introduction - design science - how science communicates web viewthe authoring tools were designed...

ClearSpeak Authoring Tutorial

Beth Brownstein & Lois FrankelEducational Testing Service

Acknowledgments

The authoring tools were designed by the authors and Neil Soiffer (Design Science, Inc.) and implemented in MathType™ by Design Science, Inc. NVAccess enhanced the NVDA screen reader to support MathPlayer and its navigation functionality within Microsoft Word®.

Development of this tutorial and of some of the tools described herein was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A110355 to the Educational Testing Service. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

Copyright © 2015 by Educational Testing Service. ETS and the ETS logo are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS).MEASURING THE POWER OF LEARNING is a trademark of ETS.All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Table of ContentsIntroduction..................................................................................................................................3

System Requirements..............................................................................................................3

Getting Started.........................................................................................................................4

Part 1: Using MathType to Enter Math Expressions...................................................................6

Task 1.1 Using MathType.......................................................................................................6

Part 2: Getting an Expression to Speak the Way You Want It To............................................16

Task 2.1: Clearing Preferences to make expressions speak according to the rules...............16

Task 2.2: Making expressions speak according to previously defined preferences..............20

Task 2.3 Exploring preferences.............................................................................................24

Part 3: Entering and Removing Exact Speech...........................................................................28

Task 3.1 Entering exact speech.............................................................................................28

Task 3.2 Removing exact speech...........................................................................................32

Task 3.3 Practicing entering and removing exact speech......................................................34

A note on Exact Speech and its interaction with interactive navigation...............................34

Part 4: Using the Preference File Builder, a Tool for Building Your Own Preference Files....38

Task 4.1 Building a preference file........................................................................................41

Task 4.2 Creating a preference file by editing an existing file..............................................49

ClearSpeak Authoring Tutorial 2 of 57

Introduction

In this tutorial you will learn how to get the computer to speak math expressions in different ways, using the new synthetic-speech system ClearSpeak. ClearSpeak speaks math expressions in a way that is similar to the way they would be spoken in a classroom. ClearSpeak also allows users to interactively navigate the math expressions. The interactive navigation allows users to zoom in and walk through expressions in smaller and smaller chunks, as well as character by character. It also allows users to hear a description of an expression (for example, the expression

would be described as “fraction plus fraction”).

A series of five videos presenting some of the material covered in this tutorial is on the Web site http://www.ClearSpeak.org. The material in this introduction is covered in the video titled Introduction to Authoring in ClearSpeak.

System Requirements

To be able to follow along with this tutorial to create math expressions, listen to them, and adjust how they are spoken, you will need to have the following installed:

1. Microsoft Windows version 7 or later

2. Microsoft Word 2007 or later

3. MathPlayer 4 or later

MathPlayer 4 (free) is available at http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/.

If you have Microsoft Word 2007 or later, installing MathPlayer 4 also installs a toolbar in Word. The toolbar includes buttons that allow you to select a math expression, then click the Speak or Navigate toolbar button, and have that math expression spoken or made navigable, using the computer’s default text-to-speech voice. Although it is possible to assign toolbar buttons to Word’s Quick Access Toolbar (from which they can be selected using the keyboard), screen reader users will probably find it more convenient to use the NVDA screen reader, which fully supports spoken math expressions in Word without the need to select the math expressions in order to have them spoken, or to use the toolbar buttons.

4. MathType 6.9 or later

A free 30-day trial can be downloaded from http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/default.htm. After the 30-day trial, the software can be purchased from the same location. Academic and site-license pricing are available.

5. .eqp files (speech preference files, free)


http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/

http://www.ClearSpeak.org/

On http://www.clearspeak.org, you will find a collection of .eqp files, which allow easy access to the speech preferences described in this tutorial, along with additional preference files that implement all of ClearSpeak’s rules and preferences. Unzip the files to your computer. This tutorial assumes the files have been placed in the location c:\ClearSpeakAuthorPreferences, but you may place them anywhere you like; if you choose a different location, please substitute your location for references to the assumed location.

The following are optional. Both are free.

6. NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) screen reader

NVDA can be downloaded from a link on the MathPlayer download page or directly from NVAccess: http://www.nvaccess.org/download/. A full user guide for NVDA is available at http://www.nvaccess.org/files/nvda/documentation/userGuide.html.

