Category: Cram Session
Hello,
I have had such good success asking questions here in the past I thought I’d ask another school related question that’s got me really stumped.
I’ve recently decided that I want to complete my undergrad in business, and the school that I’m trying to get accepted into requires a Calculus level as a pre req.
I’m pretty good with math in general, but was afraid to go past algebra 2 in high school because of a lack of resources and assistance. Plus at that time I didn’t have a clue what advocating really meant. Anyway I’m looking for people who have successfully taken any Calculus related course, who might have some ideas, or some resources I should check out. Ideally there would be some sort of tactile element involved but I realize that might not be possible.
I plan to speak with an instructor of the course Monday because with the way higher learning is evolving I anticipate there is probably some sort of online element that might present its own obstacles, but anyway, please share your experiences with doing homework, taking tests, note taking and the like.
Thanks
Unfortunately there is no system. Very few blind people make it as far as calculus let alone complete it. I took most of my math at a community college because the big university was even less able to Braille it for me. I insisted on Braille. If I hadn't I never would have completed the courses. Once, aftre Braille had been delayed way too many times, I stood outside the college president's office wearing a sign asking where my Braille math book was.
Do an independent study with all math classes. Its where its you and the prof. It makes a big difference in any math.
I did college Algebra which doubles as precalculus apparently. Not officially, but
in business courses it is the class before business calculus. I didn't want to do
statistics so I took college algebra.
I would get all your books in braille. The community college should give those to
you for free if you have bought your print book. At that point it is yours to keep.
I have an old version of a college algebra book here, probably going to toss it
because honestly texts changes so much every few years. I don't know if
anyone really wants it. I offered to donate it back to the school, but the person
in charge of that stuff is very hesitant in taking back my books.
Get yourself save up for it or try to get some help in getting a orient TI84 it'll
save your life. that's all I did worked with the orient ti84, a set of braille
volumes, and a perkins brailler all semester long. I got an a in the course and
passed it very well, in result I don't need any more math courses.
I was in the same boat you were in high school. I did finish through calculus, but it was a fight with the system even with a couple amazing advocates. However, I opted out of a science-based degree in higher ed for fear of accessibility obstacles. I'm actually re-entering higher ed next term and starting back trying to get a math-based degree because in the end it's what I want. And honestly, though accommodations aren't where they should be, there are some really important landmarks turning those tides.
For me, the first step is listing what resources you feel would be helpful based on how you learn best. What tools do you feel you would need to be successful. Then tell your accessibility office on campus, that's what you'll need for this class. Though you shouldn't have to, giving as much advanced notice of your plans to take a math class are helpful so they can work on finding all the tools you will need, get them time to provide a braille book or at least locate a place to do tactile images if needed. I can't stress enough, know what you need. This may even involve you doing some of the legwork, google places near you that do transcribing, have a list ready to present to the office you work with. None of this is stuff you 'should" have to do, but I'm telling you from experience, what will make the process go a lot more smoothly which is essentially what you probably want most right now.
Talking to the professor is great too. Find out what book they use *hopefully they don't switch books often) how the format of class typically goes, etc. If they can work to get any overhead charts or graphs to your access office ahead of time so they can make you a tactile version to follow along with during class.
I plan to start in March and I'm already talking to the access office around a plan to make the class work. Specifically what I've listed for me as helpful are a student who has taken the class before as an in-class assistant, working with that same student for time on transcribing my homework assignments outside of class, tactile versions of all materials including the book, and obviously testing accommodations hopefully with the same student above. By working with the same one or two students across all areas, you are better able to work out a system of communication that works for you and can work more efficiently. Like having someone read a math test who you have never worked with otherwise to me was stressful because they may not describe things the same or understand what you need and you waste time on trying to figure out that system when you should be focusing on your exam at hand. There are very low-tech ways of providing tactile representations of things on the fly, to at least give you something to reference, puff paint the night before, those old school tactile graphic kits, architectural tape which is thin and raised, bump dots, etc. Get creative. It'll probably be a headache the first term, but hopefully as you iron out what works best, subsequent courses will go more smoothly. I'm happy to chat more about this if you ever need. Just drop me a private message as I don't often check boards.
I'm sure a working system is around today. We once had to fight to get books in braille. Today, however, 5 year old kids, both blind and sighted are doing wave functions on there tablits. Strange.
also go with the traditional method, don't use online systems or take classes
that are half online. Ask for a more traditional way to learn, until the newer
methods are accessible you will do better to select the older ones.
No the point is the older ways don't work.
You've gotten good advice here.
The only thing I can add is that you can give descriptive answers to questions that involve charts or graphs, box plots etc. You might have to learn how to write concisely, but with practice you can get good at it.
You're going to do calculus, so brush up on your algebra skills as a lot of the old stuff will still creep up. It's been a while for me; I've heard that what students are being taught today is different. Recently I had to learn nemeth code in order to prepare and be able to test into the level I wanted. Probably the one thing that has helped me is that I know what most symbols and graphs look like visually (I guess this doesn't make a big difference for students who were born blind).
Returning to descriptive answers, what you can also probably do is talk with your professor and other students who are more advanced than you to help build up your vocabulary. With regard to doing homework...For me personally, the more I was able to articulate the type of math problems I was wrestling with, and interpret the process to myself in several ways, the better I grasped the concepts and as a result I was able to think more clearly about what steps to take since each math problem can be answered by using more than one method. In my spare time I even read books about the history of math, or I looked up terms/theories/theorems to learn about what those mathematicians were trying to accomplish. You might not understand everything but, believe me, it will make you more confident and will strengthen your comprehension. This will also come in handy in case you ever need to have someone scribe for you.
I also was able to do most of my work in Microsoft Word, but I had to come up with my own system so that the notetaker could scribe and do all the writing in the same way. You can look up how to create symbols for functions, set theory or even logic, or whatever else you'll be using in calculus. A lot of websites give lists for the key combinations you'll need. But I didn't need to learn the keystrokes for more unfamiliar symbols, usually just writing verbatim answers was acceptable.
either that or give enough data to get the right answers without drawing it or
describing it. I listed every main point on a line so that it is determined which
line it is and what shape it may be.
Yes, traditional ways works! I've done it.