Accessible Math

Accessible math content ensures that all students — including those using screen readers, assistive technologies, or alternative formats — can fully engage with course material. This guide covers practical approaches for creating and sharing accessible mathematical content using: Blackboard, Mathpix, Overleaf, and LaTeX.

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Blackboard: Create Accessible Math Content from the Start

Blackboard Ultra offers several options to create accessible math content. If you’re creating new course materials and want to ensure they are accessible from the start, consider using the following Blackboard design tools:

Adding LaTeX in the Rich Text Editor

If you are comfortable writing LaTeX, Blackboard Ultra supports inline LaTeX entry through the rich text editor. This is faster for complex expressions and produces the same accessible MathML output.

How it works:
  1. Open a Blackboard document and access the rich text editor. (e.g., Course Content → Create → Document).
  2. Type or paste text normally; enter math with LaTeX delimiters such as \( … \) (inline) and \[ … \] (e.g., $$x = \frac {-b \pm \sqrt {b^2 – 4ac}}{2a}$$ directly in the rich text editor.
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Strengths
  • No extra software and no file exports.
  • Often the best student experience for spoken math because it stays in the browser.
Limitations
  • LaTex that breaks across multiple lines is not supported in Blackboard.
  • Not a full LaTeX compile: sophisticated packages, custom macros, and complex preambles generally will not work. Use standard LaTeX commands. Non-standard or custom macros may not render or convert to MathML correctly.
  • Formatting control is limited compared to a full TeX build.

Using the Built-In Math Editor

Blackboard’s Rich Text Editor includes a built-in Math Editor tool that allows instructors to construct equations using a graphical point-and-click interface. This is the most accessible option for instructors who prefer not to write code.

How it works:
  1. Open a content area in Blackboard Ultra and begin editing with the Rich Text Editor.
  2. Select the Math Editor tool from the rich text editor (+) menu.
  3. Build your equation using the visual editor’s symbol palette and templates.
  4. Click OK to insert the expression.
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Best practices:
  • Use the math editor rather than inserting equations as images. Images of equations are inaccessible unless accompanied by a thorough alt-text description.
  • If you do use an image of an equation, write a complete alt-text description of the full expression (e.g., alt=”the quadratic formula: x equals negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac, all divided by 2a”).

Embed HTML in Ultra

For advanced users, Blackboard Ultra allows you to embed HTML directly in Ultra Documents. This approach gives you the most control over how math is rendered and is particularly useful when you want to use MathJax — a widely used JavaScript library for rendering LaTeX and MathML in web browsers.

How it works:
  1. In Blackboard Ultra Documents, select the HTML content block option.
  2. Paste your HTML using MathJax script in the HTML content block.
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Important considerations:
  • Embedding HTML requires familiarity with HTML syntax. Errors can break the display of your content.
  • Even when using MathJax, the underlying LaTeX or MathML output is accessible to screen readers that support MathJax’s accessibility extensions.

Mathpix: Convert Handwritten and Printed Math

Mathpix is an AI-powered tool that recognizes handwritten and printed mathematical expressions in images and converts them to LaTeX or MathML. It is particularly useful for digitizing handwritten notes, lecture boards, or scanned problem sets.

Mathpix Snip (Desktop/Mobile App)

  1. Download the Mathpix Snip app on your desktop or mobile device.
  2. Capture or upload an image of the handwritten or printed equation.
  3. Mathpix will display the recognized LaTeX in the sidebar.
  4. Copy the LaTeX and paste it into Blackboard’s math editor, Overleaf, or any LaTeX-enabled environment.

Mathpix Snip “Note” from Typed LaTeX

Create a Mathpix Note for an easy, app-based route to shareable HTML/PDF outputs.

Type simplified LaTeX on the left, review the rendered output on the right, then export to an accessible format (often HTML; sometimes PDF variants). Math speech quality varies with notation complexity.

Steps
  • Create/open a Mathpix Note in Mathpix Snip.
  • Paste/type LaTeX into the source pane (keep it simple; avoid heavy macro layers).
  • Review the rendered preview and correct issues.
  • Export to the desired format (HTML is often the best for screen readers).
Strengths
  • Low friction: no LaTeX tagging work; quick exports.
  • Good for rapid creation of student-facing materials.
Limitations
  • Best results require simplified LaTeX (few custom macros; limited packages).
  • Equation “speech/alt” may not be perfect for complex expressions, and results depend on the student’s screen reader.
  • Mathpix handles most standard mathematical notation well but may struggle with highly stylized handwriting or domain-specific symbols.

Update PDFs with Mathpix

Mathpix can process entire PDF documents containing math, returning a LaTeX or Markdown document with embedded LaTeX. This can serve as a starting point for re-typesetting older course documents in an accessible format.

.tex to Accessible HTML or PDF

This is option is best when faculty already compile to PDF and need an accessible version quickly. Compile the LaTeX document to a standard PDF (even if that PDF is not accessible). Import the PDF into Mathpix, then export to HTML (or other formats).

Steps
  • Compile the .tex source to PDF as usual.
  • Import/upload the PDF into Mathpix.
  • Review the output (especially math and figure captions).
  • Export to HTML or other formats for distribution.
Notes
  • The PDF is a visual layout; Mathpix reconstructs structure and math from appearance.
  • Reconstructed LaTeX and generated metadata/alt text may be imperfect, especially with dense notation.
  • Mathpix will retain charts, graphs, and other visualizations as images
  • Mathpix can extract tables from PDFs

Handwritten Notes to Accessible Export

This option is preferred when the starting point is handwriting rather than LaTeX, and an accessible artifact is required.

Steps
  • Scan/photograph notes clearly (good handwriting, high contrast, minimal non-math drawings).
  • Import into Mathpix and let it generate an editable representation.
  • Open as a Mathpix Note to edit the generated source while previewing output.
  • Export to HTML (preferred) or other formats.
Notes
  • This workflow has many opportunities for OCR/transcription errors; it needs human review.
  • For cleanup, automated assistants can help reformat LaTeX, but treat outputs as drafts and verify correctness.
  • Write clearly and use consistent symbol sizing when creating content intended for Mathpix conversion.
  • Ensure good contrast and lighting when photographing handwritten work. Dark ink on white paper in good light yields the most accurate results.

Create Accessible LaTeX

By default, PDFs compiled from LaTeX lack the structural tags (headings, reading order, alt-text for figures) that assistive technologies rely on. Producing an accessible PDF from LaTeX requires intentional choices about packages and compilation settings.

UMBC instructors may request access to Overleaf to support this work. Overleaf is a cloud-based LaTeX editor widely used in STEM fields for creating research papers, problem sets, and course notes. With the right setup, documents authored in Overleaf can be output as tagged, accessible PDFs.

LaTeX Formatting Documentation
Notes
  • Formatting is often sensitive to the TeX distribution and compiler (LuaLaTeX is commonly used in current guidance). Complex documents (many packages/macros) may require incremental fixes.
  • Math tagging/MathML embedding is the key technical step. Assistive technologies and accessibility checking tools may not be recognize math content accurately without proper tagging.