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Re: Math Online: Images or MathML?

for

From: Stephen L Noble
Date: Aug 19, 2008 5:50AM

For the benefit of those on the list, I'll share the email I sent Elizabeth...
----

Hi Elizabeth,

I have written extensively on this topic. Let me say flatly that using math images along with alt tags is a very poor substitute for true accessible math like MathML. Here are a couple of articles that help explain the difference between providing images and alt tags and providing truly accessible math:
http://www.dessci.com/en/solutions/access/mathaccess.htm

http://www.dessci.com/en/solutions/access/techissues.htm#The_problem_of_math_images

For a list of screen readers that can handle MathML just fine, see "Which Assistive Technology Products Have Math Support?"
http://www.dessci.com/en/solutions/access/atsupport.htm
Any of the reading tools that are listed as having "Basic Math Speech" can handle MathML. All the user needs to do is simply install the free MathPlayer plugin:
http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/default.htm

If you need any further information, please feel free to contact me.

Best regards,

Steve Noble
RFB&D Kentucky Unit Board of Directors
Learning Disabilities Association of America National Board
Immediate Past President, Learning Disabilities Association of Kentucky
<EMAIL REMOVED>
502-969-3088

>>> Christophe Strobbe < <EMAIL REMOVED> > 8/19/2008 5:46 AM >>>
Hi Elizabeth,

At 20:02 18/08/2008, you wrote:
>Hello:
>
>I hope this isn't old territory, but we are working on an online
>course with complicated enough equations to require an Equation
>Editor.
>
>The editor we are using (MathMagic) can export both image files and
>MathML (within an XML file containing XHTML and MathML), but we want
>to make sure the MathML is accessible for screen readers.

According to Design Science, their MathPlayer (plugin for IE) works
with JAWS, Window-Eyes, HAL, Read & Write, and BrowseAloud. MathPlayer
also has a zoom feature.
See <http://www.dessci.com/en/company/press/releases/040722.htm>;
and <http://www.dessci.com/en/company/press/releases/070917.htm>;.


There is some interesting information on Dominique Archambault's blog
"chez dom" at <http://chezdom.net/blog/>;, for example
"How to set up MS Internet Explorer for displaying MathML contents" at
<http://chezdom.net/blog/?p=35>;.

The @Science network has been collecting experiences and (best)
practices regarding access to mathematics and science, and its
deliverables are publicly available at
<http://www.ascience.eu/?q=en/pub_deliverables>;.

A related network, JEM - Joining Educational Mathematics, has also
published some accessibility-related items on one of their blogs;
see Olga Caprotti's blog at
<http://www.jem-thematic.net/en/blog/5>;.


>Does anyone have an opinion on whether MathML can be accessed by
>screen readers or whether images with alt tags are still a safer
>choice?

Out of curiosity, I would like to know what alt text you would
publish. Wikipedia uses LaTeX; see "Using LaTeX markup" in the
"Wikipedia Manual of Style (mathematics):
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style_(mathematics)>.

Best regards,

Christophe



>Thank you in advance.
>
>Elizabeth Pyatt
>--
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=->Elizabeth J. Pyatt, Ph.D.
>Instructional Designer
>Education Technology Services, TLT/ITS
>Penn State University
> <EMAIL REMOVED> , (814) 865-0805 or (814) 865-2030 (Main Office)
>
>210 Rider Building (formerly Rider II)
>227 W. Beaver Avenue
>State College, PA 16801-4819
>http://www.personal.psu.edu/ejp10/psu
>http://tlt.psu.edu


--
Christophe Strobbe
K.U.Leuven - Dept. of Electrical Engineering - SCD
Research Group on Document Architectures
Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 bus 2442
B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee
BELGIUM
tel: +32 16 32 85 51
http://www.docarch.be/
---
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