NVDA can use a variety of voices and speech engines. The Microsoft Speech Platform’s ZiraPro voice is particularly recommended, as some optimizations have been made for that voice. If you are using Windows 8, the recommended voice and speech engine should already be installed. It appears that Windows 10 installations also include that voice. If you are using Windows 7, you can download the speech engine at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27225, and you can download the voice at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224. You will need to scroll down to MSSpeech_TTS_en-US_ZiraPro.msi.

MathPlayer and NVDA work with refreshable braille displays. If someone using the math expressions that you are creating is using a refreshable braille display, it will be necessary to use NVDA’s preferences dialogue to set it for the particular refreshable braille display being used, and the computer in use must be configured to recognize that display. With NVDA, MathPlayer, and a supported refreshable braille display, text and math expressions can be listened to as well as displayed in Nemeth Code. However, navigation is not currently synchronized with refreshable braille displays.

7. Preference File Builder – assists you in developing speech preference files for use with

MathType and MathPlayer. The Preference File Builder is available at

http://www.ClearSpeak.org. To install it, unzip the downloaded file and then run Setup.exe.

Getting Started

The MathPlayer toolbar in Word provides a Speak button that you can use when you want to hear how an expression speaks. To hear how an expression speaks, simply click on the


http://www.ClearSpeak.org./

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224



http://www.nvaccess.org/files/nvda/documentation/userGuide.html

http://www.nvaccess.org/download/

expression to select it, then click the Speak button. The expression will speak using the current Windows default text-to-speech voice.1

To find the Speak button, select the MathPlayer menu on the Word menu bar, then click the Speak button as shown below. If you wish to experiment with interactive navigation, you can do so by clicking the Navigate button. To learn more about how navigation works, consult the navigation quick reference guide and/or the navigation tutorial. Both are available from http://www.ClearSpeak.org.

There are three mechanisms for attaching speech to a math expression.

Rules

The standard or default way for speaking math structures such as fractions, exponents,

roots, etc.

Preferences

Other common ways of speaking the math structures

Exact Speech

Author-entered speech (for use when the rules and preferences do not make the

expression speak the way you would like it to)

The http://www.ClearSpeak.org Web site provides an authoring tutorial workbook (a Word document) that you may use as you work on the exercises in this tutorial. This tutorial assumes you are using the workbook, but it is not strictly necessary to do so. For convenience, we 1Although the Speak and Navigate button method is convenient for sighted users, individuals who are blind or

visually impaired may prefer to use the NVDA screen reader, which supports listening to and interactively

navigating math expressions without needing to use the Speak or Navigate button. It also supports the output of

math to refreshable display devices in Nemeth Code. Additionally, the Speak and Navigate buttons can be accessed

via the keyboard by assigning them to Word’s Quick Access Toolbar. Quick Access Toolbar buttons can be invoked

by pressing the Alt key plus a number that corresponds to the button’s position on the toolbar. It is not recommended

to use NVDA and the Speak or Navigate buttons together, however, because the two methods will speak

simultaneously.


http://www.ClearSpeak.org/

http://www.ClearSpeak.org./

recommend either printing out this tutorial or keeping it open in a separate window while doing the exercises in the workbook.

Part 1: Using MathType to Enter Math Expressions

Note: This material is also covered in the video titled Using MathType to Enter Math Expressions.

Task 1.1: Using MathType

This part of the tutorial is included for those who have not previously used MathType. If you know how to enter math expressions using MathType, you may want to skip this part. (Part 2 begins on page 16 of this document.) Note that this is a basic introduction that has been developed for purposes of this tutorial. To learn more about entering math expressions in MathType, use MathType’s Help function and select MathType Tutorial.

In this task you will learn how to create the expression . Note that the expression contains a fraction, an exponent, and a square root.

Step 1. If you wish to use the supplied workbook document and have not already done so, save it to a convenient location on your computer.

Step 2: To open MathType, select the MathType menu on the Word menu bar, as shown below.


Next, select the Inline command from the Insert Equations menu.

This will give you the following MathType window, which you will use to enter math expressions.

Once you open the MathType window, you can use standard Window methods to move or resize it as needed.

Now you are ready to begin entering the expression.

Step 3: In the MathType window, type 1 +. You don’t have to type a space between the 1 and the +, because MathType takes care of the spacing automatically.


Step 4: Now insert the fraction template by clicking on the palette, as shown below.

Then click on the fraction template.


