Phy1000: introduction to accessible physics concepts  (Page 3/4)

Using a graph board

There is a good chance that you already know how to use a graph board based on your earlier coursework in algebra. If not, there is a series of videosbeginning at (External Link) that will teach you what a graph board is and how to use it.

Why would I direct a blind student to a video?

Of course, you may be wondering why I would direct a blind student to an instructional video. My hope is that if you need this information on graphboards, you can find a sighted friend who will help you to work through the series of graph-boardtutorials on the website referred to above.

You will need a graph board

You will need a graph board to complete many of the exercises in this collection. If you don't have access to one, it shouldn't be too difficult foryou and a sighted friend to make one using a sheet of Styrofoam, corkboard, bulletin-board material or any flat surface into which you can push pins andexpect them to stay until you pull them out.

Tactile grid lines

To create the tactile grid lines on your homemade graph board, ask your sighted friend to draw the grid lines on a sheet of heavy paper and then perforate them using a serrated tracingwheel ( (External Link) ). Then turn the paper over and pin it to the backing material so that you can feelthe perforated grid lines.

Perforating with a tracing wheel

I find that it works well to place the paper on a sheet of Styrofoam to perforate the lines with the tracing wheel. Also, some tracing wheels workbetter than others for this purpose. The serrations are very sharp on some wheels and less sharp on others. The sharp ones work best.

Using a protractor

There is also a good chance that you already know how to use a protractor to measure angles based on your earlier coursework in algebra. If not, there is aseries of videos beginning at (External Link) that will teach you how to measure angles with a protractor.

Once again, you may be wondering why I would direct a blind student to an instructional video. As before, my hope is that if you need this information,you can find a sighted friend who will help you to work through the series of protractor video tutorials.

You will need a protractor

You will need a protractor to complete many of the exercises in this collection. While it may be possible to adapt a protractor normally used bysighted students for this purpose, this will probably be more difficult than making a graph board.

A protractor that looks like the one in the video can be purchased at (External Link) . However, this is not a recommendation that you purchase this particular brand ofprotractor. You should do your own shopping and make your own decision.

JavaScript programming

As I stated earlier, you will need an introductory understanding of JavaScript programming ( (External Link) and (External Link) ) to work through the exercises in this collection of modules. Why is that?

Incompatible typesetting elements

Typical physics textbooks designed for use by sighted students are full of typesetting elements that are often incompatible withaccessibility tools such as screen reading software, a Braille display, or both.