[NFB-Science] Question about Math Lab, Mastering, and JAWS

[natalieccharbonneau at gmail.com]

Hello:

I'm new to the list and am a university student majoring in biology. I've
been using the Mastering products with JAWS with mixed results. I've noticed
that the format of equations and math seems to vary within the Mastering
products, which is interesting. However, this term I'm using Math Lab for
calculus and noticed that all of their equations are written out for screen
readers using words. Even symbols like parenthesis and equals are written
out vs. using the keyboard symbols. This is personally driving me crazy and
I end up rewriting much of the work because my brain does not do math
without math symbols. While it's nice that most of their problems have been
technically accessible to me vs. Mastering's hit and miss experience, I was
just wondering if NFB has worked at all with either product around access?
Is there a standard for screen readers where companies are advised to write
things out in words instead of symbols? 

 

Just hoping for information/context around this, thanks.

 

Sincerely,

Natalie