Your expression should now look like this.

Step 5: Begin entering the numerator of the fraction by clicking on the numerator. Then type x.


Step 6: To enter the exponent 2, first click on the palette shown below.

Then click on the exponent template.


Your expression should now look like this.

Now click on the exponent box and type 2. Then press the Right Arrow key to get out of the exponent. Alternately, you can get out of the exponent by clicking just to the right of the exponent in the numerator of the fraction. After you have exited the exponent, type -1. Your expression should look like this.


Step 7: Now either Tab or press the Down Arrow key to get to the denominator (alternately, you can click on the denominator). Then type x - 1 in the denominator. Your expression should look like this.

Step 8: Now, either Tab or press the Right Arrow key to get out of the denominator (alternately, you can click to the right of the fraction). Then type +.

Step 9: To enter the square root sign, click on the following palette.


And then click on the square root sign.

Your expression should look like this.


Now, click on the box under the square root sign and type x. Your expression should look like this.

Step 9: Close the MathType window, either by clicking on the X in the upper right or by choosing the Close and return to <document> command on the File menu, as shown below.


Depending on your settings, you may see a dialog box asking whether you want to save the changes. Choose Yes to insert your expression into the Word document like this.

This is the end of Part 1. This might be a good time to save the workbook document.


Part 2: Getting an Expression to Speak the Way You Want It To

Note: This material is also covered in the video titled Getting an Expression to Speak the Way You Want It To (Part 1).

Now we proceed with the speech. As mentioned in the introduction, there are three mechanisms for attaching speech to an expression.

Rules

The standard or default way for speaking math structures such as fractions, exponents,

roots, etc.

Preferences

Other common ways of speaking the math structures

Exact Speech

Author entered speech (for use when the rules and preferences do not make the

expression speak the way you would like it to)

The document ClearSpeak Rules and Preferences, available at http://www.ClearSpeak.org, gives the rules and preferences for the ClearSpeak speech system. Over the course of this tutorial, you will be referring to the rules and preferences for fractions, exponents, roots, and parentheses. Before continuing, make sure you have either the printed or electronic version of that document handy.

Task 2.1: Clearing preferences to make expressions speak according to the rules

If no preferences have been set or all preferences have been cleared, every expression you enter will automatically speak according to the rules. This will continue to be the case until you set a preference.

When you set a preference, that preference will automatically be set for all expressions that you enter after you set the preference, until you either set a different preference or clear all preferences. Note that even if you enter math expressions at another time or in another document, the preference you last set will still automatically be set for all the new expressions you enter, unless you change it. Setting a preference does not change the speech for expressions that were entered before the preference was set.


http://www.clearspeak.org/

Because the program remembers what preferences you last set (and you may not), it is a good idea to clear the preferences and reset them if you are opening an existing document or are creating a new one. It is also a good idea to play the math expressions you are creating frequently so that you can reset preferences if expressions are not speaking as you would like them to.

Directions

Remember to complete this task in the appropriate part of the workbook.

Step 1:Open a new MathType window (see Task 1.1, step 2, on page 6 for a reminder, if needed).

Step 2:Click on the Preferences menu.

Step 3:Click on Equation Preferences.


Step 4: Click on Load from File.

Step 5: Go to the folder that contains the speech preferences files (which you should have downloaded and copied to c:\ClearSpeakAuthorPreferences or to another location of your choice). (Note: MathType will remember the last folder used for preference files, so the next time you need to invoke a preference file it should start with the correct folder.)

Step 6: Find the file named ClearPreferences.eqp and click it. Then click on Open.

(The preference file names are listed in alphabetical order. To find the file, you can scroll down the list until you locate the preference file ClearPreferences.eqp, or you can begin typing the file name in the box labeled File name and your computer will bring up the relevant entry without your needing to scroll down.)


Step 7: Enter the expression .

Step 8: Close the MathType window.

Step 9: Check that the expression speaks according to the rules. (i.e., it should speak as “x-squared”). As previously mentioned, you can hear an expression speak by clicking on the expression and then clicking on the Speak button.

Note: You can also clear all preferences on an already existing expression. To do this, open the expression (by double-clicking on it), and follow the steps above (except, of course, Step 7: Enter the expression).

Step 10: Enter each of the expressions in the table below in MathType. The expressions should speak according to the rules, as indicated in the table below.

