Algebra

Online Resources    Materials and Equipment    Miscellaneous    For Teachers

Please visit our Goals for Achieving Math Accessibility (GAMA) presentations section for additional resources.

Online Resources

Quest Challenges
Through interactive, web-based activities, NASA reaches out to students from kindergarten through high school to introduce them to science, math, and engineering processes.  Provides online tools and resources such as lesson plans, teacher guides, videos, and workbooks.
Organization: NASA
Cost: Free
Visit Quest Challenges Online 

Materials and Equipment

Books

Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, 1972 Revision
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Cost: $40
Ordering Information: Catalog number--Braille 5-87430-00, print 7-87430-00 
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274  

Addendum 1 to the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, 1972 Revision: Ancient Numeration Systems
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Cost: $5
Ordering Information: Catalog number--Braille 5-68654-00, print 7-68654-00 
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274 

Learning the Nemeth Code: A Manual for Teachers and Students, 1997
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Cost: Braille $32.49, Print $32
Ordering Information: Catalog number Braille 5-68653-00, print 7-68653-00
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274 

Tactile Materials

Tactile Treasures: Math and Language Concepts for Young Children with Visual Impairments
This kit, with tactile graphics of real objects as well as scripts and stories, introduces younger students to concepts such as shape, size, comparison, amount, and position.  It also includes a teacher’s guidebook in print and Braille.
Recommended ages: 4-9 years
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Cost: $120
Ordering information: Catalog number (entire kit) 1-08842-00 
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274 

Math Drill Cards
These math skill-reinforcing cards are sold as five separate sets, a number and math sign set and four math operations sets.  All are in both large print and Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics.
Recommended ages: 5-10 years
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Cost: $5 per set
Ordering information: Catalog numbers--Number and Math Sign Cards 1-03551-00, Addition Cards 1-03552-00, Subtraction Cards 1-03553-00, Multiplication Cards 1-03554-00, Division Cards 1-03555-00 
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274 

Hardware

Accessible Calculators
Independent Living Aids offers a large variety of accessible calculators, including large number, talking, scientific, and graphing calculators.  Visit the Web site to view their selection and to make your order.
Organization: Independent Living Aids, LLC.
Cost: $7.95 - $249
Order Online

Math Window
This product consists of a magnetic board and magnetic tiles with large print or Nemeth math symbols. Blind students can arrange math equations linearly or vertically similar to how equations are arranged visually. This product is available in a basic edition or with an additional Algebra Add-On Kit.
Organization: Wolf Products.
Cost: Math Window Basic, $74.90; Math Window, Algebra Add-On Kit, $37.95 and Math Windows Basic, Magnets Only, $29.95 
Order by Mail: Print and complete the Online Order Form and send with your payment in check or money order made payable to Wolf Products, Inc.  Send to: Wolf Products, Inc., 106 Purvis Road, Butler, PA 16001
Order by Phone to Pay with Credit Card: 724-285-5428
Contact by E-mail: wolfproducts@mathwindow.com

Software

MathPlayer
Available as a free download from Design Science, it integrates into Internet Explorer 6 and above. MathPlayer renders math equations on a Web site that are written using MathML. A screen access software application is needed to hear what is on the screen. Using a refreshable Braille display, math equations are translated as computer Braille rather than the Nemeth Braille math code.
Organization: Design Science
Price: Free
Visit Design Science Online 

Math Flash
This is a self-voicing math drill program. Exercises are customized and provide great fun for blind children of all ages. Does not require a screen access program.
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind
Cost: $24
Ordering Information: Catalog #: D-19910-01 
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274 

MathTalk/Scientific Notebook
This software package includes Scientific Notebook. Through voice recognition and speech output, this is a self-voicing application allowing one to independently input math equations. The program can provide verbal and Braille output of data that has been sent to the screen and provides nonvisual access to the functionality provided by Scientific Notebook. To take full advantage of this application, Dragon Naturally Speaking must be purchased.
Organization: Metro Plex Voice Computing
Cost: $295; package including Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred, $495; Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro, $940.
Order Online
Order by Mail: Complete the Order Form, print and mail to Metroplex Voice Computing, Inc., P.O. Box 121984, Arlington, Texas 76012 or Fax to 817-543-1103.

Scientific Notebook
This is a mainstream application utilized by both blind and sighted people to perform mathematical and graphing functions using a PC. Although menus and operation of the program is generally accessible with speech output, reviewing equations and graphic results with screen access software can be difficult. This software includes the ability to translate math equations to the Duxbury Braille Translator or refreshable Braille displays into the Nemeth Braille code.
Organization:  MacKichan Software, Inc.
Cost: $222; for an upgrade, $52
Order Online
Order by Phone: 360-394-6033

Virtual Pencil
This application is used to setup and work through arithmetic and algebraic equations using speech output.
Organization: Henter Math
Cost: $295
Order Online
Order by Phone: 1-866-313-Math (6284)

Miscellaneous

Brain Quest
Organization: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Cost: $65
Ordering Information: Catalog number 6-17000-00 
Order Online 
Order by Phone: 1-800-223-1839
Order by Mail: Fill out the APH Order Form (pdf) and send to:
APH, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206-0085 or Fax to 502-899-2274   

Math Courses
The Hadley School for the Blind offers home-study courses in math and science at the high school and remedial levels.  These course are available in a variety of formats.
Organization: Hadley School for the Blind
Cost: Varies
Ordering Information:
Visit The Hadley School for the Blind Online for more information about courses and ordering. 
Contact by Phone: 1-800-323-4238
Contact by Mail: The Hadley School for the Blind
                        700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093-2554.

For Teachers

Tactile Diagram Manual
This downloadable manual is helpful for educators who would like to convert science and math diagrams into tactile images. 
Organization: Purdue University
Cost: Free
Ordering Information: Download the Tactile Diagram Manual Online 

VIEW International Foundation Tactile Diagrams
This is a large number of tactile diagrams for use in by Purdue students. These diagrams were previously known as the TAEVIS collection.  
Organization: VIEW International Foundation and Purdue Research Foundation
Cost: $59 for individual CDs; $259 for the complete collection of 10 CDs
Order by Phone: 318-396-1853
Order by E-mail: ttsinfo@earthlink.net (please put "tactile diagrams" in the subject line)