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A teacher of the visually impaired asks: I am working with a low-vision student who needs to use a graphing calculator. He needs something portable which he can take to class. Have you heard of such a beast?
Susan replies: I have the following suggestions:
Regular TI Graphing Calculator placed on a color CCTV. My students did not like using the TI on a black and white CCTV, but some did like using it on a color CCTV.
TI Graphing Calculator ViewScreen Enlargement Solution
TI makes a ViewScreen package for the following calculators: TI-73, TI-73 Explorer, TI-80, TI-82, TI-83, TI-83 Plus, TI-83 Plus Silver Edition, TI-89, Voyage 200, TI-92 and TI-92 Plus. When I purchased the TI-82 with the following set-up, it was approximately $300. It has worked very well with my low vision students. They use a ViewScreen calculator connected to a ViewScreen LCD display panel placed on a light box.
Call TI at 1-800-TI-CARES or e-mail at ti-cares@ti.com. They can give you a list of vendors from whom you can make your purchase.
You'll want to order the ViewScreen package which includes a ViewScreen display panel (normally sits on top of any standard overhead projector), a ViewScreen calculator, a unit-to-unit cable, an AC adapter, a guidebook, and a carrying case. [You may already have this available as a teacher package.] Then you need a light box (instead of the overhead projector) for a light source to place the display panel on. I ordered mine from Logan Electric Specialty Mfg. Co., 1431 West Hubbard Street, Chicago, Illinois 60622 (312) 226-5888
The entire ViewScreen package (as outlined above) and the Tru-View Light Box by Logan fit into the attractive and comfortably designed carrying case, and thus makes a light-weight easily portable package, which is very important for my students.
TI-CARES Educational Support Programs
P.O. Box 650311, MS 3962
Dallas, TX 75265
Phone: 800-TI-CARES
E-mail: ti-cares@ti.com
Website: http://www.ti.com/calc/docs/feedback.htm
E-mail: workshop-loan@ti.com
Website: http://www.ti.com/calc/docs/loan.htm
Texas Instrument ViewScreen Graphing Calculator packages can be a screen enlargement
solution for low vision students. Borrow calculators, at no charge, for you
to examine before making a purchasing decision. You may also wish to look into
the use of the TI-Presenter Video Adapter or the TI Connectivity Kit, both
of which will allow your student to connect a hand-held to a computer.
Logan Electric Specialty Mfg. Co.
1431 West Hubbard Street
Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 312-226-5888, Fax: 312-226-4217
E-mail: customerservice@loganelectric.com
Website: www.loganelectric.com/
Tru-View Light Box can be used to backlight TI ViewScreens providing a convenient
and effective way of enlarging the TI series of graphing calculators for low
vision students.
Some students using the TI ViewScreen solution still had trouble being able to see the keypad. While most memorized the keys, others found this frustrating. The following vendor has an enlarged keypad, which will accommodate the TI ViewScreen solution.
Turning
Point Therapy & Technology, Inc.
P.O. Box 310751
New Braunfels, TX 78131-0751
Phone: 830-608-9812 or 210-710-4514
E-mail: thughes@turningpointtechnology.com
Website: www.turningpointtechnology.com
Custom keyguards for computers and calculators.
TI Calculator Expanded Keyboard. It is an external keyboard
attachment to TI calculators having internal Flash ROM (TI-73, TI-83 Plus,
and TI-89). It is an enlarged, lightweight, and independently powered replica
of the calculator's keypad directly connected to the serial port of the calculator.
The VisAble is the only large display scientific calculator made as a one-piece portable unit. However, it does not have graphing capabilities. It is manufactured by:
Betacom
Corporation
450 Matheson Blvd. E., Unit 67
Mississauga, On. L4Z 1R5 CANADA
Phone: 800-353-1107, Fax: (905) 568-9925
Email: info@betacom.com
Website: http://www.betacom.com/
VisAble Large Display Scientific Calculator
For more details, see my FEATURES OF THE LARGE DISPLAY SCIENTIFIC CALCULATORS.
If none of the above meet your student's needs, I would suggest that you investigate the following software programs, which when installed on a laptop, provide a very portable device:
Professor Goldstein's TI-83 Trainer is a software program with:
Goldstein Educational Technologies
4 Bittersweet Drive
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-489-4045
Fax: 215-489-4046
E-mail: LGoldst@goldedtech.com
Website: http://www.goldedtech.com/index.htm
Download a free 30 day-trial version.
