RPD-18Accessible Digital Math Curriculum =

Reading Words + Symbols

University of Kentucky Math Curriculum Digital Conversion and

Implementation Project

Key Learning Points for this session:

1. Participants will be able to describe at least 3 assistive technologies that can be used by students with learning disabilities to read complex secondary level math content.

2. Participants will be able to describe at least 3 technology supports and classroom instructional issues discovered when implementing an accessible math curriculum and effective ways of dealing with them.

3. Participants will be able to identify how math instructional content can be converted to an accessible digital format and delivered electronically.

Math Curriculum Digital Conversion and Implementation Project

Strand of Mathematics eText Research Center (MeTRC) at the University of Oregon's Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE)

Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Education (CFDA No. 84.327H)

University of KY- Case study of converting a 7th grade math curriculum to an accessible digital format for use as a read-aloud accommodation

Math Curriculum Digital Conversion and Implementation Project

Built on previous UK study: Project SMART - Supported Math Accessible Reading Tool

Documented use of Read & Write Gold paired with MathPlayer to read complex math symbols and expressions

Reading support for student access to 8th grade math textbook coded with MathML to allow reading of math symbols/expressions

Limitation: Only provided textbook digitally

Math Curriculum Digital Conversion and Implementation ProjectBackground and Setting

Multiyear project – piloted with 6th grade students and then followed into 7th grade for full implementation

Students primarily LD – all had reading accommodations specified in IEP

Pilot conducted in both resource room and collaborative setting with 17 students

Main case study conducted only in resource room with 6 students

Technology Used

Students primarily used laptop computers with TextHelp Read & Write Gold

Print math materials were converted to HTML+MathML format using Word+MathType

To make math accessible, digital materials had to be used with Internet Explorer+MathPlayer

Online MATHia software made more accessible by Carnegie Learning using MathJax

Technology Key Learning Point Other assistive technologies that can be

used by students with learning disabilities to read complex secondary level math content...

LD: Browsealoud, ClaroRead, Kurzweil 3000, WYNN

BVI: HAL, JAWS, MAGic with speech. NVDA, SuperNova, System Access, Window Eyes, ZoomText Reader

- Administered a performance event to determine student ability to independently read math text vs. math symbols on paper

- Students’ average error rate for reading of math symbols was consistently twice their error rate for reading of math text

Fundamental question: Is student need for reading support of math symbols comparable to need for reading support of math text (words)?

October-May Performance EventDifference in error rate in reading of math text vs. math

symbols on paper

StudentAvg. math text

reading error rateAvg. math symbol reading error rate

Difference

1 4% 22% +18%2 16% 35% +19%3 9% 27% +18%4 10% 25% +15%5 33% 37% +4%6 7% 21% +14%

Group Avg. 13.17% 27.89% +14.72%

MeTRC KY Case Study

To what extent can a 7th grade math curriculum be converted to an accessible

digital format and integrated into instructional routine as

read-aloud accommodation for use by students with disabilities ?

Three MeTRC KY case study questions

1. What factors determine whether or not 7th grade math instructional content can be converted to an accessible digital format and delivered electronically?

2. How can use of math etext be integrated by teachers into instructional routine as an oral accommodation in a math resource room setting?

3. What skills do students need to efficiently use etext technology as an oral accommodation and what is an effective method of developing those skills?

Case Study Question #1: What factors determine whether or not 7th grade math instructional content can be converted to an accessible

digital format and delivered electronically?

• Teacher identification of material in time to be digitized

From 9/12/11 to 5/15/12 teachers provided content at least 1 day ahead of time 76% of time, 24% not.

From 9/13/11 to 5/11/12, 41 items were identified to be converted for student use. 98% (40) of the content was converted and delivered in time for student use.

• Original material formats affected efforts to digitize

Most instructional materials able to be digitized were in commonly-used formats (PDF, Word, Paper)

• Majority of math curriculum provided in digital format

From October to May, there were 115 different instructional activities with 68% (78) of those activities being digitized and 32% (37) not being digitized.

• Frequency of technical issues requiring support

Across 43 of the sessions, the six students logged in to their laptops 220 times

Technical supports were provided 58% of the time (127 out of 220 logons).

Of 161 supports given during the 43 sessions, 59% (9) were needed due to student error and 41% (66) were due to technology related issues.

Hardware/laptop operation accounted for 68.2% of technology related problems

Case Study Question #2: How can use of math etext be integrated by teachers

into instructional routine as an oral accommodation in a math resource room?