If an expression does not speak as indicated in the table, first check that you have entered it correctly. If the expression has been entered correctly and still does not speak as indicated in the table, clear all the preferences on the existing expression and check the speech again.

Expression Expected Speech (according to the Rules)

2 to the eighth power

3 raised to the y plus 1 power

One-half

16 over 33

The fraction with numerator x plus 1, and denominator x plus 2

The square root of x plus 1


Task 2.2: Making expressions speak according to previously defined preferences

Preferences are stored in .eqp files and set by attaching them to MathType expressions. If you are an experienced MathType user, you will be familiar with .eqp files, since they are also used to set print preferences (e.g., font, size, spacing, etc.) in MathType. In this part of the tutorial, you will learn one way to attach previously defined preference files to an expression. In later sections you will have an opportunity to learn how to build preference files yourself.

If you are going through this tutorial for the first time, you should have cleared all preferences in Task 1.1 on page 6. However, if you have already gone further in this tutorial and set some preferences, please clear them now. (See the instructions in Task 2.1 on page 16 if you have forgotten how to do this.)

Directions

Note: The directions for attaching a previously defined preference file are the same as the directions for clearing preferences, except that in Step 6, instead of clicking on ClearPreferences.eqp, you will click on other .eqp files.

Remember to complete this task in the appropriate part of the workbook.

Step 1:Open a new MathType window (see Task 1.1, step 2, on page 6 for a reminder, if needed).

Step 2:Click on the Preferences menu.


Step 3:Click on Equation Preferences.

Step 4: Click on Load from File.

Step 5: The speech preferences folder c:\ClearSpeakAuthorPreferences should appear, remembered from an earlier step in this tutorial. If it does not come up, navigate to it.


Step 6: Find the desired preference file and select it.

(As noted before, the preference file names are listed in alphabetical order. To find the desired file, you can scroll down the list until you locate it, or you can begin typing the file name in the box labeled File name and your computer will bring up the relevant entry without your needing to scroll down.)

Step 7: Enter the expression.


The expression will speak according to the preference you set.

Note 1: When you are setting preferences, you can choose to enter the expression before setting the speech preferences. You can also open an existing expression (by double-clicking on it) and change the speech preferences.

Note 2: As previously mentioned, if you set a speech preference, all new MathType expressions you create will speak according to that preference until you change it.

Example 1: According to the rules, the expression speaks as “one-half plus 18 over 23”.

If the preference Fraction_FracOver.eqp. is set, the expression will speak as “the

fraction 1 over 2 plus the fraction 18 over 23”. Try entering the expression in the


MathType window and setting the Fraction_FracOver.eqp preference now. Play the expression to confirm that is does, indeed, speak as “the fraction 1 over 2 plus the fraction 18 over 23”.

Example 2: Enter the expression , close the MathType window, and then play the expression. The speech you should hear is “the fraction 3 over 4 plus the fraction 2 over 3”. That is because you set the preference Fraction_FracOver.eqp and then entered the expression

without changing any speech settings.

Example 3: Open the expression and clear the preferences as in Task 2.1 (p. 16). Close the MathType window and then play the expression. The speech you should hear is “three-fourths plus two-thirds”. That is because you cleared the preference and set the rule again.

Example 4: Play the expressions in Examples 1 and 2 again. Note that clearing the preferences in Example 3 did not change the predefined speech in these previously entered expressions.

A Note on the Names of the Predefined Preference Files

The naming convention used for the predefined preference files is intended to be helpful to you when you are determining what preference file to use to get the desired speech for a particular structure. The names of the predefined preference files consist of two parts: (1) a name indicating the structure (such as fractions) for which speech is being set and (2) a name for what that speech is. For example, the preference you just used (Fraction_FracOver.eqp) sets speech for fractions to be “the fraction [numerator] over [denominator]”. The structure for which speech is being set is called the Preference Name, and the name for the specified speech is called the Preference Value. So in the preference Fraction_FracOver.eqp, the Preference Name is Fraction, and the Preference Value is FracOver.

Included among the preference files for each structure is the rule for that structure. As for the preferences, the Preference Name is the name indicating the structure for which the speech is being set. The Preference Value for the rule is Auto. For example, the preference file Fraction_Auto.eqp sets speech for fractions to be according to the fraction rules. (That is, the rules for a structure are the speech that will be generated automatically if no preferences for that structure are set.)

