Prevalence and barriers of digital mathematics preparation gaps

Determine whether the gap in digital mathematics preparation is widespread among blind and low-vision students and, if so, identify the structural or pedagogical barriers that prevent earlier adoption of digital mathematics notation and tools.

Background

The paper describes how blind and low-vision computing students sometimes use LaTeX, R, or algorithmic approaches to access mathematical content more effectively than conventional visual or braille materials. However, participants discovered these digital mathematics workarounds inconsistently and often only after encountering serious accessibility barriers in college. Learning a new notation during an ongoing course imposed additional labor and could impede adoption.

The authors identify a need to establish whether this lack of prior preparation is an isolated feature of the interviewed participants' experiences or a widespread issue among blind and low-vision students. If the gap is widespread, the unresolved question also concerns which institutional, curricular, or pedagogical conditions prevent students from learning digital mathematics formats earlier in their educational transitions.