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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Susan, you’re understanding is spot on and the way you’re doing it is the way I’ve always advised folks on my campus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Math is not always read linearly and one limitation of using alt text for equation content is that the only mode you have to move through the mathematical content is linear. Another major downside of alt text
equation content is that it is just displayed as literal text on a Braille display, whereas MathML can easily be translated to Braille or displayed as Nemeth on an external Braille display. Again, this practice may pass some technical accessibility checklists…
but I’ve not encountered a blind/VI student yet who wants this method of presentation for math content.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks for jumping into the conversation – your input is always appreciated!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">J<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Justin Romack | Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Disability Resources | Texas A&M University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">1224 TAMU | College Station, TX 77843-1224<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ph: 979.845.1637 | <a href="mailto:justinr@disability.tamu.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">justinr@disability.tamu.edu</span></a> | disability.tamu.edu<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS | One Division. One Mission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> athen-list <athen-list-bounces@mailman12.u.washington.edu>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Susan Kelmer<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 2, 2023 12:15 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list@u.washington.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Athen] Math accessibility question - need feedback<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:.75pt"><span style="font-size:1.0pt;color:white">Oh my! Are people really doing that? I would never, and I mean never, do it that way! I provide Math content for students who are blind in MathML format, having
made it using MS Word and MathType. My understanding (and I am not blind) is that
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Oh my! Are people really doing that?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">I would never, and I mean never, do it that way! I provide Math content for students who are blind in MathML format, having made it using MS Word and MathType. My understanding
(and I am not blind) is that doing math in MathML means the student can access the full equation, move around within the equation, and it will be recognized by the screen reader properly. If I were just doing it by creating alt-text on images, who knows if
it would be correct or not? Who would be the content expert who would write those descriptions? Ouch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Susan Kelmer
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Alternate Format Production Program Manager<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Disability Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Health and Wellness Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#CFB87C">T</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">303 735 4836</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#CFB87C"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices__;!!KwNVnqRv!D9uVsFX_02zHJbZXSeo1pTdAAmsyHpKR0gpCjS-z878-FTv_G38cZHD-3CS2gw3edSSUDf4Hs1sMGmjfF8zU8PbWGnX_TKkE1y4$"><span style="color:#CFB87C">www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> athen-list <<a href="mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman12.u.washington.edu">athen-list-bounces@mailman12.u.washington.edu</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Romack, Justin<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 2, 2023 11:00 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:athen-list@u.washington.edu">athen-list@u.washington.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Athen] Math accessibility question - need feedback<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Howdy y’all!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">I’m totally blind, so I’m trying to be cautious in approaching my question here and the response I provide to others in similar discussions as to not inject my bias…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">But when producing accessible STEM content (specifically materials with equations), is it widely agreed upon that equations as images with alt text are less preferrable or
not acceptable as compared to the same equations provided in MathML?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">I’m seeing a trend where STEM content is shared as a PDF and, while equations are properly tagged with alt text that is a textual representation of the content being displayed,
I find this far less navigable than would be a document with equations in MathML.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Is it technically accessible? Debatable. Is it functionally equivalent or equitable access… My opinion is no.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Would love for you to chime in!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">J<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Justin Romack | Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Disability Resources | Texas A&M University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">1224 TAMU | College Station, TX 77843-1224<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ph: 979.845.1637 | <a href="mailto:justinr@disability.tamu.edu">justinr@disability.tamu.edu</a> | disability.tamu.edu<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS | One Division. One Mission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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