Each predefined preference file sets a preference for a single structure. It is also possible to create preference files that set preferences for multiple structures, as you will learn in Part 4, page 37.


Task 2.3: Exploring preferences

Note: This material is also covered in the video titled Getting an Expression to Speak the Way You Want it To (Part 2): Setting Multiple Preferences.

2.3.1 Fraction Preferences

Enter the expression and attach a fraction preference. Close the expression and play it back. Do this for each of the fraction preferences, and listen to how the speech changes. Then open the expression one last time, clear all preferences, and play it back. The expression will play according to the rules.

2.3.2 Exponent Preferences

Enter the expression and attach an exponent preference. Close the expression and play it back. Do this for each of the exponent preferences, and listen to how the speech changes. Here is a list of the exponent preferences:

Exponent_AfterPower.eqp

Exponent_Auto.eqp (Note: This is the rule for exponents.)

Exponent_Ordinal.eqp

Exponent_OrdinalPower.eqp

Now, open the expression one last time, clear all preferences, and play it back. The expression will play according to the rules.

2.3.3 Multiple Preferences

You can set predefined speech for more than one structure by attaching multiple predefined preference files to an expression. For example, if you set a predefined preference for how fractions speak and then set a predefined preference for how exponents speak, new expressions that you enter will speak according to both preferences you set (assuming the expressions include the relevant structures). Note that setting the predefined exponent preference will not clear the predefined fraction preference that you set. More generally, setting a predefined speech preference for any structure does not clear any speech preferences you have set for other structures.


However, you cannot set multiple predefined speech preferences for the same structure in different parts of an expression. Instead, setting a new predefined speech preference for the same structure will cause the speech for that structure to change to the speech preference you most recently set for that structure. For example, if you set a predefined preference for how fractions speak, then set a predefined preference for how exponents speak, and then set a new preference for how fraction speak, new expressions that you enter will speak according to the new fraction preference and according to the old exponent preference. More generally, if you set multiple speech preferences for the same structure, the last speech preference you set for that structure will govern how new expressions that you enter will speak.

Note that if you have set preferences for several structures and want to set the speech for some but not all these structures back to the rules, you can do so by setting the Auto preference file for the structures that you want to speak according to the rules. For example, to set the speech for exponents back to the rules without changing any other preferences that are set, open a new expression and attach the preference file Exponents_Auto.eqp.

Step 1: Enter the expression and clear all preferences if they are not already cleared. Then close the expression and play it back. The expression will play according to the rules as “the fraction with numerator x cubed plus 2 x to the fourth power, and denominator 3 x squared”.

Step 2: Open the expression and attach the fraction preference file Fraction_FracOver.eqp, then attach the exponent preference file Exponent_Ordinal.eqp. Next, close the expression and play it back. The fraction will speak according to both the FracOver preference and the Exponent Ordinal preference. (Recall that you can look up the speech corresponding to these preferences in the ClearSpeak Rules and Preferences document. However, from the names of the preference files, you can guess that when they are set, exponents will speak as ordinals and fractions will speak as “the fraction [numerator] over [denominator]”.

Step 3: Open the expression again and attach the exponent preference file Exponent_AfterPower.eqp. Close the expression and play it back. Since you changed the speech preference for exponents but did not change the speech preference for fractions, the expression will speak according to the new speech preference for exponents (AfterPower) and the old speech preference for fractions (the one you set in Step 2, FracOver).

Step 4: In preparation for Task 2.3.4 below, open the expression again and clear all of the preferences using the ClearPreference.eqp file. (Note that since you only set preferences for exponents and fractions, you could also have cleared all preferences by attaching the preference file Exponents_Auto.eqp and the preference file Fraction_Auto.eqp.)


2.3.4 Practicing with Multiple Preferences

Do the following for each of the expressions in the table below.

1. Open a MathType window.

2. Set the preferences by using the indicated preference file name.

3. Enter the expression.

4. Close the MathType window.

5. Play the expression.

Note: You can also enter the expression and then set the preferences.

Expression Preference(s) Expected Speech

Fraction_Over.eqp x plus 1 over 2

Fraction_FracOver.eqp The fraction x plus 1 over 2

Exponent_AfterPower.eqp x raised to the power 2 plus 5 x raised to the power 6

Do not attach or clear any preferences.

