{"id":485,"date":"2024-06-27T19:00:31","date_gmt":"2024-06-27T19:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwtest.ucf.edu\/accessibility\/?p=485"},"modified":"2025-10-30T17:50:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T17:50:31","slug":"equations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/accessibility\/equations\/","title":{"rendered":"Equations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mathematical and scientific notation can be challenging to make accessible due to the following reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Specialized knowledge or software is required to produce many types of equations in a format that can be read by screen readers.<\/li>\n<li>Many popular screen readers do not interpret all equations as intended or in a way that is comprehensible to the user; however, tools for reading mathematical notation comprehensibly (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/nsoiffer.github.io\/MathCAT\/\">MathCAT<\/a>) are being continually improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These challenges are among the reasons many have tended to present mathematical and scientific notation in images, rather than real text (e.g., by using a mathematical editor or markup language). Images of equations present their own challenges for accessibility because screen readers cannot interpret images of text, whether mathematical notation or words, handwritten or typed; so, images of equations must be accompanied by equivalent text.<\/p>\n<h2>Best Practices<\/h2>\n<p>Use software or online tools to produce mathematical notation in an accessible format.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use the integrated equation editor available in some platforms, (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/community.canvaslms.com\/t5\/Instructor-Guide\/How-do-I-use-the-math-Equation-Editor-in-the-Rich-Content-Editor\/ta-p\/816\">Canvas<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/equation-editor-6eac7d71-3c74-437b-80d3-c7dea24fdf3f\">Microsoft<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>Use a mathematical markup language.\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/Math\/\">MathML<\/a> provides access to visual representation of equations and to speaking mathematical notation comprehensibly by assistive technology.\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathmlcentral.com\/Tools\/ToMathML.jsp\">MathML Central<\/a> by Wolfram converts text mathematical expressions to MathML<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latex-project.org\/\">LaTeX<\/a> can be input into popular equation editors (e.g., Canvas, Microsoft).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asciimath.org\/\">ASCIImath<\/a> is an easier-to-write markup language for mathematics.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathjax.org\/\">Mathjax<\/a> converts MathML, LaTeX, or ASCIImath to HTML+CSS, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), or MathML<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Convert images of equations to real text\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mathpix.com\/\">MathPix<\/a> converts images of equations into MathML, LaTeX, or ASCIImath<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.texthelp.com\/products\/equatio\/\">Equatio<\/a> features\n<ul>\n<li>Equation editor that can take typed, spoken, image, or handwritten input<\/li>\n<li>Output options include image with alt text; LaTeX; MathML; HTML.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>For <a href=\"https:\/\/wwwtest.ucf.edu\/accessibility\/images\/\">images<\/a> of equations, provide equivalent text in at least one way:\n<ul>\n<li>Alt text<\/li>\n<li>Caption<\/li>\n<li>Separate section of text provided or linked close to the image<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Present equations in a recorded narrated video (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/cdl.ucf.edu\/support\/webcourses\/panopto\/\">Panopto<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/cdl.ucf.edu\/support\/webcourses\/zoom\/\">Zoom<\/a>) with accurate synchronous captions and transcript.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Resources<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Learn more about MathML and how to use it with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/Math\/\">W3C Math Home<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tpgi.com\/making-math-accessible\/#:~:text=MathML,various%20parts%20of%20mathematical%20expressions.\">TPGi: Making Math Accessible<\/a>: a KnowledgeBase article about how to make mathematical equations in web content accessible to assistive technology<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wiris.com\/en\/mathtype\/\">MathType by Wiris<\/a> for Windows, Microsoft 365<\/li>\n<li>Free <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciweavers.org\/free-online-latex-equation-editor\">LaTeX equation editor<\/a> that allows you to create equations and generate the LaTeX code that you can then paste onto a webpage that accepts LaTeX.<\/li>\n<li>Canvas Instructor Guide: <a href=\"https:\/\/community.canvaslms.com\/t5\/Instructor-Guide\/How-do-I-use-the-math-Equation-Editor-in-the-Rich-Content-Editor\/ta-p\/816\">How To Use the Equation Editor in Canvas<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Compare features of <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1rX0sfZOTCD93khKDfv90VqeIIdZ1SjU_dHPqgdQPU4o\/edit?usp=sharing\">Accessible Math Languages &amp; Tools for Content Presentation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Use the proper tools to display math equations easily for screen 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