Operationalising LaTeX to Support the Teaching of Mathematics to VI Students

In addition to vision loss, visually impaired (VI) students face several challenges when it comes to mastering mathematics such as, but not limited to, not having access to trained educators, lack of supportive and appropriate pedagogies and assistive technologies (ATs), socio- economic challenges, and the unique nature of mathematics.

This paper presents a systematic review to establish what research has been published on mathematical education for VI students in tertiary education with the primary goal to provide insights regarding the role and range of technologies, and specifically LaTeX in the teaching of mathematics to VI students. The systematic review was conducted in March 2023, and adhered to the guidelines of the PRISMA 2020 framework (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) using two databases (Scopus and Web of Sciences (WoS)) with search terms related to visual impairment, mathematics, education, and LaTeX. A rigorous screening process, including title and abstract screening and full-text screening, was employed to determine the relevance and eligibility of the identified records. After resolving discrepancies through an independent parallel (double) screening process, 65 records from 1992 to 2022 were included for final analysis. Through an inductive analysis, five themes were identified, namely: the need to problematise the notion of “access”, the nature of mathematics as knowledge field, the impact of e-learning, the range and appropriateness of technological solutions, and LaTeX as viable option.

The paper highlights the transformational potential of technology in encouraging inclusion for VI students pursuing mathematics education at tertiary level, laying the groundwork for context-appropriate interventions and also identifies several pointers for future research.