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Re: ALT text for equations

for

From: Liko, Todd
Date: Aug 18, 2014 10:41AM

Thank you all for your responses.

Todd.

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of John E Brandt
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 12:13 PM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] ALT text for equations

I attended a webinar last year that dealt with the whole issue of accessibility instructional materials and mathematics. Basically it made my head explode.

The whole use of images or MathML is only one part of the accessibility issue. The bigger issue is related to the actual "reading" of the equation.
Not only is there a knack for reading the equation correctly so it makes sense from a listening perspective, there are apparently multiple terms for the same symbol and regional vernacular to some of these. In the webinar they demonstrated a math symbol for a square root that was called something different depending on where you lived in the United States! In the webinar they also recommended working with math teachers or science teachers to make sure you were doing this correctly.

Add to this the fact that in HTML, different browsers/OS combinations will show the same equation using MathML differently and you are far from having a standardized situation.

The final sense was that things were getting better, but were still not perfect.

Here are some resources:

http://aim.cast.org/experience/acrosscurriculum/math/math_and_images#.U_Ilgf
ldXh4
http://aim.cast.org/learn/e-resources/accessibility_resources/stem#.U_Ilrfld
Xh4
http://aim.cast.org/experience/technologies/mathml_nimas#.U_IlyPldXh4


~j

John E. Brandt
jebswebs: accessible and universal web design, development and consultation <EMAIL REMOVED>
207-622-7937
Augusta, Maine, USA

@jebswebs

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Liko, Todd
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 8:02 AM
To: ' <EMAIL REMOVED> '
Subject: [WebAIM] ALT text for equations

Hello all.

I have researched this topic online and found older WebAIM threads. The information I have found thus far indicates there is not a lot of support for making equations accessible, short of writing it out in ALT text.

I am curious how others are dealing with this, not only for HTML and in PDF documents as well.

_______
Todd Liko
Communications Advisor | Conseiller en communications Web Services | Services Web Communications and Marketing | Communications et Marketing
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