Support for Teaching Mathematics of the Blind by Sighted Tutors Through Multisensual Access to Formulas with Braille Converters and Speech

Dariusz Mikulowski

Abstract: Nowadays, teaching various subjects at school is successfully supported by information and remote technologies such as Google Class, Moodle and others. Nevertheless, students with special needs such as the visually impaired (BVI) face incredible barriers to using such remote technologies, especially with learning mathematics or physics. The main problem is that BVI uses different tools and techniques than their sighted peers, i.e., a different way of working with mathematical expressions or a lack of the possibility to edit graphics. Traditional methods such as the Brailler, figure models or cubarithms are still used. Another challenge is that there are entirely different systems of presenting formulas in different countries, so-called Braille mathematical notations. To overcome these barriers, we propose universal tools to assist sighted teachers and BVI students in remote training math using a multimodal form of editing of mathematical formulas. It consists of the simultaneous combination of three forms of presentation of math formulas in graphical form for the teacher, intelligent reading through speech synthesis and Braille mathematical notation for BVI. It is possible thanks to the use of intelligent converters between formats such as MathML, intelligent text and Braille and dedicated editors that allow for creating math documents by students and teachers.