[Blindmath] Math ML and JFW

Wed Feb 17 21:37:00 UTC 2010

Here are the people to contact if you want JAWS or Window-Eyes to properly handle MathML. Be sure to specifically mention needing to use refreshable braille with braille mathematics codes (like Nemeth).

For JAWS contact:
Eric Damery
Vice President, Software Product Management
Freedom Scientific Inc.
11800 31st Court North
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Phone: 727-299-6110
Fax: 727-803-8001
Email: edamery at freedomscientific.com 

For Window-Eyes contact:
Doug Geoffray 
Vice President Development
GW Micro
725 Airport North Office Park
Fort Wayne, IN 46825 
Phone: 260-489-3671
Fax: 260-489-2608
Email: doug at gwmicro.com 

--Steve Noble

>>> qubit <lauraeaves at yahoo.com> 2/17/2010 3:44 PM >>>
Well how about us oldies who majored in math and then lost print vision? 
We're interested in math, in my case maybe to tutor and perhaps go back and 
do a ph.d, although I don't know if I'll have time or energy to do the 
school thing again.
I tutored all through school for book money.  I miss the students -- and I 
think that I could teach either blind or sighted students if I had the means 
(i.e., the access).
So I'd be happy to fire off my own letter to anyone at FS or GWMicro or 
wherever else, to promote getting it done.
Hmm. Maybe there's a programming job in it...)
Anyway, if you have names and email addresses, please feel free to post and 
I'll email a letter.
--le
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matthew_2010" <Matthew_2010 at charter.net>
To: "Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics" 
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math ML and JFW

Those that need access to math are students which means they are younger
blind individuals. The vast majority of blind individuals are most likely
many years beyond their school years which means they are the majority of
target market for screen reader developers. This will not change any time
soon or at all.

Matthew
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen L Noble" <steve.noble at louisville.edu>
To: "Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics"
<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 9:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math ML and JFW

> One important aspect I would point out is that the limitations in how
> assistive technology handles MathML is not a limitation with MathML
> itself, but rather is because assistive technology vendors do not
> understand that mathematics access is an important issue. The key to
> changing the status quo is for consumers to send email or make phone calls
> to the technology vendor and tell them that this is a priority.
> Otherwise, they won't care.  I had one major screen reader vendor tell me
> that they have never heard from a single consumer who was using MathML and
> wanted to use mathematics braille with their refreshable braille output,
> so therefore they were not going to bother.  So, the lesson here is let
> your needs be known directly to the vendor.
>
> Best regards,
>
> --Steve Noble
> steve.noble at louisville.edu 
> 502-969-3088
>
>>>> Michael Whapples <mwhapples at aim.com> 2/17/2010 3:57 AM >>>
> Hello,
> Probably the main one you know of is using the mathplayer plugin for
> internet explorer. This will make JFW speak the maths out. There are a
> few limitations of mathplayer, it passes the maths as a string of words
> so its not easy to navigate a equation (eg. the symbol alpha would be
> written out as the word alpha, the divided by symbol would be the words
> "divided by", etc) and screen readers won't produce Braille output for
> the maths (well it will show the words spoken but not the correct maths
> Braille code). These limitations would need work from screen readers to
> be overcome, so if you would like better math support let them know its
> important to you.
>
> For Braille, you may do best downloading the page and using liblouisxml
> to create a brf file. I seem to have a feeling that someone said
> mathplayer may be able to put it through liblouisxml for you but I don't
> remember seeing such an option myself.
>
> Another option might be to import the mathml into an accessible maths
> editor and read it in that.
>
> I think that covers the main options. I think software actually making
> use of mathml is one of the limitations of mathml, there are big gaps
> particularly with accessibility (eg. firefox supports mathml but doesn't
> provide accessible information to screen readers for the maths, etc).
>
> Michael Whapples
> On 02/17/2010 04:56 AM, Sarah Jevnikar wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I've recently discovered a fantastic math website, found at the following
>> URL:
>>
>>
>> http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/ 
>>
>> The trouble is, it uses Math CL and so it must bed to me for me to have
>> access to the math equations. I'm using JAWS 11 and Internet Explorer 8.
>> Is
>> there any way of making this Math ML accessible? I've heard of several
>> options but I'd like to hear from someone who uses these products and
>> knows
>> what they're capable of.
>>
>> Thank you very much,
>>
>> Sarah Jevnikar
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>
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