A new system created by researchers to help design math textbooks in braille. Before this was invented, the process of "making" such braille books is not that easy. The initial application of the system will be for the production of math books. A system called the universal translator to transpose braille language into a readable textbook. Another good update to the new system adding to the standard system to place mathematics on a web page. The overreaching goal is to create books using a cheaper method, that will be easier to distribute as well.
According to Martha Siegel, Professor Emerita from Towson University in Maryland who realized the need for blind students who need a variety of books. This includes statistics books and math-based textbooks that were needed for the required courses. Before this system was envisioned, it was a problem for most blind students lacking access to such information. It costs a lot to obtain a book, and long to design but the new system makes it cheaper and more accessible too. This is inspiration helped Marth Siegel, who is also blind get the project underway.
One of her peers is Alexei Kolesnikov, who is also at Towson University as part of the project. Using automation to simplify the process will take time and can be expensive. It takes a specialist to do the reinterpretation of the texts into braille language. What makes it hard is not the braille alphabet, it is the way a book is made in a structure that is non-visual and can be understood using tactile sensation on the page of a book. Creating non-visual methods for mathematics has only been done till now.
The key to achieving the system and degree of sophistication in designing math based books, for blind people is the technology behind it. A big deal when before this effort, a limitation in producing math-based braille was not so easy too. This is highlights the other uses of automation and technology that is access based, for people with disabilities (PWD). Updates to older braille systems are vital for the diffusion of more information, that are not using verbal translators. Even analog systems are books that will be more sophisticated despite it on "papyrus". Extra assistance from the American Institute of Mathematics helped iron out the problems in the final system and products in 2019.
These braille math books are made using an automated system, which will help in the education of a blind student who needs special books. One benefit is that math teachers have a better way to instruct such students. It is all about information access that equalizes the teaching of math to both sighted and blind students which matters most. More organizations like the National Science Foundation are supportive of such efforts and helping develop a science for PWDs as well.
Several requirements are needed to create a braille book, to help the blind person sense the information.
a. The structure of the 3-D surfaces to present the information to the blind person. This non-visual design is the hard part to come up with.
b. Presenting math as a system that is easily understood by the student.
Using this system for braille books for the blind is PreText, so far one hundred titles have been produced with it. Increased use of this system will create more access for PWDs who cannot see. Even math books and other applications are possible with this new and better method for more braille books.
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