Talking calculators for the visually impaired

MUMBAI, INDIA: Texas Instruments (TI), Orbit Research and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) have unveiled the Orion TI-30XS multiView talking scientific calculator, the world's first fully accessible multi-line calculator, created for students who are visually impaired, and available for the upcoming school year.

Based on the TI-30XS Multiview scientific calculator, the new device represents a breakthrough in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for visually disabled students. Today, millions of scientific calculators are used in classrooms around the world and are an integral part of the high school math and science curriculum.

The four-line scientific calculator with higher-level math and science functionality is ideal for middle school through college students. A clear, high-quality, recorded voice announces each key and the answer on the display, providing a choice of speech modes for quiet or verbose operation.

"When students have the right tools to access their curricula, we all benefit," said Tuck Tinsley III, president of APH. "This new technology empowers students who are blind and have low vision to reach their full potentials and become the next generation of STEM scholars."