Accessibility of mathematical resources: the technology gap

In this paper we outline the current technology gap for students studying mathematical subjects who are not able to read standard print. The amended Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) places a requirement on higher education establishments to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. The legislation applies to all teaching and requires that universities should anticipate changes required and be proactive in making them. Disabled students may be in receipt of the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) perhaps allowing the purchase of assistive technologies or paying for limited human assistance. In the case of subjects with little or no symbolic content, there may be a variety of assistive technologies available enabling a student to access already familiar electronic formats and some printed text. For example, a department may only need to produce learning resources in an electronic format such as Microsoft Word. However, assistive technology that provides comparable access to mathematical learning resources is limited. This technology is often the outcome of current research and may not be widely available, sufficiently advanced for practical use or provided by a student’s DSA. We provide examples illustrating the implications of the technology gap on adjustments made for individual students and note the challenge of providing proactive adjustments. Drawing a comparison with the level of access provided by assistive technology for students studying less symbolic subjects we clarify the nature of this technology gap and the direction of projects addressing the accessibility of mathematical resources…