About This Quick Guide
Creating accessible mathematical content can present unique challenges, particularly when working with PDFs and complex equations. This quick guide provides best practices, tools, and resources for creating math equations that are more accessible to students using assistive technologies.
Why Is This Challenging?
The CITL at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign sums up the challenge of Math equations in PDFs: “Currently, creating truly accessible, interactive mathematical equations in a PDF document that meets modern standards like PDF/UA-2 is not generally recommended for most users and workflows. While technically possible, it is a complex and often non-portable solution.”
Best Practices
- DO NOT paste an image of the equation into a document. This will not be accessible.
- Ideally, author all math equations using code and editors like LaTex or MathML.
- For simple, inline equations (e.g., a + b = c), you can use regular text in the PDF. However, direct interactive MathML within PDFs, where users can select and navigate parts of an equation, is currently not supported in Adobe Acrobat.
- For more complex equations, you can convert the PDF to a structured format like HTML containing the equation(s) in MathML format.
Tools for More Complex Equations
- Math Equation Editor in Canvas
- Ally in Canvas can convert math formulas in MS Word documents and converts them into MathML which can then be rendered into Ally’s HTML Alternative Formats.
- Ally may complement or replace the use of SensusAccess which can convert course materials into alternative formats. However, it is not particularly designed to convert math.
- Markdown (markup language) and LaTeXML (conversion tool) to convert Math content into HTML format
Suggested Citation
Hartung, F. (2026). Accessible math equations. Center for Educational Effectiveness, University of California, Davis.