Bridging the Access Gap in SAT Preparation

Date & Time

Thursday, March 16, 2023 - 4:20 PM PST  

Location

Elite 1-3  

Description

Significant progress has been made in ensuring blind and visually impaired (BVI) students get the necessary accommodations for taking SAT. However very little work has been done towards making critical preparation materials accessible. BVI students do not get enough preparation materials as their sighted peers (e.g., free SAT samples, apps), which puts them at a significant disadvantage in preparing for these competitive exams. To bridge this access gap, we have developed a novel AI-powered system, Yebi, that converts visual SAT samples into accessible output formats for: (1) Braille and tactile graphics, (2) screenreaders, (3) multisensory digital access on Yebi app, (4) Braille readers, and (5) audio devices. This first-of-its-kind system not only dynamically creates accessible version of SATs but do so in an intuitive way such that: (1) the graphics are optimized based on BANA guidelines for tactile rendering via embossers, (2) the graphics on the Yebi app support interactivity via audio-tactile feedback on smartphones, (3) the math expressions on audio output are delivered as spoken math as it would be read by an experienced narrator, (4) math via tactile output is supported for both Nemeth and UEB. Furthermore, the system also provides tools and mechanisms for editing, modifying, and previewing the contents prior to downloading them. Initial evaluations with expert transcribers indicated significant time savings and efficiency in authoring accessible SAT samples.  

Audience

• Higher Education
• Information & Communications Technology
• K-12 Education
• Research & Development

Audience Level

Beginning  

Session Summary (Abstract)

BVI students have challenges in preparing for SAT as resources are often inaccessible. We present a new system to quickly convert online SAT samples into multiple accessible version that best fits BVI students’ need and desired output format.  

Primary Topic

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML)  

Secondary Topics

• Blind/Low Vision
• Digital Accessibility
• Education
• Product Demonstration

 

Session Type

General Track  

Presenter

• Hari Palani
  UNAR Labs

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