First Steps for Learning Technologists

The purpose of this page is to provide some guidance and support to Learning Technologists who are supporting accessible maths-related issues in their roles at UK Higher Education institutions. Its content has been devised by staff already in such roles, and is designed to help persons new to the area get to grips with accessible maths.

Don’t Panic!

In the best traditions of Douglas Adams' advice in the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, the first thing to do is Don't Panic. If you’re a Learning Technologist supporting STEM subjects in UK Higher Education and you’re not yet familiar with accessible maths, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many of us are learning this as we go. The topic can seem daunting at first, with all sorts of bewildering programming languages and tools to get to grips with, but there is a community of friendly, informal support out there to help, not least through this JISC Accessible Maths group. Unfamiliar acronyms and terms can be looked up on our Glossary page. We can also provide support for new staff by way of one-to-one sessions or guidance. If you would like to chat with one of the members of the JISC Accessible Maths team for some mentoring support, please complete this form.  

Understanding Accessibility Generally

Accessibility means making sure content can be used and understood by everyone, including those with disabilities. Accessible content benefits all students, however, not just those with disabilities. The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emphasise providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression to meet the diverse needs of learners, giving students the opportunity to choose how to engage with learning materials. Providing alternative formats such as HTML content instead of PDF files, or audio versions of content, and coupling these with clear navigation and well-structured content benefits all users, not just people with visual impairments who need to use a screen reader, or those with cognitive disabilities. As a Learning Technologist, you will likely already be very familiar with general accessibility practices around text (font size, colour, contrast presentation), images (alt text, colour contrast, long descriptions), and video (downloadable transcripts and captions). What you may not be so familiar with is the maths-related issues bit.

Accessible Maths Issues

Accessible maths focuses on the key issues facing both the rendering of complex mathematical equations on screen in a manner that can be understood by end users, and also providing those end users with tools (and the skills to use those tools) so they too can create and manipulate their own complex mathematical equations, be that as part of note taking or assignment work.

Some of the specific challenges that mathematical content poses when it comes to accessibility include:

• Equations not being readable by screen readers (especially when presented as images or in PDF files).

• Inconsistent support for MathML or LaTeX across platforms and assistive technologies.

• Lack of staff awareness of how their choices as they create their content can impact student experience.

Often the historical legacy of how the materials have previously been created will influence the choice of software, and so each institution may face its own specific challenges to make maths content fully accessible. As such, there is no one-stop solution to accessible maths issues. We are all working to understand how to best tackle these challenges in a constantly evolving space at each institution, learning new approaches as we go. Sharing our knowledge through this user community is a great way both to upskill yourself and to be able to help others.   

Know Your Local Setup

Perhaps the best piece of advice if you are new to accessible maths support in your role is to get to know the context in which you are working. Each institution will have its own digital ecosystem and student support structures. Here are some of the key initial questions to ask about support for accessible maths at your institution:

• What software tools are currently available for creating and displaying mathematical content, and how well-known or understood are they?

• Does your institution's VLE system support MathJax, LaTeX, or MathML?

• Are there accessibility advisors or teams with whom you can collaborate on supporting accessible maths?

• What support systems are in place for students with specific learning needs?

Talking to colleagues in IT, disability services, and in academic departments can help you map the current landscape and put you in the best position to understand and tackle the challenges ahead.

Producing a 'Local Guide'

One of the best ways to get your head around all the accessible maths issues facing you is, after you have familiarised yourself with the local setup, for you to create a localised, institution-specific guide that can help both staff and students. The mere fact of undertaking this exercise will help you:

• Understand your own workflows and tools.

• Spot gaps in accessibility support.

• Highlight best practice for your context.

A useful model is the University of York's Making equations accessible at the University of York 'primer' document, which outlines key steps for supporting accessible maths there. You might use this as inspiration for a local version, tailored to your institution’s setup. Don't just copy the York guide though, even though it's full of very useful tools and links, as the process of creating the local guide is what informs you of the resources best suited to your institutional setup. 

Setting Up a Local Support Network

We also encourage institutions to set up informal support networks for accessible maths. These could include:

• One-to-one or small group mentoring.

• Peer support circles.

• Drop-in sessions for advice and sharing practice.

Such support doesn’t have to be formal or expert-led. Peer learning is powerful and even simply having someone to chat with about what you do and don’t know can be transformative. Creating an accessible maths community of practice or peer-support network at your institution, one that meets regularly to share ideas and updates, is a great way to raise awareness of accessible maths issues and campaign for resources and change.

Looking Ahead

These are some initial ideas to help you get started. We aim to develop this page further based on community feedback and experience. If this initiative proves successful, we may look to present on it at sector events. If you have any feedback on this page, or want to contact an organising member of the Jisc Accessible Maths group for some support or advice, please get in touch.