BackNem 1.0, which is free software for back-translating Nemeth braille linear expressions to properly typeset print math, is now available for alpha testing. The primary purpose of BackNem 1.0 is to support the back-translation of Nemeth braille produced by students. Later versions of BackNem will have additional features.
If you would like to help alpha test BackNem 1.0, please send a short Nemeth braille file to the email address at the bottom of this page.
The scope of BackNem 1.0 is expression-by-expression back-translation of linear, displayed mathematics written in Nemeth braille as specified by The Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, 1972 Revision.
BackNem 1.0 only back-translates linear mathematics and cannot handle text, inline mathematics, or spatially-arranged (planar) mathematics such as arithmetic and matrices. Back-translation of these additional items will be incorporated in later versions of BackNem.
Text comments—which are passed through unchanged—may be included as shown in the next section.
BackNem accepts as input any plain electronic braille file such as a Braille Formatted File (a file with a .brf extension) or a braille file
exported as plain braille from a BrailleNote or BrailleLite. (Plain braille is sometimes called computer braille.)
Here is a sample student file showing text comments flagged with two forward slashes. (The braille is displayed here using a print font; see the next section for the same braille displayed as simulated braille.)
//Mary Smith //October 12, 2004 #1_4 ,A .K .PR^2 #2_4 <3>27] .K #3
The following is screenshot of the BackNem output for the sample in the previous section. Actual BackNem output is MathML embedded in a webpage. The math can viewed directly from most browsers or enhanced to include zooming and speech with free browser plug-ins such as MathPlayer.
There are several possibilities for classroom use of BackNem. We need feedback on this issue.
The student could use BackNem to print the output and hand it to the teacher. The advantage with this approach is that it allows the student to use the same method as other students; the disadvantage is that this may be an extra step for the student. Also, the student still needs an aide to help understand anything the teacher has written on the paper.
A second option would be for the student to email the BackNem output to the teacher. The teacher could then view or print the file. The disadvantage here is that some schools do not allow students and teachers to communicate via email.
A third option would be for the student to transmit the braille file to the teacher so the teacher could use BackNem. This method, which requires greater involvement on the part of the mainstream teacher, is more flexible and would allow the teacher to insert comments directly in the student's original file. Again there is a problem if electronic communication is limited.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. IIS-0312487. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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