Asynchronous discourse between a professor and a visually impaired student discussing mathematics written in LaTeX

Asynchronous communication plays a crucial role in accessible mathematical interaction. This study examines an exchange between a professor and a visually impaired university student discussing calculus solutions. To ensure accessibility, the student submitted LaTeX texts, and the professor provided asynchronous voice feedback. Drawing on Sfard’s theoretical framework, the analysis of word use and endorsed narratives identifies three discourses: technical discourse, coordinative metadiscourse, and mathematical discourse. Temporal analysis reveals these emerge dynamically as functional reactions to the student’s prompts. Ultimately, coordinative metadiscourse acts as an indispensable mediator between symbolic production and conceptual interpretation, sustaining communicative alignment in asynchronous settings.