[Athen] MathML Accessibility Guidelines

[Brian Richwine]

Thanks Steve,

I had not seen the Hawkes learning resource before.

It does seen that there needs to be guidance on how to design MathML for
accessibility... with a a section on design considerations to help
publishers understand what can and cannot be accessibly interpreted from an
auditory or braille representation of MathML. Especially if there were some
examples of what not to do with an accompanying explanation.

I think in this case, the publisher took a textbook that was originally
typeset in Tex and converted parts of it into MathML from that Tex and then
published that as what they intended to be an accessible HTML eBook.
Unfortunately it apparently was not done with an awareness of if the
resulting MathML was or was not appropriate for accessibility purposes.

I'm trying to figure out what the best constructive feedback is I can
provide to them.

Thanks again,
  Brian

On Fri, Feb 10, 2017 at 6:05 PM, <steve.noble at louisville.edu> wrote:


> Here are a few resources to consider:

>

> http://www.hawkeslearning.com/Accessibility/guides/mathml_content.html

>

> http://www.daisy.org/z3986/structure/SG-DAISY3/part2-math.html

>

>

>

> There is need for much more documentation of best practices in this area,

> but little funding to provide the people-hours to write it up. Gives me an

> idea of a grant proposal I need to write. But, alas, the reviewers probably

> won't understand the importance and it will never get funded. Perhaps

> something the Benetech Standards Workgroup is planning to address.

>

>

>

> --Steve Noble

> steve.noble at louisville.edu

> 502-969-3088 <(502)%20969-3088>

> http://louisville.academia.edu/SteveNoble

>

>

> ------------------------------

> *From:* athen-list [athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] on

> behalf of Brian Richwine [blrichwine at gmail.com]

> *Sent:* Friday, February 10, 2017 4:03 PM

> *To:* Access Technology Higher Education Network

> *Subject:* [Athen] MathML Accessibility Guidelines

>

> Hello,

>

> Do anyone know of a guidance document for creating proper MathML for

> accessibility? Kind of a WCAG for MathML?

>

> A major publisher provided us what they are calling an accessible HTML

> textbook. However, the MathML employed in the textbook is designed for

> display formatting instead of as appropriate for a non-visual user.

>

> By display MathML I mean that the MathML makes heavy use of mtables

> (including multiple levels of nested mtables) to layout equations and

> annotation of equations within a multi-columnar/multi-row arrangement. The

> tables do not linearize logically. When it's not a total mess, the

> non-visual user would still have to develop an spacial 2D guess as how the

> math equation is arranged and then analyze the multiple nested tables into

> a 2D space around that equation before making any sense of the annotation.

>

> If possible, I'm looking for some official or at least respected source of

> this information so that the publisher will take the feedback as credible.

>

> I'd also be interested if anyone has had successful conversations with a

> publisher regarding appropriate use of MathML in textbooks for

> accessibility.

>

> Thanks,

>   Brian Richwine

>

>

>

> Manager, UITS Assistive Technology and Accessibility Centers, Indiana

> University

>

> https://atac.iu.edu

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>

> (812) 856-2757 [Direct Line]

>

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>

> brichwin at iu.edu

>

>

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