Guide
Digital Math: Workflows from teacher to student and student to teacher
Learn how educators create and share accessible digital math assignments and how students access, complete and return assignments.
Handout for the International AER Conference, July 24, 2024
Webpage content menu
- Workflow definition
- Workflow planning
- AER 2024 Workflow Presentation
- Calculators
- Equalize Editor
- Equatio and Microsoft Visual Studio
- Equation Editor, MathType and MathKicker.ai
- Desmos Geometry Tool
- Screen readers
- Translation software
Workflow definition
Workflows for accessible math are ever changing in the digital world! There are multiple approaches for producing accessible math for all grade levels of students, various low-tech and high-tech options that students can use to express their learning and factors that may influence workflows.
Digital math content is delivered in a variety of ways. In the elementary grades, students often use apps and web-based games to practice newly learned math content as well as build and reinforce math conceptual learning. As students progress in their learning, additional math apps, digital resources and tools are used. By the time students enter high school, it is anticipated that they have a robust toolbox of technology skills to interact with digital content and to express their learning. Digital workflows may include cloud sharing, learning management systems and emailing.
Factors that may impact the workflow include:
- Accessibility of apps and digital math content used by the school
- Availability of technology
- Skills of the TVI and student
- Learning needs, preferences, and age of the student
Workflow planning
Developing a plan for how information will be shared between the student and the teacher is important. Here are best practices guidelines and two templates that can be utilized to help teams determine possible digital workflows and assist with establishing priorities.
- Digital Math Workflow Planning Tool (by Sara Larkin)
- Planning Tool: Digital Workflow for Students who are Visually Impaired by Jessica McDowell, published in Access Technology for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility, Second Edition by Yue-Ting Siu and Ike Presley (used by permission)
International AER 2024 Workflow Presentation
There are multiple options for capturing print math in a digital format and converting digital content into accessible formats. Print math may be captured with scanning apps, screenshots, AI-powered apps and recreating when necessary. Tools for converting digital content include: math editors (e.g., Equation Editor and MathType in Word) and braille translation software.
Students may interact with digital math content using a screen reader, refreshable braille displays and braille notetakers. There are a variety of low-tech and high-tech options students can use to express their learning. Low-tech options include using a braille writer, abacus and manual graphing. Possible high-tech options include notetakers, refreshable braille displays and online graphing calculators.
AER 2024 Workflow Presentation (pptx) Updated!
Note: The documents linked in the presentation have been updated and will continue to be updated as new resources and information become available! Find the most recent documents linked here in this post!
Texas Tea Time 2025
Texas Tea Time hosted the Digital Math: Workflows from Teacher to Student and Student to Teacher Presentation on March 13, 2025. The free recorded webinar is available on TSBVI’s Professional Development Library
- Search for “Digital Math Workflows” or scroll down by date to 03/13/25.
Workflow Presentation resources
Calculators
- Orion TI-84+ Talking Graphing Calculator Resources Handout
- Desmos website
- Numerous Desmos Graphing Calculator posts on Paths to Technology listed on the Digital Math Summary Page
- Accessibility information and demo
- More information and demo at bottom of Project INSPIRE page
Equalize Editor
- The Teacher Hat video (Sam Dooley demonstrates how to create a math worksheet using the Equalize Editor)
- The Student Hat video (Sam Dooley demonstrates how a student would complete the math worksheet using Equalize Editor)
- The Equalize Editor YouTube Channel (Check here for new Equalize Editor videos by Sam Dooley!)
Equatio and Microsoft Visual Studio
- Part 1: Digital Accessible Math Worksheets (Paths to Technology post)
- Part 2: Information and Video Tutorial of Equatio and Microsoft Visual Studio (Paths to Technology post)
Equation Editor, MathType and MathKicker.ai
- Video: Demo of Equation Editor (Sara Larkin demonstrates using Equation Editor in Microsoft Word)
- Common Equation Editor Key Commands Handout
- Equation Editor Comprehensive List
- Create Accessible Digital Math with MathKicker.ai (Paths to Technology post with video tutorials)
- Download MathType for Windows here
- Notetaker vs. Embosser for Math and Equation Editor vs. MathType Handout (Sara Larkin’s comparison document to help identify which editor to use)
Desmos Geometry Tool
The NEW Desmos Geometry Tool is now accessible with screen readers! (The Desmos Geometry Tool is new and was not included in the International AER 2024 presentation.) Educators can create accessible geometry shapes, lines, angles, etc. and students can access and complete geometry assignments using the Desmos Geometry Tool.
- Creating an accessible geometry worksheet: Desmos Geometry Tool (Paths to Technology post that includes a workflow video)
- Desmos Geometry Tool: Points and lines (Paths to Technology post, an introduction for teachers and students with vision)
- Desmos Geometry Tool: Circle and polygons (Paths to Technology post, an introduction for teachers and students with vision)
- Desmos Geometry Tool: Angle BCD with a screen reader (Student accessing and manipulating an angle)
Screen readers
- Video: Demo of opening the same file saved four different ways and how it interacts with screen readers (by Sara Larkin)
- Video: JAWS Braille Math Editor (Tech Tip Tuesday YouTube video by eye.t)
- Braille Math Editor: Student Video Tutorial (Paths to Technology post that includes a video tutorial)
- How To Use JAWS Braille Math Editor (Paths to Technology post that includes JAWS setttings and video tutorials)
- Braille Math Editor: JAWS and Fusion (Paths to Technology post with keyboard commands)
Translation Software
- Braille2000 website
- Math Transcribing with Braille2000 v3 (from POSB STEM Conference)
- BrailleBlaster (APH)
- Duxbury Braille Translator website (Windows and Mac)
- SWIFT website
- Video: MathType with DBT and SWIFT Demo Video (by Sara Larkin)
- Tiger Translation Software (Viewplus.com website)
- Video: Using MathType with Tiger Software Suite (by ViewPlus Technologies)
Resource
By Sara Larkin, Susan Osterhaus, Dr. Tina Herzberg and Diane Brauner
This post was created as part of the TEAM Initiative (Tech Equity and Access in Math) to assist Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments assist Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments in creating accessible math resources and for students to access, complete and share their math assignments in a digital format. If you would like more information about the TEAM Initiative, contact Leslie Thatcher at [email protected].
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