The fraction x raised to the power 3 plus 2 x raised to the power 4 over x raised to the power 2

Why should it speak this way? Answer: The last fraction preference file set was Fraction_FracOver.eqp, and the last exponent preference file set was Exponent_AfterPower.eqp.

Note: If you did not enter this expression just after the previous two in this table, the speech could be different.


Expression Preference(s) Expected Speech

Exponent_OrdinalPower.eqp

Fraction_General.eqp

The fraction with numerator x raised to the third power plus 2 x raised to the fourth power, and denominator x raised to the second power

This is the end of Part 2. This might be a good time to save the workbook document.


Part 3: Entering and Removing Exact Speech

Note: This material is also covered in the video titled Getting an Expression to Speak the Way You Want It To (Part 3): Entering and Removing Exact Speech.

When the rules and preferences do not give the desired speech, you can customize the speech of part or all of the expression by entering the exact speech that you want spoken for that part of the expression. It is highly desirable that exact speech be used only on those parts of the expression that cannot be made to speak as desired using the rules or some combination of preferences. Please see the further explanation in the section A Note on Exact Speech and Its Interaction with Interactive Navigation (p. 34).

Task 3.1: Entering exact speech

Directions

Step 1: Identify the parts of the expression that do not speak as desired, and decide how you want them to be spoken.

Example: In the expression , “=” speaks as “equals”, but you want “=” to speak as “is equal to”.

Step 2: Highlight the part of the expression for which you want to define exact speech.


Step 3: Click on the Edit menu.

Step 4: In the drop-down menu, click on Custom Speech Text.


A dialog box will appear.

Step 5: Click on the dialog box and enter the desired speech. In the example below “is equal to” has been entered in the dialogue box.

You can also make the speech pause for a specified length of time, in milliseconds, by using the statement [pause {# of milliseconds}]. For example, if you want the speech to pause for


450 milliseconds before and after the “is equal to” in the example, you would enter [pause 450] both before and after “is equal to”, as shown below.

Note that if the text is too small to see clearly after you have typed it into the Custom Speech Text box, you may want to type the exact speech you want to add in Word, Notepad, or any other text editor of your choice and then copy and paste it into the Custom Speech Text box when you are done.

Step 6. Close the dialog box. The part of the expression for which you defined exact speech should be underlined.


If the part is not underlined, you can enable underlining as follows.

Click View and make sure Show All is checked.


The expression will speak with the exact speech you entered.

Task 3.2: Removing exact speech

Step 1: Open the expression you created in Task 3.1 (double-click on it to open).

Step 2: Highlight the part of the expression that has exact speech that you would like to remove.

Step 3: Click on the Edit menu.

Step 4: In the drop-down menu, click on Remove Speech Text.


The red underlining under the highlighted part of the expression will disappear, indicating that the exact speech has been removed. When you close the MathType window, you can play the expression to verify that it now speaks as it did before you added the exact speech.


Task 3.3: Practicing entering and removing exact speech

Step 1: Make the expression speak as “12 take away 2 equals 2 multiplied by 5” by entering the exact speech “take away” for and “multiplied by” for .

Note: The following two screenshots show where the (cross) multiplication symbol is located. The raised-dot ( ) multiplication symbol is located in the same place.

.

Step 2: Close the expression and play it back.

Step 3: Reopen the expression and remove the exact speech for , but do not remove the exact speech for .

Close the expression and play it back.

A Note on Exact Speech and Its Interaction with Interactive Navigation

Exact speech functionality is provided because it is sometimes necessary to use it to get an expression to speak as you want it to. However, exact speech can cause problems with the interactive navigation of expressions. This is because the navigation system does not know how to explore the part of the expression for which exact speech is defined. Therefore, if you need to use exact speech to get an expression to speak exactly as desired, first use rules and preferences to get the speech as close as possible to the desired speech, and then enter exact speech in small


chunks. You can check for yourself how an expression navigates by using the Navigate button on the MathPlayer toolbar. In particular, listen to the way the expression speaks when you zoom into a portion for which you have set exact speech.

Hint: This is a good way to put in extra pauses.

If you are not changing the way an expression speaks but want to add pauses, you can do so by adding a space in the expression and then inserting the pause in exact speech associated with the space. Here is an example.

Example. Suppose you’ve entered the expression and set it to speak according to the rules (i.e., “the square root of x plus 1”), but you would like it to pause longer between “the square root of x” and the “plus 1”. So you decide to add a 400 ms pause after “the square root”. Here is how to do that.

