Norm asked me to inform EASI listers about who Design Science is. It is
the company that makes the mainstream math authoring applications used in
Windows (the equation editor bundled with Word and Word Perfect as well as
the professional MathType editor) and on the web (WebEq). They also make
the free mainstream MathPlayer plug-in that displays MathML in Internet
Explorer. Version 2.1 of MathPlayer, introduced over a year ago, makes
math accessible in words. It works with all modern screen readers - you
hear the equation spoken and can browse the words just as if they wer part
of the text. You can copy the page and save it, etc. Not bad for a first
step. For sighted people who like to hear as well as see equations, there
is a button that lets you select an equation and speak it. All this is free!!!
The press release is official word that the National Science Foundation has
funded their grant proposal to go further in making MathPlayer more
browsable and to support braille display of math. They will also make math
within Word documents accessible if MathType is installed. Not certain
whether accessible authoring with MathType is on the horizon yet
though. They are working on making math in PDF accessible under certain
circumstances, but nobody knows yet how well it will work.
My point of view is that MathML is the way math will be included in
electronic documents of the future, so that math will be readable by
everybody in the future. Most documents that have been authored with MS
Word will also be accessible, even old ones if you can get the Word
copy. These developments will be made during the next two years.
I've collaborated for years with Design Science and have great respect for
that company. I congratulate them on recognizing the importance of
accessibility. Wish all mainstream companies took it so seriously.
John
At 12:45 PM 8/10/2005, you wrote:
>I am forwarding this press release as I know it will interest EASI list
>members.
>Norm
>
>
>>Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 12:00:10 -0700
>>From: Bruce Virga <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: Press Release: DSI Receives Additional Funding for Math
>>Accessibility
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>-DSSource: 20050810-115941_Press_2005-09-08_DESSCIDESSCI
>>X-RIT-Received-From: 66.93.150.35
>>Original-recipient: rfc822;[log in to unmask]
>>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I thought you would be interested to know that Design Science is making
>>progress on mathematics accessibility. We just received a phase 2 grant
>>to develop technology to make mathematics accessible in MS Word and Adobe
>>PDF, with work continuing for the Web.
>>
>>You can read the press release on our web site, or see the full text below.
>>http://www.dessci.com/en/company/press/releases/
>>
>>Bruce Virga
>>VP, Sales
>>
>>- our address has changed -
>>Design Science, Inc.
>>140 Pine Avenue, 4th Floor
>>Long Beach, California 90802
>>USA
>>Tel: (562) 432-2920
>>Fax: (562) 432-2857
>>Cell: (949) 233-8212
>>[log in to unmask]
>>http://www.dessci.com
>>~ Makers of MathType, MathFlow, MathPlayer, WebEQ, Equation Editor,
>>TexAide ~
>>
>>
>>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>
>>Design Science Receives Additional Funding to Make Mathematics Accessible
>>
>>Research to Target Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF
>>
>>LONG BEACH, Calif. - August 10, 2005 - Design Science, Inc. announced
>>today it has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant (No.
>>0522308) to continue research in making mathematical content accessible
>>to people with vision disabilities. The grant leverages efforts of the
>>company's pioneering work in making mathematics in web pages accessible,
>>by extending mathematics accessibility to Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF
>>documents. The company also intends to add support for Braille and
>>improve its speech generation algorithms.
>>
>>"The prevalence of Word and PDF documents in science and education makes
>>bringing math accessibility to these formats the next logical step. Our
>>aim is to develop a robust, market-ready system." said Dr. Neil Soiffer,
>>Senior Scientist at Design Science and the grant's Principal Investigator.
>>
>>The urgent need for readily accessible mathematics was highlighted in the
>>recent U.S. Department of Education announcement, "Raising Achievement: A
>>New Path for No Child Left Behind", that now focuses institutions on
>>providing a more sensible and informed approach to the testing of
>>students with persistent academic disabilities. Furthermore, while
>>assistive technologies exist today that make textual content accessible
>>to those with visual disabilities, extending this same technology for
>>mathematics for a variety of mainstream documents will directly address
>>the needs of federal and international agencies to comply with content
>>accessibility charters.
>>
>>This grant reinforces Design Science's position as the leading vendor of
>>MathML-based solutions. Prior NSF-funded research into mathematics
>>accessibility has already been incorporated into Design Science's
>>MathPlayerT, a tool enabling Microsoft Internet Explorer users to display
>>and speak mathematical notations in web pages. MathPlayer's accessibility
>>features, based on MathML technology, enable individuals with visual
>>disabilities to hear mathematical expressions read aloud. Users can
>>navigate through an expression using arrow keys to listen to parts of an
>>equation several times in order to build up a complete mental picture.
>>Future versions will simultaneously highlight the terms being read aloud
>>to help individuals with low vision and learning disabilities such as
>>dyslexia. MathPlayer is currently the only mathematics accessibility
>>solution that seamlessly integrates with leading screen reader software,
>>such as JAWS, Window-Eyes, HAL, Read & Write, and BrowseAloud.
>>
>>About MathML
>>MathML is an XML-based language for representing mathematics that was
>>published as a Recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in
>>1998. Since MathML captures the meaning and structure of mathematics, it
>>enables a wide range of applications. In addition to making it possible
>>to have math spoken to visually disabled readers, it also enables
>>searching for mathematical expressions within content and
>>interoperability with the growing number of computational applications
>>that understand MathML.
>>
>>About Design Science, Inc.
>>Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, Design
>>Science develops software used by educators, scientists and publishing
>>professionals, including MathType, Equation Editor in Microsoft Office,
>>WebEQ, MathFlow, MathPlayer and TeXaide, to communicate on the web and in
>>print. For more information please visit http://www.dessci.com.
>>
>>###
>>
>>Contact:
>>
>>Zsolt Silberer
>>Vice President, Marketing
>>[log in to unmask]
>>800-827-0685
>>562-432-2920
>>
>>Design Science, Inc.
>>140 Pine Avenue, 4th Floor
>>Long Beach, CA 90802, USA
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>EASI COURSES FOR SEPTEMBER
>(5 courses earn the Certificate in Accessible Information Technology)
>Barrier-free Information Technology
>http://easi.cc/workshops/adaptit.htm
>Learning Disabilities and Information Technology
>http://easi.cc/workshops/ld.htm
>Advanced Barrier-free Web Design
>http://easi.cc/workshops/advwbsyl.htm
>
>
>
> Norman Coombs, Ph.D.
>CEO EASI
>22196 Caminito Tasquillo
>Laguna Hills, CA 92653
>(949) 855-4852
>http://www.rit.edu/~nrcgsh
John A. Gardner
Professor and Director, Science Access Project
Department of Physics
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
tel: (541) 737 3278
FAX: (541) 737 1683
SAP URL: http://dots.physics.orst.edu/
|
