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Accessibility in Maple
Presentation by Andrew Smith, Maplesoft GUI Team
Core Products:
Maple
- Easy-to-use desktop computer algebra system
- Features include powerful symbolic and high-precision numeric capabilities
- Currently in Release 9.5
- Available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and various flavors of Unix
- We'll focus on Maple today
MapleNet
- Web server version of the Maple mathematics engine
- Deploy live technical knowledge over the Web
- Embed dynamic formulas, mathematical models, and diagrams
- Web applications built on MapleNet can use JavaScript, Java Applets, and Maple's own MapletTM technology
Maple T.A.
- Web-based testing and assessment environment
- Use the power of Maple to automatically evaluate and grade student responses
- Students can use palettes and a mathematical expression editor facility to enter responses using conventional notation
- Learners who are familiar with Maple syntax can optionally use that when creating responses
A little history...
- Founded in 1988
- The result of an advanced research project at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada
- Currently over three million users worldwide
- Most Maple users are academic
- Currently a number of users successfully combining Maple with screen readers and Braille terminals in their work and research
Accessibility and Maple
- All versions of Maple since Maple 7 have been compatible with assistive technologies
- Currently a number of users successfully combining Maple with screen readers and Braille terminals in their work and research
- Incremental improvements in accessibility with each new version, thanks to feedback from our user community
- BUT aging cross-platform user interface technology limited options for providing a new and more accessible feature set
Enter Maple 9
- The beginning if a major initiative to modernize the Maple user interface
- Introduced a new standard worksheet interface
- A complete re-implementation of the Maple UI using Java technology
- Opened the door for the development of a more feature-rich product
- Can now begin to leverage the accessibility features of the Java platform
- For compatibility, Maple still ships with the previous UI, now dubbed "Classic"
Accessibility in Maple 9
- Zoom and color controls can be used to improve the experience for low-vision users
- Although traditional mathematical notation can be used, the full power of the mathematics engine is equally available through Maple's programming language
- The Maple language is a concise, text-based language that requires no special symbology
In conclusion...
- With the transition to the new standard interface, we have the opportunity and mandate to make Maple an even more accessible product
- GAMA Summit is a chance to hear from the experts
- Check out http://www.maplesoft.com/ for more information about Maple products