STEM Accessibility

Digital accessibility is imperative so everyone can access, interact with, and benefit from content, including those with disabilities. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines represent important academic areas that often include educational content such as complex images, graphs, equations, symbols, notations, syntax, and interactive elements, which requires particular attention to ensure accessibility.

Online Faculty

Strategies for Developing Accessible STEM Coursework

Equations can be created accessibly within Canvas or in your documents (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, and Google Slides). However, you should avoid PDFs (Portable Document Files) as there are no built-in or third-party tools that work directly with them to ensure their accessibility.

  • Use MathML
    • MathML (Mathematical Markup Language) (W3C) is a text-based XML markup language designed for creating accessible math equations. You can copy MathML content from Equatio (link to Equatio page) and paste it directly into the Canvas RCE's (Rich Content Editor) HTML editor or within the equation editor in Word or PowerPoint.
  • Create Accessible LaTeX
    • LaTeX is not natively accessible to assistive technology but can be easily converted to accessible content using equation editors.
      • If you are familiar with using the LaTeX markup language, you can simply add it within the Canvas built-in equation editor from the RCE or within the equation editor in Word or PowerPoint.
      • Don't fret if you are unfamiliar with LaTeX, as Equatio also allows you to create accessible LaTeX equations that can be copied and pasted into the Word or PowerPoint equation editor.
  • Provide Text Descriptions
    • In conjunction with your mathematical notations, include plain-text explanations of equations and their significance.

Diagrams, charts, and graphs, are complex images that often play a critical role in conveying information in STEM courses. To make these types of content accessible:

  • Provide Alternative (Alt) Text
    • If you are trying to determine whether your image requires alt text, refer to the Alt Text Decision Tree (Google Slides)
    • Include concise descriptions of the image (120 characters or less).
    • For detailed images, provide a summary of key information.
    • When determining what to write, don't just ask "What is this?" Ask: "What information is this image conveying in this specific lesson?"
    • Note: For alt text, you should never enter LaTeX (or other formula formatting) into the alt text field, as assistive technology will not recognize it in that field. In this case, if you entered the LaTeX into the alt text field, $N_2$ will probably be pronounced, "dollar sign, capital N, underscore, two, dollar sign."
  • Use Long Descriptions
    • When alt text is insufficient, provide a detailed long description (W3C) in text below the image or in a linked document (an example is provided above in the Alt Text Decision Tree Long Description).
    • If using HTML, the “longdesc” attribute can help.
  • Label Key Elements
  • Provide Accessible Data Tables

For accessibility, native files (e.g., Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Google Slides) are almost always the superior choice. While PDFs are designed to look exactly the same on every device (like digital paper), this rigidity makes them significantly harder for assistive technology to read and for students on mobile devices to access.

Here is why keeping your files in their original format (Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Google Slides) saves you time and frustration:

The Equation Nightmare (Jumbled or Inaccessible Conversion)

If you teach STEM subjects, this is the most critical factor. PDFs struggle deeply with math. When you convert a document with equations to PDF, the equations often become "flat" images or jumbled text that screen readers cannot interpret.

  • In native files or HTML, modern screen readers can interpret equations entered into Word's equation editor using MathML or LaTeX, reading them out loud correctly (e.g., "Fraction: numerator a, denominator b").
  • In a PDF, to make an equation readable, you often have to manually code invisible text descriptions for every single formula. It is technically difficult and incredibly slow.
Mobile Responsiveness (Reflow)
  • In native files, such as a Google Doc or Word file, the content will "reflow". If a student increases the font size or views the file on a phone, the text wraps to fit the screen.
  • PDFs do not reflow. If a student opens a PDF on a phone, they must zoom in to read small text and constantly scroll left and right to read every sentence.
Easier Remediation (Fixing Errors)
  • In native files, accessibility is built-in. If you need to add alt text to an image or fix a heading structure, you simply edit the document as you normally would. Both Microsoft and Google have built-in "Check Accessibility" buttons that guide you through fixes in seconds.
  • PDF: Making a PDF accessible requires a process called tagging. If you spot an error in a PDF, you usually cannot fix it easily. You must make the correction in the original native file, re-export it, and re-tag it in Adobe Acrobat Pro—a complex and time-consuming workflow.