Seminar – being visually impaired and doing mathematics

Most people would agree that all students should have the opportunity to develop their mathematical abilities. Despite all efforts, this is still very challenging for those who are severely visually impaired and therefore read in braille. A first reason for this is that visual modes of perceiving and knowing are often preferred over others in mathematics. This works against braille readers. Second, braille readers have to use assistive devices, such as a braille display, to be able to read a mathematical expression. The use of these devices influences the teaching and learning of mathematics. The main research question of my PhD study is: How can braille readers improve reading and comprehending mathematical expressions? I used multiple perspectives to address this question. The first two studies involved tactile perception. The next two studies concern the professional development of teachers. The latest study examined different mathematical braille notations. In this presentation, I discuss the different studies and present the results.