[Nfb-science] New Accessible Chemistry book available

[David Andrews]

>Date: Tue, 01 May 2007 18:05:44 -0400
>To: nfb-rdcomm at nfbcal.org
>From: Cary Supalo <cas380 at psu.edu>
>Subject: [Nfb-rdcomm] New Accessible Chemistry book available
>
>Here is something I received from a friend who wanted me to promote 
>this new accessible chemistry book. There will be several 
>presentations on this topic at the National Convention. Please feel 
>free to forward this to anyone who you think might be interested.
>Cary Supalo
>Chemistry in the Community, New Digital Talking Book
>
>In collaboration with gh, LLC, (an assistive technology company) the 
>American Chemical Society has converted its high school chemistry 
>textbook Chemistry in the Community into a digital talking book 
>(DTB) format. This will be the first digital talking chemistry 
>textbook on the market and is designed to help students who are 
>blind or visual impaired study chemistry along with their sighted 
>peers.  Chemistry in the Community, DTB will also be a powerful tool 
>for students who have reading difficulties or for whom English is a 
>second language.
>
>Converting a high school chemistry textbook into a DTB presented 
>interesting  challenges for ACS Education Division and gh staff, as 
>chemistry textbooks contain unique features which must be accurately 
>represented in the digital reading of the text.   For example, the 
>pictorial nature of a chemistry textbook (illustrations, figures, 
>tables, graphs, molecular models, formulas and equations) makes the 
>use of a "text only" access method ineffective.  In order to make a 
>chemistry text actually usable, the essential graphics need to be 
>communicated so they can be understood by a student who is blind or 
>visually impaired.
>
>A careful review of the initial drafts of the product revealed the 
>nuances of reading dimensional analysis, stock method naming, ionic 
>charges, and catalyzed reactions.  These items were addressed along 
>with the other graphic elements to create a product that is now 
>ready for field tests.
>
>ACS is currently looking for interested teachers and students to 
>help with this phase of the project.  Teachers of blind and visual 
>impaired students will be asked to use the DTB in their classrooms 
>during the spring and early summer and to provide valuable input on 
>the usability and effectiveness of the product.  Student input 
>regarding usability will also be solicited. The final digital 
>talking book is expected to be released in the fall following the 
>completion of the field tests. If you are interested in field 
>testing this exciting new product please contact chemcom at acs.org.

David Andrews and white cane Harry.