Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Word processor optimized for mathematics? If any? (self.Blind)
submitted by [deleted]
Anyone else here heavily math and science? I need a good word processor that’s the best to fit these needs. Is pages and MSWord really the best ones to type complex math equations?
I need to type up all my math I have done in physical braille. otherwise my professor can’t read it!!!! The best I can think of is MSWord and pages? Any better ideas or anyone in the field or studying math and science have any better solutions?
It can be mac or windows mac is preferable but will work with windows if I have to.
I need to type up all my math I have done in physical braille. otherwise my professor can’t read it!!!! The best I can think of is MSWord and pages? Any better ideas or anyone in the field or studying math and science have any better solutions?
It can be mac or windows mac is preferable but will work with windows if I have to.
Tarnagona 7 points 1y ago
LaTeX
LaTeX is a type setting mark up language (like what HTML is for webpages, but for documents). But it’s specifically designed for technical writing, like complex maths equations. And because LaTeX itself is essentially a kind of code that needs to be compiled into a document, you can find LaTeX editors, and compilers for both Mac and Windows. You can also get add-one to take care of tedious things like correct citations and references.
It’s not WYSIWYG, as you are typing out tags around any kind of typesetting you are doing, which people can find hard to get used to. But for someone who is blind, I’d actually call that an advantage, as you’ll always be able to know what formatting is going on.
The one major disadvantage of LaTeX is that it has a steep learning curve. But once you learn it, it’s a great tool.
LaTeX is a type setting mark up language (like what HTML is for webpages, but for documents). But it’s specifically designed for technical writing, like complex maths equations. And because LaTeX itself is essentially a kind of code that needs to be compiled into a document, you can find LaTeX editors, and compilers for both Mac and Windows. You can also get add-one to take care of tedious things like correct citations and references.
It’s not WYSIWYG, as you are typing out tags around any kind of typesetting you are doing, which people can find hard to get used to. But for someone who is blind, I’d actually call that an advantage, as you’ll always be able to know what formatting is going on.
The one major disadvantage of LaTeX is that it has a steep learning curve. But once you learn it, it’s a great tool.
retrolental_morose 4 points 1y ago
Seconding LaTeX. There's a good introductory page at
https://www.pcc.edu/instructional-support/accessibility/mathscience/latex/
https://www.pcc.edu/instructional-support/accessibility/mathscience/latex/
TechnicalPragmatist 3 points 1y ago
Do you know what is the best editor for that? I don’t have time to look at this moment and too lazy? Any suggestions?
Tarnagona 2 points 1y ago
I’m a Windows person, so I don’t have any MacOS recommendations, sorry. Though, as LaTeX is a markup language, at a pinch, you could literally write it in a plain text document. I’m also not sure which editors are the most screen reader friendly. And now, because I haven’t used LaTeX myself in a couple years, I’m blanking on which program I used in Windows. Sorry for not being more helpful.
retrolental_morose 2 points 1y ago
Word (with mathplayer/mathtype) over pages, for sure. heard good things about https://www.texniccenter.org/ but not used it.
TechnicalPragmatist 2 points 1y ago
It works on the mac too? I think I’ve heard of it but only in context of windows.
[deleted] [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Any editor you use will have at least a 30min startup cost in setting it up. It's closer to setting up an IDE for python than just installing MS Words. It also has its own syntax you'll need to learn (e.g. to type the less than or equal sign, you write $\\leq$).
The quickest out of the box solution is to use Overleaf, which is more like a Google Docs implementation (web-based)
The quickest out of the box solution is to use Overleaf, which is more like a Google Docs implementation (web-based)
WorldlyBoysenberry26 2 points 1y ago
JAWS on Windows now supports Nemeth to print conversion. I’ve been testing it out in Word over the last couple of days, and it’s pretty solid. You do need JAWS 2021.
Edit: I think you also need a braille display.
Edit: I think you also need a braille display.
Shadowwynd 1 points 1y ago
I will throw another vote in for LaTeX. You can get programs for Mac, Linux, windows, or most other common operating systems.
The learning curve is very steep (if you have a paper due next week you will probably not master enough LaTeX by then), but this is literally what the program was built for - typesetting equations. It gives you very explicit control over everything in your document. Because it is text based, it is the best match for braille.
The learning curve is very steep (if you have a paper due next week you will probably not master enough LaTeX by then), but this is literally what the program was built for - typesetting equations. It gives you very explicit control over everything in your document. Because it is text based, it is the best match for braille.
Throwaway1588442 1 points 1y ago
I second LaTeX
And if you're okay with programming I'd suggest using emacs with emacspeak for your editor and use the twautex package for it
And if you're okay with programming I'd suggest using emacs with emacspeak for your editor and use the twautex package for it
Rethunker 1 points 1y ago
A company called TextHelp offers an app called EquatIO to make math accessible. I only found out about it today, so I don't have experience with it, and I'm not sure it'll support the math you need to write, but it may be worth checking out.
Here's the link to EquatIO on the TextHelp website:
https://www.texthelp.com/products/equatio/
Here's the link to EquatIO on the TextHelp website:
https://www.texthelp.com/products/equatio/
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