Computer aided math learning as a tool to assess and increase motivation in learning math by visually impaired students.

PURPOSE: Effective teaching and learning mathematics is important to achieve good results during an academic and professional career. This is especially difficult for visually impaired students because of difficulties in managing structural information included in maths formulae. METHODS: The extended multimedia alternative method, including the problem of decomposition and knowledge vector, were presented and compared to the classical teaching method. A qualitative method to evaluate motivation during the process of teaching and learning maths for impaired students, which includes eleven detailed motivators, has been developed. RESULTS: The alternative teaching method offers statistically significant improvements in four of the eleven proposed assessment categories: success in progress - adjusting the difficulties of learning, presentation of the material, approval: group/individual and alternative presentation of mathematic materials. The experiments carried out allowed the authors to increase the knowledge about the limitations and challenges occurring in the process of maths education among visually impaired students and their motivation. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the experiments and research results, it can be concluded that applying the proposed method of decomposition together with evaluation procedure based on the vector of knowledge in the process of teaching and learning of mathematics by visually impaired may increase their motivation positively.Implications for RehabilitationThe key aspects of the alternative method of presenting math formulae are included in the bellow points:• It increases the availability of materials containing structured information (mathematical formulae) for the blind.• It limits the importance of communication barriers in math education: the possibility of self-study, reducing costs - by reducing the number of individual tutorials.• It contributes to the development of universal rules for the structural presentation of information• It increases the independence of the student from the teacher.

Salticidae (Arachnida, Araneae) of Thailand: new species and records of Epeus Peckham & Peckham, 1886 and Ptocasius Simon, 1885.

The study is based on new material from the collections of the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in Leiden (RNHM) and the Hungarian Natural History Museum (HNHM) and addresses issues in two genera: Epeus Peckham & Peckham, 1886 and Ptocasius Simon, 1885 from Thailand. Both genera are of Asian/Indomalayan origin, the latter with a diversity hotspot in the subtropical valleys of the Himalayas. Based on morphological data, we propose three new species of Epeus (Epeus daiqini sp. nov. (♂♀), Epeus pallidus sp. nov. (♀), Epeus szirakii sp. nov. (♀)) and two new species of Ptacasius (Ptocasius metzneri sp. nov. (♂♀) and Ptocasius sakaerat sp. nov. (♀)). Additionally, we redescribed E. tener (Simon, 1877) and added photographs of morphological characters. The genus Ptocasius is redefined due to the inclusion of 37 species, previously included in Yaginumaella Prószynski, 1979. Relationships and distribution of both genera are discussed in reference to molecular, morphological and distributional data, published by other authors in recent years.

New record of Gelotia Thorell, 1890 and a new species of Parahelpis Gardzinska amp; Zabka, 2010 (Araneae: Salticidae) from Australia.

Gelotia robusta Wanless, 1984 (♂♀) and Parahelpis wandae sp. nov. (♂) from Northeast Queensland are diagnosed, described and illustrated. The genus Gelotia Thorell, 1890 is newly recorded from Australia, and the female of G. robusta is described for the first time. Distributional maps of the studied species are presented, and remarks on their relationships and distribution are provided.

New species of Langona Simon, 1901 and Neaetha Simon, 1884 (Araneae: Salticidae) from Thailand.

The genera Langona Simon, 1901 and Neaetha Simon, 1884 are recorded from Thailand. Langona pattayensis sp. nov. (♂♀) and Neaetha wesolowskae sp. nov. (♂♀) are described and diagnosed. Distributional maps and remarks on the relationships of both genera and species are provided.

New species of Rogmocrypta Simon, 1900 from New Caledonia, with remarks on relationships and distribution (Araneae, Salticidae).

Five new species of Rogmocrypta: R. karolinae (♀), R. koniambo (♀), R. patryki (♀), R. raveni (♀), and R. rollardae (♀) are diagnosed, described, and illustrated. The definition of the genus is ammended and its distribution and relationships are discussed.

