Ensuring mathematical content is presented in an accessible format on the web is not just a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) best practice goal, but also a legal requirement under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, which extended the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that public sector organisations’ web content meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA accessibility standards. This guidance will help staff in the Faculty of Science discover and make use of tools that will ensure online learning content in their Blackboard modules is delivered in such a way that all students, regardless of their ability, can engage with and understand the material presented. Presenting accessible mathematical content is essential for creating an inclusive learning environment where every student can achieve their learning outcomes.
At the time of this guidance being updated in early 2025, we have yet to reach a panacea for Accessible Maths content that works for every system and application, but there are many tools available to help with the tasks involved. Not only that, advancements in areas such as AI are helping to make the process of creating Accessible Maths content easier.
This guidance provides an overview of some of the options available for representing maths in an accessible format in Blackboard modules, listing the strengths, drawbacks and recommended application of each. The guidance is not intended to be exhaustive, it merely introduces each tool and, where possible, provides use case examples to illustrate their relative complexities, aiding staff to decide which is the most appropriate tool to use for a given situation.
Select a tool from the list below for more information. More tools will be being added to this page in future.
Blackboard’s Built-in Math Editor (WIRIS)
Blackboard’s Math Editor is written by WIRIS, a company specialising in developing advanced tools for STEM subjects. It is an integrated into Blackboard and appears wherever the Rich Text Editor appears in the platform (for example – content creation, discussions postings, assignment descriptions and journals). The tool allows users to insert maths equations and formulae, or type LaTeX formulae, directly onto the page. It supports MathML, making math content accessible to screen readers, and offers a user-friendly interface. This is a good starting point for if you are looking to embed occasional math equations in your learning materials. For large quantities of maths equations, there are faster and more robust solutions.
Pros
- Integrated into Blackboard and can be used wherever the Rich Text Editor area appears, meaning that students can use it too (for example in discussions postings).
- Intuitive for occasional basic to moderately complex equations.
- It has support for LaTeX. See the guidance on how to use LaTeX with the WIRIS Editor for more details.
Cons
- Less flexibility for handling very complex equations, compared with LaTeX.
- Renders Maths equations as images, which don’t scale cleanly when zoomed in or when other accessibility features have been used to increase the size of the page. They also don’t have alt-text in place by default, so this would need to be added for each equation created in this way.
Recommended Use Cases
- Ideal for lecturers who want to quickly create singular instances of math content directly within a Blackboard page or discussion.
- Suitable for situations where only one or a few moderately complex equations need to be presented and where tutors have time to add alt-text for the created images.
Guidance
See the Blackboard Support Math Editor page for more help. The video clip below shows the WIRIS editor in action.
Chirun
Chirun is an open source tool created by Newcastle University that produces flexible and accessible course notes, in a variety of formats, from LaTeX or Markdown sources. It is aimed primarily at the creation of accessible notes for mathematical sciences and related disciplines.
It supports multiple outputs and can produce HTML web pages that can be easily viewed on desktop, mobile or tablet. It may also produce slides that can be used to give a presentation or lecture, or print-ready PDF, or a Jupyter notebook.
Pros
- Highly flexible for creating complex mathematical documents.
- Chirun allows conversion to web-friendly HTML from inside Blackboard using the LTI integration tool.
- LaTeX supports precise formatting, ensuring clarity for math-heavy documents.
Cons
- Potential steep learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with LaTeX syntax.
- Conversions to HTML will likely often require manual adjustments to the source LaTeX or markdown code to run through the Chirun tool.
Recommended Use Cases
- Best for converting longer LaTeX files that may have previously been uploaded as PDFs.
Guidance
Durham University is trialling the use of Chirun as a tool to aid conversion of LaTeX or markdown sources into accessible HTML via a Blackboard LTI integration. Details of the support available may be found on the Converting LaTeX to Accessible HTML using Chirun page on the DCAD Help Guides site.
The video clip below shows Chirun in action.
Equatio
Equatio is a digital tool from texthelp designed to make maths more accessible by allowing users to create mathematical expressions, formulae, and equations through a variety of input methods, including typing, handwriting, voice commands, and LaTeX. Its intuitive interface eases the process of integrating complex maths equations into documents created in Google Docs and Microsoft Word, making it a versatile option for producing accessible math content without requiring much technical knowledge. One of Equatio’s key features is its ability to generate MathML, a format that screen readers can interpret.
Equatio is a paid-for tool. A single user licence (as at December 2024) osts £150 per annum, but the tool does allow a 30 day trial of all its premium services for users to see whether it is worth pursuing.
Pros
- Easy to use, with voice input and handwriting recognition for creating math content.
- Integrates with popular platforms such as Google Docs and Microsoft Word, making it widely accessible.
- Supports MathML and LaTeX for accessibility.
Cons
- Subscription-based.
- Limited in handling highly complex mathematical notations compared with LaTeX.
Recommended Use Cases
- Ideal for creating short sections of accessible math content in subjects such as chemistry, biosciences, and psychology.
- Useful for academic staff looking for an easy, non-technical way to create accessible equations in common document formats without having to engage in coding in LaTeX.
Guidance
Equatio has plenty of online support, with many video guides, including in the following areas:
- Online Equation Editor
- Graph Editor (powered by Desmos)
- LaTeX Editor
Image Accessibility Generator
The Image Accessibility Generator tool from Arizona State University auto-generates alt-text using the GPT-4o model provided by OpenAI. Upload an image, add descriptors (optional) and click ‘Create Image details’ to generate an image description. This comes in the form of both a long description and image alt-text, which can then be copied for use.
Pros
- Very easy to use, requires no guidance.
- Saves time creating long descriptions and alt-text for complex images.
Cons
- Need to be aware of potential bias in AI tools, so descriptions always need double-checking.