Step 1: Open the expression and find the MathType palate that is used to add spaces.


Step 2: Click on where you want to insert the pause, then choose one of the available spaces that preserves the right amount of space in the expression. (You may have to experiment to see which size space works best.)


Step 3: Enter the space, and then enter the exact speech for the 400 ms pause.

When you close the Custom Speech Text box and the MathType window, the expression will look like it did before, but it will now pause for 400 ms between “the square root of x” and “plus 1”.

This is the end of Part 3 of the authoring tutorial. This might be a good time to save the workbook document.


Part 4: Using the Preference File Builder, a Tool for Building Your Own

Preference Files

Note: This material is not covered in the videos.

The preference files we have worked with so far change the speech for one type of math structure at a time. Setting a preference for fractions and exponents involved setting two preference files. If, over time, you find that you are setting the same group of preferences frequently, you may want to package these preferences together so that you can attach them to an expression without attaching the preference files one at a time. This section will show you how to build your own preference files using a program called the Preference File Builder. The files you create will be available for you to use or share. (Note that since .eqp files are ordinary text files, you can also use any text editor, such as Notepad, to create and edit preference files manually. They must use the .eqp file extension in order for MathType to recognize them. The Preference File Builder is just a way to help you create your own preference files.)

To open the Preference File Builder from the Start menu or button (depending on the operating system you’re using), select All Programs, then select ClearSpeakAuthorPreferences.

The Preference File Builder Screen

This is what the Preference File Builder screen looks like. The files listed and their locations may be different from those shown here, since Preference File Builder will be reading the files from your computer.


All Help files will appear on the left side of the screen. The contents of the preference file you are building will appear in the big box in the middle of the screen.


The Help file that you will see when you first open the Preference File Builder gives general help on how to build preference files. Clicking the Help button at any time will bring up this general Help screen.


The right side of the screen shows where the Preference File Builder is looking for your preference files (and where it will put any new preference files you build), along with a list of the preference files in that location. Before beginning to build new preference files, make sure that Preference File Builder is looking in the right location. In the standard installation, that should be c:\ClearSpeakAuthorPreferences.

When you are ready to close the Preference File Builder, click on the Exit button or click the X in the upper-right corner of the window. (However, leave it open for the remainder of this section of the tutorial.)


Task 4.1 Building a preference file

In this task you will learn how to build your own preference file. The file you build will

define speech preferences for fractions and roots and

speak all other structures according to the rules.

Note that in this tutorial we are only working with preferences for exponents, fractions, and roots. So, in this task, saying that all other structures speak according to the rules is the same as saying that exponents speak according to the rules.

Step 1: Clear all preferences.

When you first open the Preference File Builder you will see two statements in the Current Preferences box:

[Data, #Delete, ETSSpeech][Data, ETSSpeech]

The first statement clears all of the preferences that have been set previously; the second restores all speech to the rules.

If you are building a preference file that defines speech preferences for some structures, and you want all other structures to speak according to the rules, these two statements must be the first two statements in the preference file you are building.

Make sure the needed lines are in the Current Preferences box. If they are not, copy them from this document and paste them in, or type them into the Current Preferences box exactly as shown above.

Note: If you are building a preference file in which you will set preferences for some structures, but you want speech for all the other structures to be unaffected by the preference file, you can do that too. Just begin your file with the line [Data, ETSSpeech].

The predefined preference files for fractions, exponents, and roots you worked with in previous parts of this tutorial did not clear preferences.


Step 2: Set the exponents preference to Auto.

Above the Current Preferences box are two boxes: one labeled Preference Name and one labeled Preference Value. (See the discussion of the terms Preference Name and Preference Value on page 23.)

Click on the arrow on the right side of the Preference Name box to get a drop-down list of the structures for which speech preferences have been predefined. Select Exponent from the list. Exponent will then appear in the Preference Name box.

Note: When you select a Preference Name, a list and brief description of the available preference values will appear in the Help box.


Click on the arrow on the right side of the Preference Value box to get a drop-down list of the preference values for which speech preferences have been predefined. Select Auto from the list.

Auto will then appear in the Preference Value box.


Add this speech preference to the preference file you are building in the Current Preferences box by clicking in the Add Preference Shown button.

Note that the statement Exponent = Auto now appears in the Current Preferences box.

