EquatIO Mobile is here

• March 20th, 2018
• in UA11y News

Last month, we introduced the Texthelp tools now freely available to UA students, faculty, staff, and departments, including EquatIO, which helps users create equations, formulas, and other math and chemistry expressions on a computer or Chromebook. Here’s a look at EquatIO Mobile, released last week, just in time for Pi Day!

Video: How to Use EquatIO® Mobile

A mobile companion to EquatIO for Google Chrome and EquatIO mathspace on the computer or Chromebook, EquatIO Mobile lets you add handwritten math, images, and more to digital documents. Currently available for use on Android devices using Google Chrome or iOS devices using Safari, EquatIO Mobile automatically finds and lets you add digital math to the active documents you have open with EquatIO on your computer or Chromebook.

There are three ways to add math:

• Draw Math, which lets you use the touchscreen of your phone or tablet to handwrite math (handy for users who prefer to handwrite math but don’t have access to a touchscreen computer or Chromebook)
• Record, which lets you dictate your math into your microphone
• Math Image, which lets you take a photo with your camera (great for adding handwritten math on a scratch piece of paper, a worksheet, and whiteboard content)

After writing, speaking, or taking a picture of your math, you can add it to a document open on your computer or Chromebook. There are two upload options:

• Save as Math, which converts spoken or handwritten work into typed math
• Save as Image, which takes a screenshot of your math and uploads it to your document

To learn more about EquatIO Mobile, check out this Texthelp blog post: EquatIO Mobile: Digital Math in the Palm of your Hand.

Note: The first time you use EquatIO Mobile, you will be prompted to sign in using Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Students should select Google and sign in using a Crimson Mail account. Faculty/staff may select Microsoft and sign in using a @ua.edu Office 365 account, or, to request authorization for an email address connected to a Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn account, please contact accessibility@ua.edu.

Introducing Texthelp

• February 23rd, 2018
• in UA11y News

The FRC Faculty Technology Showcase is a great place to learn how faculty are using technology to enhance learning, conduct research, and increase professional productivity. Today’s Showcase also marked the launch of the Texthelp tools now freely available to UA students, faculty, staff, and departments.

Texthelp offers a collection of Mac and PC desktop software, Google Chrome apps and extensions, and iOS and Android apps that support reading, writing, language learning, and STEM subjects. The tools are available for use on both personal and University-owned devices and can be accessed via the software catalog on the OIT website.

Read&Write

Read&Write supports reading, writing, researching, and studying. It offers a simple toolbar at the top of the screen that you can customize to meet your specific needs. It offers support with tasks like reading text out loud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments, and proofing written work. It’s particularly beneficial for English language learners and users with learning disabilities, but it’s useful for all learners.

Video: Introduction to using Read&Write at University

The Read&Write toolbar is available as a Google Chrome extension and as desktop software for Windows and Mac. There are also iPad and Android tablet apps that offer many of the features of the Chrome and desktop tools.

Snapverter

Snapverter is an easy to use add-on for Read&Write for Google Chrome that transforms papers and files into readable PDF documents.

Video: Introduction to Snapverter – An Add-On for Read&Write

After installing the Snapverter Chrome app, you can use your smartphone to snap a picture of text in a book, handout, or other paper-based item or select a saved inaccessible digital file from your phone or computer and upload it to the Snapverter folder in your Google Drive. Files are converted to readable text using optical character recognition (OCR) and stored as PDFs in your Google Drive. If you’d like, you can then use Read&Write to hear text read aloud, see words explained, access translation features, and more.

EquatIO

EquatIO supports math and STEM subjects. It lets you type, handwrite, or speak to create equations, formulas, and other math and chemistry expressions on a computer or Chromebook; there’s also a library of ready-made expressions you can use to add STEM content to a document. EquatIO also supports LaTex, a typesetting and mark-up language that’s widely used for mathematical and scientific documents.

Video: Introducing EquatIO® – Make Math Digital. Make Math Together

EquatIO is available as a Google Chrome extension and as desktop software for Windows and Mac. EquatIO users can also use the EquatIO mathspace collaborative workspace and, coming soon, the EquatIO mathspace mobile app.

Ready to give Texthelp a try? Contact Emerging Technology and Accessibility to request access or to talk about how these and other technologies can support inclusive and accessible learning opportunities.