Re: Fw: MathML and screen readers

More from Taras in response to Kynn's question:

"Has anyone done any work on creating a "standard template" for XSLT
for converting MathML to screenreader-compatible HTML?  (Is that the
current study at ATRC?)"

Taras Kowaliw wrote:

> What we're doing (the ATRC) is converting MathML to the Java Speech Markup
> Language (JSML); I don't believe that flat HTML will ever be sufficient to
> communicate mathematical notation, and JSML contains a great deal of prosody
> rules which would help. To take one of our JSML stylesheets and make it a
> CSS2-formatted XHTML stylesheet is absolutely trivial. I'd be doing this in
> the first place, but I don't know of anything which supports CSS2 audio at
> present (I'd love to stand corrected on this one though).
>
> There are a few natural-language versions of mathematical notation out there
> (probably not using XSLT, but at least it might give you a target): some
> equation authoring packages will automatically insert some sort of ALT text
> to their GIF images. Or, if this is still being developed, EzMath
> (http://www.w3.org/People/Raggett/EzMath/) contains a non-ambiguous flat
> notation. I consider these approaches very limited, however.
> ===========================================
> Taras Kowaliw,
> Access Software Designer and Programmer,
> Centre for Academic and Adaptive Technology,
> University of Toronto
>
> tel .: 416.946.5358
> fax.: 416.971.2896
> email: taras.kowaliw@utoronto.ca
> www: http://snow.utoronto.ca/~taras
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kynn Bartlett" <kynn-edapta@idyllmtn.com>
> To: "Laurie Harrison" <laurie.harrison@utoronto.ca>; <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
> Cc: "Taras Kowaliw" <taras.kowaliw@utoronto.ca>
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 3:31 PM
> Subject: Re: MathML and screen readers
>
> > Has anyone done any work on creating a "standard template" for XSLT
> > for converting MathML to screenreader-compatible HTML?  (Is that the
> > current study at ATRC?)
> >
> > If not, is anyone looking for a project topic and wants to steal this
> > idea? :)
> >
> > --Kynn
> >
> > At 1:44 PM -0400 2001/7/09, Laurie Harrison wrote:
> > >Dear Paul:
> > >
> > >Here is a response to your query from one of our staff who has been
> conducting
> > >research as to whether screen readers can access MathML content.
> > >
> > >Laurie
> > >
> > >Taras Kowaliw wrote:
> > >
> > >>  After doing a rather extensive search a few months ago, the answer is
> > >>  unfortunately no. The output from screen readers when confronted by
> the
> > >>  MathML implementations which I checked (Amaya, Mozilla, iMath, IBM
> > >>  Hypermedia, and a few others) is either non-existent or nonsensically
> > >>  formatted. The ATRC is currently working on something in this vein
> > >>  (http://nide.snow.utoronto.ca/MathML/).
> > >>
> > >>  ===========================================
> > >>  Taras Kowaliw,
> > >>  Access Software Designer and Programmer,
> > >>  Centre for Academic and Adaptive Technology,
> > >>  University of Toronto
> > >>
> > >>  tel .: 416.946.5358
> > >>  fax.: 416.971.2896
> > >>  email: taras.kowaliw@utoronto.ca
> > >>  www: http://snow.utoronto.ca/~taras
> > >>
> > >
> > >--
> > >Laurie Harrison
> > >Education Coordinator
> > >Centre for Academic and Adaptive Technology, Information Commons
> > >University of Toronto
> > >
> > >laurie.harrison@utoronto.ca
> > >(416) 946-3778
> >
> >
> > --
> > Kynn Bartlett <kynn@reef.com>
> > Technical Developer Liaison
> > Reef North America
> > Accessibility - W3C - Integrator Network
> > Tel +1 949-567-7006
> > ________________________________________
> > BUSINESS IS DYNAMIC. TAKE CONTROL.
> > ________________________________________
> > http://www.reef.com

--
Laurie Harrison
Education Coordinator
Centre for Academic and Adaptive Technology, Information Commons
University of Toronto

laurie.harrison@utoronto.ca
(416) 946-3778

Received on Monday, 9 July 2001 16:21:00 UTC