Using a data table to create a line graph in Desmos
A video tutorial on how to create a line graph and access the line graph with a screen reader!
Editor’s Note: Mainstream students are using Desmos to create graphs, and while Desmos is accessible, many Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs) are curious about teaching it to students who rely on screen readers. Jennifer Bliss, a state-wide STEM/science consultant for Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, developed a video tutorial on creating and accessing a line graph with a screen reader. In her example, Jennifer’s students collected temperature data every two minutes during a science experiment and recorded it in a two-column spreadsheet. In the tutorial, Jennifer demonstrates how to use keyboard commands to copy this data from the spreadsheet and paste it into Desmos’s expression area to plot the data points. She also covers various features and settings to add lines, label the graph, and include a title, as required by the classroom science teacher. The tutorial concludes with instructions on how a student using JAWS can navigate the graph.
Video tutorial by Jennifer Bliss:
Jennifer’s written instructions for the using a table to create a line graph with a screen reader in Desmos:
Add a table
- Tab/move to the “+” (add item button) and press space to activate the drop-down menu and tab down to “table.” Press enter on “table” to create the table. (Note: Jaws will tell you to arrow down through the choices in drop down—tab must be used.)
- Or, type “table” in an expression space
- Or, ctrl+alt+T
Add data
- An X,Y table appears in expression space with cursor in X column
- Independent variable should generally be the x column (x axis on graph)
- Dependent variable should generally be the y column (y axis on graph)
- Multiline graphs are possible by adding extra y columns. To add extra columns, go up to the column headings in the first row, arrow to the right to get to an extra column and type y2, y3, etc.
- Alternatively, a table of data from a spreadsheet can be copied and pasted into a new expression. There is no need to create a table first if copying from a spreadsheet.
Create a line graph
- Graph initially shows up as individual data points
- Tab/move to “Hide Column” button
- Ctrl+shift+O activates the drop down or long press on the Options icon in the y column heading if using mouse. Then tab to each of the following options.
- Then tab to each of the following options.
- Points visible: toggle (space) to turn off or on
- Point opacity: leave at 1
- Point size: 8 is good
- Point type: solid, hollow or x: arrow to choose
- Color: arrow to choose
- Lines visible: toggle (space) to turn on—adds a line between data points
- Submenu appears with choices for line opacity, line type and width
- Esc to activate and leave this menu
Adjust graph settings
- Tab/move to wrench in upper right corner (ctrl+alt+G) to show a menu of options
- Tab/move to X-axis settings (be sure X-axis checkbox is checked. Press space to toggle on if needed)
- Tab/move to label edit box and enter the label of your x axis
- Tab/move to x axis minimums and maximums and enter the range of your X data
- Choose steps (increment` of grid line)
- Tab/move to Y axis and do the same
- Esc to leave menu
Add graph title/label
- Tab/move to the “+” (add item button) and press space to activate the drop-down menu and tab down to select “expression” or ctrl+alt+x
- Create a data point where label should begin (x,y)
- Tab/move to the label button and space to select
- Tab to the edit field and enter title of graph
- Title will initially be centered on this data point
- Press tab to navigate to “Hide Expression” button
- Ctrl+shift+O activates the drop down or long press on the Options icon in the y column heading if using mouse. Then tab to each of the following options.
- Points visible choice: off (space to toggle)
- Label visible: on (space to toggle)
- Line opacity: leave
- Label size: 2 is good
- Label angle: leave
- Orientation group: leave to keep horizontal
- Color picker: arrow to choice
- Esc to activate and leave this menu
Download the step-by-step instructions for Using a Data Table to create a Line Graph in Desmos (listed above)
Resource
- Thanksgiving Travel Trends activity: Math and Desmos line graph (Part 2: Apply the instructions from this post to the Thanksgiving Travel Trends activity!)
- Thanksgiving Car Travel Trends activity: Desmos line graph (Part 3: Independent practice)
- Thanksgiving Travel Trends activity: Desmos line graphs part 4 (Creating line graphs from tables in Word and creating line graphs with three lines)
By Jennifer Bliss
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