Scientific Notebook (SNB) is another software package. SNB is much more than a graphing scientific calculator. It is also a math/text processor, so your student could do all of his assignments, calculations, and graphs in one document directly on the laptop. It has onscreen magnification up to 400%, or magnification software may be used. In addition, the student can customize his own style of document up to a font size of 72, which will print at that size as well.
MacKichan Software,
Inc.
600 Ericksen, Suite 300
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Phone: 1-877-SCI-NOTE
Fax: 1-206-780-2857
E-mail: info@mackichan.com
Website: http://www.mackichan.com/
With Scientific Notebook, create attractive documents with text, mathematics,
and graphics, have it compute the solutions, import data from your graphing
calculator, connect to the Internet and download documents, then translate
to Nemeth Code and/or convert to large print. Download a free 30 day-trial
version.
Every student is unique, so I have my students try everything. Then, they list their preferences in order beginning with their #1 choice. Next, we consult with the math teacher. Even though the student may perhaps LOVE Scientific Notebook, if their teacher is using a TI-83 in the classroom, they will probably choose one of the TI-83 solutions, perhaps their #2 choice. If the student has to have a stand-alone, the software programs are perhaps not a choice. However, they are so reasonably priced that it might be possible for the student to have both a stand-alone and a software program.
| Categories |
VisAble Scientific Calculator |
|---|---|
|
Physical Description |
|
|
Visual Display |
|
|
Voice response for all keys of the keyboard |
No |
|
Graphing Capabilities |
No |
|
On/Off |
|
|
Distinctly marked keys for easy identification |
5 |
|
Most/all keys have _____ functions |
Two (However, some have one.) |
|
Memory Positions |
One |
|
Accessories |
|
|
Basic Keys: decimal, =, 0-9 |
Yes |
|
Basic Function Keys: +, -, ×, ÷ |
Yes |
|
Parentheses ( ) |
Yes (Three levels) |
|
Backspace Key |
No |
|
Clear last entry Key |
Yes |
|
+/Key |
Yes |
|
Scientific Notation |
Yes |
|
Engineering Notation |
No |
|
Fix Display Decimal Key |
No |
|
Square Root Key |
Yes |
|
Cube Root Key |
No |
|
x2 Key |
Yes |
|
1/x Key |
Yes |
|
% Key |
Yes |
|
Degrees Key |
Yes |
|
Radians Key |
Yes |
|
Grads Key |
Yes |
|
Sin Key |
Yes |
|
Cos Key |
Yes |
|
Tan Key |
Yes |
|
Sin-1 (arc sin) Key |
Yes |
|
Cos-1 (arc cos) Key |
Yes |
|
Tan-1 (arc tan) Key |
Yes |
| π Key |
Yes |
|
e Key |
No |
|
Ln Key |
Yes |
|
Log Key |
Yes |
|
ex Key |
Yes |
|
10x Key |
Yes |
|
yx Key |
Yes |
xÖ y Key |
Yes |
|
x! Key |
Yes |
|
Hyperbolic Sin Key |
No |
|
Hyperbolic Cos Key |
No |
|
Hyperbolic Tan Key |
No |
|
Hyperbolic Sin-1 Key |
No |
|
Hyperbolic Cos-1 Key |
No |
|
Hyperbolic Tan-1 Key |
No |
|
Fraction entry, operation and conversion to decimal keys |
No |
|
Constant key (K) stores a number and its associated operation for repeated use |
Yes |
|
Fahrenheit/Celsius conversion keys |
No |
|
Degree, minute, second/decimal degree conversion keys |
Yes |
|
Polar/Rectangular conversion keys |
Yes |
|
Special Functions for Mortgage, Real Estate and Business |
No |
|
Special Functions for Statistics |
Yes |
|
Calculations and conversions in hexadecimal, octal, and binary number bases |
No |
|
Boolean logic operations, computer math keys |
No |
|
Time, Alarm, and Chronometer Functions |
No |
|
Print on/off Key |
No |
|
Manufacturer |
Betacom Corporation $295.00 + $5.00 shipping |
|
Possible Vendors: |
|
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Last Revision: July 11, 2003