This article describes a software tutorial that can be used by people who are blind to learn the Nemeth Code of braille mathematics notation. The program was designed for use with the Braille Lite, a note taker that has speech and a refreshable braille display, manufactured by Freedom Scientific. Because the workplace requires increasingly advanced computational and technological skills, people who do not have those skills restrict their earning potential. Persons who are blind are poorly represented in careers, such as engineering, information technology, and computer science, that require sophisticated mathematical knowledge. On the basis of experience and anecdotal information, we believe that one of the major reasons for this unfortunate situation is that many students who are blind are mathematically illiterate, unable to read or write the braille code of mathematics. Without the ability to read and write the symbols that represent mathematical concepts, the field of mathematics is closed to people who are blind. This software was designed to help blind persons learn the Nemeth Code, thus increasing their access to fields that rely on a knowledge of mathematics. In summary, it is our contention that many students who are blind find it difficult to achieve high levels of proficiency in mathematics, given that they have limited opportunities to learn to read and write the symbols that underpin the study of this field. The Nemeth Code tutorial is designed to help rectify this untenable situation and thus to give students who are blind greater access to the field of mathematics. The tutorial is appropriate for independent use by middle school, secondary school, and university students. Younger students will benefit from their teachers' guidance in determining which lessons or exercises are appropriate for them at a given time. In addition, blind teachers who read braille but who may not have had an opportunity to become proficient in the Nemeth Code may find this tutorial useful.