Step 3: Add a speech preference for fractions.

To do this, follow the same procedure that you followed for setting the speech preference for exponents. In this case, the Preference Name is Fraction and the Preference Value is GeneralEndFrac. After you have added the preference for fractions, the Current Preferences box should look like this.


Note that the statement Fraction = GeneralEndFrac now appears in the Current Preferences box.

Step 4: Add a speech preference for roots.

To do this, follow the same procedure that you followed for setting the speech preference for exponents. In this case, the Preference Name is Roots and the Preference Value is RootEnd.

Note that the statement Root = RootEnd now appears in the Current Preferences box.

You are now finished adding the speech preferences for exponents, fractions, and roots.

When you are creating a preference file it is important to know that if the list of statements in your preference file contains more than one statement involving the same structure (e.g., the statements Exponent = Ordinal and Exponent = After Power are both in the list), the last of these statements in the list is the one that takes effect. It is a good idea to delete the preference statements you do not want to take effect from the list (leaving, for example, only the one exponent preference you want to take effect) so that you can clearly tell what preferences will take effect when you use the file.

Step 5: Name the new preference file.

In order to use a preference file, you must save it and give it a name. When you name a preference file that you have built, try to select a name that reminds you of what is in the preference file. In this case, let’s name the file End_FracRoot.eqp, since the speech preferences that were set explicitly indicate where exponents, fractions, and roots end.


To enter the preference name, click on the Preference File Name box and enter End_FracRoot.eqp in the box.


Then click on the Save Preferences to File Shown button.


When you clicked on the Save Preferences to File Shown button, the name of your new preference file was added to your available preference files.


Step 6: Use your new preference file.

You can now attach the new preference file to new or existing math expressions. Play the

expression used in Task 1.1: . Then open the expression and set your new preference (in the same way as you did in Task 2.2: Making expressions speak according to previously defined preferences, on page 20). Now play the expression again to see how the speech has been changed by the preferences you set. For the expression in Task 1.1, the resulting speech should be “one plus the fraction with numerator x squared minus 1 and denominator x minus 1, end fraction, plus the square root of x, end root”.

Task 4.2 Creating a preference file by editing an existing file

In this task you will learn another way to build your own preference file, starting with an already existing .eqp file. The file you will build will

start with the preference file Fraction_FracOver.eqp and

add a previously defined preference for exponents, called Ordinal.


Directions.

Step 1: Locate and click on the preference file Fraction_FracOver.eqp.

After you have clicked on the Fraction_FracOver.eqp preference file, the file name will appear in the Preference File Name box below the list of preference files


If you want to see how this preference will speak, go to the drop-down menu in the Preference Name box and select Fraction. This will bring up the Fraction Preferences help screen.

Step 2: Click on the Load Preferences from File Shown box.


This will load the Frac_FracOver.eqp preference file. The contents of the file will appear in the Current Preferences box.


Note from the contents of the Current Preferences box that the Fraction_FracOver.eqp file begins with the single statement: [Data, ETSSpeech].

As previously mentioned, that means that the preference file you are building will not clear all preferences. The preferences for structures other than those that will be specified in this file will remain unchanged.

Step 3: Add the Exponent preference Ordinal.

Under Preference Name select Exponent.

Then, under Preference Value, select Ordinal.


Then click on the Add Preference Shown button. The Exponent preference Ordinal will appear in the Current Preferences box (as Exponent = Ordinal).

Step 4: Name the new preference file.

In order to use and keep the new preference file, you need to give it a name. The name should remind you of what is in the preference file. In this case, let’s name the file FracOver_ExpOrdinal.eqp.


To enter the preference name, click on the Preference File Name box and enter FracOver_ExpOrdinal.eqp in the box.

Then click on the Save Preferences to File Shown button.


When you click on the Save Preference to File Shown button, the name of your newly defined preference will be added to your available preferences.

Step 6: Use your new preference file.

You can now attach the new preference file to new or existing math expressions. Play the

expression used in Task 2.3.3: . Then open the expression and set your new preference (in the same way that you did in Task 2.2: Making expressions speak according to previously defined preferences, on page 20). Now play the expression again to see how the speech has been changed by the preferences you set. That expression should now speak as “the fraction x to the third power plus 2 x to the fourth power over three x to the second power”.


introduction - design science - how science communicates web viewthe authoring tools were designed...

Documents