Accessible interactive learning of mathematical expressions for school students with visual disabilities

Area of Science:

• Special Education
• Computer Science
• Mathematics Education

Background:

• Students with visual disabilities face significant barriers in learning mathematics due to the abstract nature of the subject and lack of accessible resources.
• Existing assistive technologies and educational tools have not fully addressed the challenges in navigating and interacting with mathematical expressions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel algorithmic solution for interactive learning of mathematical expressions for students with visual disabilities.
• To enhance the accessibility and learning experience of mathematics for visually impaired students.

Main Methods:

• Developed an algorithmic approach to convert mathematical expressions into content MathML and parse them into semantic elements.
• Implemented interactive keyboard navigation with speech feedback for flexible interaction with mathematical expressions.
• Utilized Python libraries for solution implementation and conducted empirical evaluation with students and instructors.

Main Results:

• The proposed solution significantly improved mathematics accessibility and learning for students with visual disabilities.
• Empirical evaluation involving 94 students and 15 instructors validated the effectiveness of the approach.
• Cronbach's alpha was used to validate the results, indicating high reliability.

Conclusions:

• The developed solution offers a foundational advancement for integrating technology in special education for mathematics.
• This work addresses the underrepresentation of visually impaired students in STEM by improving their engagement with mathematical content.
• Further research can explore advanced technologies to enhance accessibility in special education.