A new species of Trite Simon, 1885 (Araneae: Salticidae) from New Zealand, with remarks on Trite relationships and radiation.

A species known from earlier behavioural studies as "Holoplatys sp.", is described as Trite pollardi sp. nov. Within the genus Trite, two species groups are distinguished: the planiceps-group (found in New Caledonia, New Zealand, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island) and the incognita-group (limited to New Zealand). The three alternative scenarios of the Trite origin, relationships and radiation in New Zealand, New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island are discussed. Three species are considered to be excluded from Trite.

The jumping spiders from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China (Araneae, Salticidae).

Twenty one jumping spider species from South Yunnan are reported, diagnosed, described and illustrated; 19 of them are described as new: Afraflacilla ballarini Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Agorius tortilis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Bavia exilis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Carrhotus kevinlii Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Carrhotus sarahcrewsae Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Chinattus wengnanensis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Chinophrys mengyangensis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Cocalus menglaensis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Cosmophasis xiaolonghaensis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Cytaea yunnanensis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Gedea pinguis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Gelotia zhengi Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Icius bamboo Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Nannenus menghaiensis Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Pancorius latus Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Phintella lepidus Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Phintella sancha Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂), Ptocasius paraweyersi Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), and Stenaelurillus fuscus Cao & Li, sp. n. (♂). Females of Bavia capistrata (C.L. Koch, 1846) and Phintella suavisoides Lei & Peng, 2013 are described for the first time. DNA barcodes of 12 species were obtained for future use.

New species of Tauala Wanless, 1988 from Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Astioida: Astiae), with a redefinition of the genus.

Five species of the genus Tauala Wanless, 1988, namely T. zborowskii sp. nov. (f), T. ottoi sp. nov. (f), T. palumaensis sp. nov. (m), T. bilobatus sp. nov. (m) and T. setosus sp. nov. (m), are diagnosed, described and illustrated. Additional colour plates with the females of T. lepidus Wanless, 1988 and T. athertonensis Gardzinska, 1996 and the male of T. splendidus Wanless, 1988 are provided, as well as distributional maps for these three species. Tauala elongata Peng & Li, 2002 is considered a non-congener. A revised definition of the genus is proposed and its distribution and relationships are discussed.

Proszynellus--a new jumping spider genus from Australia (Araneae: Salticidae).

The new genus Proszynellus is described from Western Australia to include three new species: P. nasalis (♂♀), P. wandae (♂♀) and P. occidentalis (♂), the first being designated the generic type. Diagnosis, descriptions, illustrations and distributional maps for all species are provided. Based on morphological characters, especially male palp and vulva, the genus is tentatively placed in Heliophaninae, being possibly close to Menemerus Simon.

New species of Helpis Simon, 1901 from Australia (Araneae: Salticidae), with a new definition of the genus.

Five new species of Helpis Simon, 1901 from Queensland and New South Wales are diagnosed, described and illustrated: H. foelixi sp. nov. (♂); H. merriwa sp. nov. (♀); H. staregai sp. nov. (♀); H. wanlessi sp. nov. (♀) and H. wisharti sp. nov. (♀). The male of H. kenilworthi Zabka, 2002 is described for the first time, Helpis gracilis Gardzinska, 1996 is illustrated to show intraspecific variation and Astia colemani Wanless, 1988 is redescribed and transferred to the genus Helpis. Remarks on relationships of described species are provided and maps with distributional records are given. 

Redescription of the genus Opisthoncus L. Koch, 1880 (Araneae: Salticidae).

Of 33 nominal species listed by Platnick (2012), 25 species of the genus Opisthoncus are redefined and redescribed here. O. kochi Zabka, 1991, was redescribed by Prószynski (1983) while O. delectabilis Rainbow, 1920, O. eriognathus (Thorell, 1881), O. inconspicuus (Thorell, 1881), O. nigritifemur Strand, 1911 and O. pallidulus L. Koch, 1880 are excluded from the genus. O. clarus Keyserling, 1883 (the type specimen lost) is considered nomen dubium and O. verisimilis Peckham & Peckham, 1901 was not studied (types not located).