copyright © 2012 educational testing service. all rights reserved. navigating math expressions with...

Copyright © 2012 Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved.

Navigating Math Expressions with Synthetic Speech

Lois FrankelEducational Testing Service (ETS)

Susan OsterhausTexas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

CECApril, 2014

Copyright © 2012 Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved.Copyright © 2014 Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved.

What are we talking about?

• Math accessibility – big picture:–What is math accessibility?

• Grant Project & Goals• Navigation: discussion and

demonstration• Project Status

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Math Accessibility

• Magnification• Braille• Speech–Customized for listener’s needs–Sync highlighting

• Navigation

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Math Accessibility

• Magnification• Braille• Speech–Customized for listener’s needs–Sync highlighting

• Navigation

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MathMLMathML

MathML

MathML


IES ETS/DSI Project

• Background• Goals• What got left out• Software that is part of the project

5


Prior to IES ETS/DSI Project

• Speech– Limited choice of syntax/semantics– Difficult to author

• No Navigation• Access limited to the Web

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Project Goals

• Middle/High school algebra• Classroom-like synthesized speech

“style”: ClearSpeak• Customization features• Interactive navigation• Author in Word• Playback in Word and in browsers

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Not Part of Project

• Braille• Support for graphics• *Authoring by people with visual

impairment• Solving math problems• Tutoring/Curriculum

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Project Software for Math

• MathML Tools:– Authoring: MathType+Word– Audio rendering: MathPlayer

• Screen reader–Window-Eyes (MathType+Word & IE)

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Navigation

• Zooming & moving around• Reading vs. describing• Placemarkers & “Where am I?”

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“Large” Expressions

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aa c a d adb

c b d bd

bcc


Zooming and Moving

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aa c a d adb

c b d bd

bcc


Reading vs. Describing

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aa c a d adb

c b d bd

bcc


Placemarkers & ‘Where am I’

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8 7 4

4 8

1 1 1

2 1 1

x x y

x x y


Navigation Summary

• Read/Describe– Previous/Current/Next/Placemarker

• Move– Previous/Current/Next/Placemarker– Child/Parent (Zoom)

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Navigation Summary (2)

• 10 Placemarkers– Set/Read/Describe/Move

• Where am I?– One level & complete expression

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Accessible Authoring

• LaTeX to MathML conversion in Word• MathML to LaTeX conversion in Word

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Project Status

• Development:– Done: ClearSpeak, Authoring, Nav, Word– Planned: Nav in tables, column

arithmetic

• Studies– Done: ClearSpeak, Prosody– Planned: Nav, Authoring, Final Pilot

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Participation Opportunities

• Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

• Teachers

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Contact Information

• Lois Frankel: [email protected]• Susan Osterhaus: [email protected]• MathPlayer Alpha: [email protected]

The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A110355 to the Educational Testing Service. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education, nor those of the CEC.

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]?subject=MathPlayer%20Alpha%20beta%20test

copyright © 2012 educational testing service. all rights reserved. navigating math expressions with...

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