Neil Soiffer: "MathPlayer: Math Accessibility using Mainstream Software"

Neil Soiffer, Design Science Inc., USA

E-mail: Neils [at] dessci.com

Design Science websiteMathPlayer is a plug-in to Internet Explorer (IE) that visually displays math encoded in MathML, speaks it, and converts it to braille for refreshable braille displays. MathPlayer works with several screen readers (JAWS, Window-Eyes, HAL), at least one screen magnifier (MAGic), at least one learning disability tool (TextHelp). One of the main goals of MathPlayer is to allow users to continue to use tools they are familiar with when reading documents that contain math. Some of the features of MathPlayer are:

• the font size, color, and background are matched to the rest of the document
• individual expressions can be magnified
• the speech can be spoken in multiple different ways in an different languages
• the user can customize the speech
• multiple braille code can be generated and sent to a refreshable braille display
• DotsPus braille for tiger embossers is supported
• synchronized highlighting of the expression while it is spoken

The ability to support the unique needs of different disability groups and of individuals is important – one size does not fit everyone. In three months since MathPlayer 2.1 was released, over half a million expressions have been read using a screen reader or other assistive technology.