MathPlayer V2.1: Web-based Math Accessibility
Neil Soiffer · 2007 · Proceedings of the 9th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '07) · doi:10.1145/1296843.1296900
Summary
This paper describes MathPlayer v2.1, a plug-in developed by Design Science, Inc. that renders MathML visually in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Adobe Acrobat/Reader while providing extensive accessibility features for people with print disabilities. Unlike previous math accessibility projects that focused primarily on conversion between formats, MathPlayer was designed as a mainstream tool that integrates with popular assistive technologies already familiar to users — including JAWS, Window-Eyes, Read&Write, and several DAISY players. The philosophy was that users should not need to switch to a different browser or reader simply because a document contains mathematics. MathPlayer v2.0 already supported visual display matching document fonts, expression magnification, synchronized highlighting of spoken content, MSAA integration for screen readers, and the ability to copy MathML to external applications. Version 2.1 added two significant capabilities: Braille generation (supporting Dotsplus, a 2D Braille notation, and other math Braille codes via a simple COM interface for translator plug-ins) and customisable line breaking for mathematical expressions that are too long to fit on a single line.
Key findings
MathPlayer's speech system uses a pattern-matching rule system that allows specification of synchronisation points and prosody in addition to text, providing natural-sounding mathematical speech. The rules allow users to match structures like limits and integrals so they are spoken in customary manner rather than as generic expressions with limits and scripts. Speech can be generated for SAPI4, SSML, and other TTS standards, and the language of speech follows the document's language setting, enabling multilingual math accessibility. For Braille output, MathPlayer defines a simple COM interface that any MathML-to-Braille translator can implement, though at the time only Nemeth code was connected. The tool was also being developed for PDF accessibility — modifying MathType to generate PDF with embedded MathML, and exploring OCR-like technology to find and interpret math in existing PDF documents. MathPlayer was also investigating Microsoft Word integration via MathType. The paper notes that no formal studies had been done on the effectiveness of synchronised highlighting for mathematics, though experts believed it should be as effective as it is for literary text.
Relevance
MathPlayer represented a pragmatic, integration-first approach to mathematical accessibility that has important lessons for practitioners. Rather than building standalone accessibility tools, Soiffer's team embedded math accessibility directly into the browsers and document viewers people already used, working with existing screen readers rather than requiring specialised software. The pattern-matching speech rule system that allows customisation of how math is spoken — including prosody and synchronisation — addresses the fundamental challenge that mathematical notation is highly contextual and cannot be read aloud using simple string substitution. The Braille COM interface design, allowing any translator to plug in, shows good extensibility thinking for supporting the many national Braille math codes. MathPlayer's role in the draft PDF/UA specification for accessible mathematical content in PDFs was also significant for the evolution of document accessibility standards.
Tags: mathematical accessibility · MathML · screen readers · braille · print disabilities · synchronized highlighting · math-to-speech · PDF accessibility · learning disabilities
Standards referenced: MathML · MSAA · SAPI4 · SSML · DAISY · PDF/UA