• Teachers’ response to student use of math etext Over time, the teacher reminded students to use

their technology and tried several strategies (e.g., tech use before worksheet, reward time using iPad , tokens toward class reward)

• Teacher perception of students’ use of digital text as an oral accommodation in math

Teacher reported it allowed students to have more independence and to go at their own pace and helped teacher avoid having to repeat something

• Teacher reports greater confidence in integrating digitized accessible material into classroom routine

When asked how comfortable she was in integrating digitized accessible material into classroom instruction, the teacher responded ‘1’ in December, ‘2’ in March, and ‘4’ in May.

(scale: 1-not confident to 5-very confident)

• Teacher reports greater confidence in integrating digitized accessible material into classroom routine

Teacher reported the biggest challenge in integrating digitally accessible materials into the classroom routine was making sure all the material was appropriate for etext, that it was sent on time, and that all the computers were working

• Teacher becomes more adept at integrating student use of TTS with digital text

Self-rating over time, teacher felt more comfortable integrating use of math etext into her instructional routine. However, she continued to rely on project staff to provide students support in the steps and process of using the hardware and software.

.• Teacher perceptions of ongoing implementation of use of

math etext. When asked about ongoing implementation of etext in the

classroom, the teacher reported in March and May that the technical difficulties frustrated the kids who are already frustrated with math. If everything worked liked it was supposed to, then students would be more interested in using the technology.

Case Study Question #3: What skills do students need to efficiently use etext technology as an oral accommodation and what is an

effective method of developing those skills?

• Training of students in skills necessary to use math etext

Direct instruction during authentic classroom use of

math etext found to be a viable and efficient means of teaching students use of math etext

All students met or exceeded the goal of 85% success in the Core Skills required to independently use math etext after one to five follow-up sessions

Technology Skills Checklist Core Skills

Start up:• Turns on laptop or waits for active mode.• Successfully types in login and password.• Attaches 1 ear bud (2 for independent

work).• Opens Read & Write Gold.• Opens My Computer• Opens Vol.3• Opens StuClassroom• Opens class folder.• Opens file of assigned contentUsage:• Hovers mouse over content to be read.• Uses mouse to advance to next text/MML.• Listens to math text via ear buds.• Closes all windows before shutting down.

Measure of Improved Student Performance

• At three intervals during the school year, progress of all students in the school was assessed using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

• Analyses of MAP math scores for the six targeted students compared to results of six other students served by the same teacher in a different math resource room and to results for the whole 7th grade

• Performance of targeted students in the intervention classroom increased more overall

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Test Math Score Comparison – Rate of Improvement 2011-12

Students math class Oct MathScore

Jan MathScore

April MathScore

Oct-Jan Math diff

Jan-Apr Math diff

Oct-Apr Math diff

2nd period res. avg. 196.60 196.20 204.60 -0.40 8.40 8.00

5th period res. avg. 187.00 193.177 203.67 6.17 10.5 16.67

7th grade overall avg. 223.4 226.8 238 3.4 11.2 14.6

Result: Target students’ (5th period ) MAP scores improved at a faster rate than their similarly disabled peers’ (2nd period) MAP scores and also overall 7th grade math average.

Students improve performance on MAP Math test commensurate with peers

Key Findings & Implications

1. Results of performance event revealed students with disabilities’ error rate for reading of math symbols to be twice that of their error rate for reading of math text

Implication: Students with disabilities’ high error rate for reading of math symbols supports need for access to math etext as an accommodation

2. Majority of 7th grade math curriculum can be identified, digitized with MathML, and delivered in a timely manner

Implication: Digital conversion and delivery can result in most of math curriculum being accessible, but conversion expertise is required

Key Findings and Implications, Continued

3. Efficient and reliable technologies and infrastructure/ tech support is required for routine student use of digital math curriculum

Implication: Routine use of math etext is not feasible if tech issues delay or disrupts instruction and frustrates students

4. Use of math etext can be integrated by teachers into instructional routine as a read-aloud accommodation in a math resource room setting, but it requires additional training, preparation and tech support

Implication: Teachers must develop tech skills to support use of math etext but cannot be expected to act in isolation and still maintain instruction

Conversion process demo

OCR from print / Import from PDF Fix formatting and layout Add math with MathType Add instructional images MathPage Export Book index page created Quality control process

Math AT reading demo

Glencoe / McGraw-Hill Mathematics: Applications and Concepts,

Course 1 Holt McDougal Mathematics Carnegie Learning - Math Series Course 2 Print handout examples (3rd party) Teacher created materials

University of Kentucky Math Curriculum Digital Conversion

and Implementation Project Staff

• Preston Lewis preston.lewis@uky.edu • Linnie Lee llee@bluegrass-tech.org] • Steve Noble steve.noble@louisville.edu