIS project are to:
o ensure that tools and channels are available to instructors
nationwide so that they may be able to give their students quality
materials at the same time as their sighted peers,
o Ensure that tools are available to visually impaired students so
they can produce quality standard print technical documents for their
instructors,
o Ensure that in-class electronic devices are accessible,
o Ensure that all of the above are not only usable, but also are
intuitive to learn.
MAVIS proposes to support and conduct research and development
projects in the following areas: (1) LaTex to Nemeth code translation
filter, (2) Back-translation filter, (3) Math screen readers and
equation browsers, and (4) Testing and evaluation of an accessible
graphing calculator and other non-MAVIS access technology. MAVIS will
also use its Braille and tactile image production lab for science,
mathematics, Engineering, and technology (SMET) courses offered at New
Mexico State University.
Arthur I. Karshmer, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Department of Computer Science
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Tel: 505-646-3724
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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