Accessible Math Equations

• Canvas offers a convenient math tool that facilitates typing simple math equations into Canvas pages. However, when students use the Canvas Immersive Reader tool, the audio read-out is not accurate. 
• NVDA does a better job, but still has limitations in reading out equations generated using the math tool within Canvas. 
  
• Word's Read Aloud tool reads equations generated from within Word with great precision; however, this only works within Word.  And you cannot paste an equation created within Word into a Canvas page without first converting it to MathJax html.

Here are some examples of how math equations get read out using these 3 tools:

• Example 1.
  
  
  • Canvas Immersive Reader: The Canvas Immersive Reader does not seem to be able to read "absolute value."  Instead, it reads the equation as, "Minus delta u equals lamba u plus vertical bar u vertical bar to the (open paren) q minus one (close paren) u."
    
    
  • NVDA: "Negative delta u is equal to lambda u plus the absolute value of u raised to the (open paren) q minus 1 (close paren) times u power."
    
    
  • Word Read Aloud: "Minus cap delta u equals lambda u plus absolute value u, end absolute value, to the (open paren) q minus 1 (close paren) u"
    
    
• Example 2. 
  
  
  • Canvas Immersive Reader:  "Minus delta u equals divides minus 3 divides" -- does not read "absolute value."
    
    
  • NVDA: "Negative delta us equals divides minus 3 divides."
    
    
  • Word Read Aloud: "Minus cap delta u equals absolute minus three, end absolute value.
    
    

• Example 3 - Complex Equation.
  

  • • Canvas Immersive Reader: "Lambda greater than or equal to n (open paren) n minus 1 (close paren) over 4 (open paren) integral from 0 to R of u prime squared (open paren) x (close paren) S (open paren) x (close paren) dx over integral from 0 to R of G (open paren) x (close paren) squared 2 u prime (open paren) x (close paren) squared over G prime (open paren) x (close paren) dx (close paren)
      
      
    • NVDA: "Lambda greater than or equal to the fraction with numerator n times (open paren) n minus 1 (close paren) and denominator 4, times (open paren) the fraction with numerator the integral from 0 to R of u prime squared of x s of sdx, and denominator the integral from 0 R of the fraction with numerator G times (open paren) x (close paren) squared 2 u prime times (open paren) x (close paren) squared, and denominator G prime of x, d x (close paren)."
      
      
    • Word Read Aloud: "Lambda greater than or equal to n (open paren) n minus 1 (close paren) over 4, (open paren) numerator integral from 0 to Cap R of superscript base u prime (end base squared), (open second paren) x (close second paren) cap S of x dx (end integral and numerator), over denominator integral from 0 cap R of numerator cap G (open second paren) x (close second paren) squared, 2 u prime (open second paren) x (close second paren) squared (end numerator), over denominator cap G prime (open paren) x (close paren) (end denominator) dx (end integral and denominator) (close paren).

Canvas's math tool is not able to handle complex math equations. 

The math tool makes it appear like you can create complex equations while you're typing it into the pop-up window (see screenshot below).

However, after you hit the "Done" button, the result you see in the preview window is a print-out of LaTex code instead of the actual equation.

The way around this issue is to create complex math equations in Word first, and then convert the equation to MathJax html code, which you can then add to our Canvas course pages. (See next section for details).

If you want to add complex math equations into your Canvas course pages, you'll need to first create the equations in Word, and then convert them to a format that can be pasted into your Canvas course page.

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Pandoc is a tool that facilitates conversion of content between various file formats. You can set up your math equations into a Word doc (which uses LaTex code) and convert those equations to an HTML code (specifically, MathJax code), which can then be pasted into a Canvas page for better read-aloud results.

IMPORTANT CAUTIONARY NOTE: 
Only use Pandoc if you are converting equations for teaching, or for content that you don't mind potentially being viewed / taken by anyone on the web.  If you are working with content that is either unpublished scholarly work or intellectual property that needs to be kept private, do not use the free Pandoc web tool.  Contact IIT for alternative options.

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How to convert Word doc equations to MathJax html code using Pandoc:

1. Set up your equation(s) in a Word doc.  You can either hand transcribe equations in using the Ink to Math feature (with a tablet and pen), or type in using LaTeX syntax.
   
   (For a helpful YouTube video that shows step-by-step how to add the "Ink to Math" tool to Word plus a demo of how to use it, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CGdc0BhpYs)
   
   
   
   
2. Save the Word doc.
   
   
3. In your web browser, visit the Pandoc Web Tool page at https://pandoc.org/app/.
   
   
4. On the Pandoc web page:
   
   Step A: Select "docx (Word)" as the the source format (drop-down menu next to From:)
   Step B: Next, select "html (HTML)" as the output format (drop-down menu next to "To" field.
   Step C: Drag your Word doc with math equations into the "Drop files here or click to browse" area.
   Step D: Lastly, hit the "Convert" button to initiate the job.
   
   
   
   
5. After you hit "Convert", the results can either be downloaded as an html file (this can be useful if you want to examine the MathJax code and make adjustments / corrections to it in an html editing program like Notepad++ or Dreamweaver), copied to your clipboard, or you can copy the code you need from the black code display window.
   
   If you choose to just copy the code snippet from the black code display window, you'll want to ignore the initial section of code -- this will include <!DOCTYPE html>, <head>, and <style> sections.
   Scroll down until you find the opening <body> tag, and then copy the code that sits below it until you reach the closing </body> tag. 
   (Do this by highlighting the code in the window and hitting keyboard shortcut combo Ctrl + C to copy the selected text.)
   
   
   
   
6. Next, go to your Canvas course page window. 
   Click on the "code" icon just below the editing window to switch from "preview mode" to "html code mode".
   
   
7. Once you're in "html code mode", place your cursor in the field where you want to add the math equation.
   Hit the Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut to paste the MathJax code into the window.
   Then click once again on the "code" icon (below the content area) to return to preview mode.
   
   
   
   
8. Take a look at the preview of the math equation you just added to make sure it looks correct. 
   Then hit the Save button.
   
   
9. Test the read-aloud functionality for your newly added equation.  You can do this by scrolling to the top of the page and hitting the Immersive Reader button.
   
   You can then scroll down to the area of the page with your math equation, click on it, and hit the green play button to listen to the read-out to check its accuracy.