Re: Math on the web

MathML has everything you need to do good audio
renderings. I've been part of the MathML working group since
its inception
and was an active participant in the initial design phase--
and have been a passive observer since to make sure that the
representation was adequate for producing multiple
presentations.

--Raman

-----Original Message-----
(Note to W3C Math WG:
this is a response to a message on one of the WAI (Web
Access Initiative lists).
I've added the math wg list to the bcc so you see a copy but
dont get flooded by the cross posting traffic on the WAI
lists.
From: Jason White <jasonw@ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU>
To: WAI Interest Group <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Subject: Re: Math on the web
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 15:09:42 +1100 (AEDT)

I think there is a need for the following:

1. An evaluation of MATHML to determine whether it provides the necessary
semantic content to enable a reliable audio rendering to be produced.
Modifications, if necessary, could presumably be discussed with the
relevant groups within W3C.

2. The development of software that would accept MATHML as input and
produce spoken output. T.V. Raman's Aster is the only working example of
such an application so far as I am aware, and it is very impressive
(unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to use the software, but I
have heard an audio tape of the results).

3. Cooperation with developers of braille software, including the Maths
project within the TIDE programme, that will lead to the construction of
software for converting MATHML content into braille. Raised Dot Computing
and Duxbury Systems, both in the U.S., have recently incorporated support
for the North American braille mathematics code into their products. The
Maths project supports the British and German codes.

4. The development of a scheme for embedding XML content in HTML
documents, so that the mathematics can be fully integrated into the text,
while retaining the necessary semantic value.

5. Implementation by authoring tools and browsers of MathML and the XML
embedding scheme as mentioned above.

Concretely, this would involve cooperation between the PF, UI and tool
development activities of the WAI, as well as relevant groups within W3C.
The TIDE programme's Maths project, as already mentioned, is relevant,
I understand that the TIDE Maths project has also been considering SGML as
an input format, but O do not know who is involved in this work.

-- 
Best Regards,
--raman

      Adobe Systems                 Tel: 1 (408) 536 3945   (W14-129)
      Advanced Technology Group     Fax: 1 (408) 537 4042 
      (W14 129) 345 Park Avenue     Email: raman@adobe.com 
      San Jose , CA 95110 -2704     Email:  raman@cs.cornell.edu
      http://labrador.corp.adobe.com/~raman/        (Adobe Intranet)
      http://cs.cornell.edu/home/raman/raman.html    (Cornell)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my own and in no way should be taken
as representative of my employer, Adobe Systems Inc.
____________________________________________________________

Received on Thursday, 19 February 1998 12:13:38 UTC