Best Practices
10 Accessibility in STEM
Math and science materials can be particularly inaccessible because of their reliance on formulas, complex figures, and data. In this section, we focus first on the broadest approach to improving accessibility: presenting information in multiple ways. We also offer additional, more specific and more equitable recommendations for formula, figure, and data accessibility.
Who are you doing this for?
Who benefits?
Making formulas, figures, and data accessible is essential for users of screen readers such as students who are blind or have low vision.
In addition, the practice can benefit all STEM students learning how to read formulas, graphically presented content, and data.
The practice is also beneficial to students (among others) who:
- Are taking online, asynchronous courses (and therefore may never have heard how formulas, complex figures, or data are intended to be read aloud)
- Have limited Internet bandwidth
- Have ADHD
- Are dyslexic
- Listen to materials on commutes
- Have temporary compromised vision, such as accessing material in bright sunlight or while screen fatigued
What do you need to do?
At the very least, consider presenting STEM material in multiple ways: numerically, verbally, and graphically.
- Numerically
- Lay out equations line by line, step by step.
- In digital spaces, insert symbols using equation editors (see below) instead of copying images from elsewhere.
- In any digital format ensure you use specific symbols. For multiplication, for example, use the multiplication symbol [latex]\times[/latex] rather than the letter x or an asterisk (*). Avoid / for division, as assistive technology will read “21 forward slash 7.” Instead, include the division symbol [latex]\div[/latex].
- Verbally
- Provide a video or audio recording in which you read aloud the material containing the equations, figures, or data.
- If demonstrating how to solve a problem, explain the steps and processes as you complete them, being mindful of students who can’t see what you see. (In other words, avoid phrases such as “this equation here” or “on this line.”)
- Graphically
- Use an accessible graphing tool such as Desmos.
- Include accessible data in table format.
- For a simple diagram or chart, alt text or long descriptions may suffice. (For practice in STEM-specific descriptions, visit the DIAGRAM Center’s interactive training tool on describing images.)
While presenting STEM material in multiple ways can increase accessibility for a wide range of users, including many who are blind or have low vision, access to equations will still be less equitable for students using screen readers who won’t have the opportunity to isolate particular elements of an equation. Consider the next-level steps below to improve accessibility for equations.
Equations
When considering full accessibility of equations, it helps to remember that everything we see on a computer is a display of the code behind it. An equation displayed on a