For the Equations in Microsoft Word Usability Walk-through, please use the following NVDA and MathCAT settings if possible.
For NVDA to work with digital math content, it needs to have an add-on installed. The best addon for speaking math and creating math braille codes in Nemeth or UEB is the MathCAT plug-in. This group’s efforts are focused on evaluating how well the Microsoft Equations work in Word for screen reader users. To avoid stumbling across known limitations in screen readers, please use the following:
There are usually at least three choices: eSpeak NG, Microsoft Speech API, Windows OneCore voices. All synthesizers work, but the Windows OneCore voices don’t support speaking “a” properly and the other options should be used. In particular, the Microsoft Speech API is a good substitute for the OneCore voices.
To change this:
Note: in case you need it, see the MathCAT Settings documentation.
To open the MathCAT Preferences dialog in NVDA:
The MathCAT Preferences dialog has three categories of settings: Speech, Navigation, and Braille. We are interested in setting the Speech and Navigation settings:
| Setting | Set to |
|---|---|
| Generate Speech for | Blindness [Default] |
| Speech Style | ClearSpeak [Default] |
| Speech Verbosity | Verbose |
| Speech for chemical equations | Off (H sub 2 O) |
| Setting | Set to |
|---|---|
| Navigation mode | Enhanced [Default] |
| Navigation speech to use when beginning to navigate an equation | Speak [Default] |
| Speech amount for navigation | Verbose |
| Copy math as | MathML |
To use MathCAT with NVDA, it is helpful to understand the MathCAT navigation modes, know the MathCAT navigation commands, and the keys used to activate them.
Enhanced mode: navigation is by mathematically meaningful pieces (operators, delimiters, and operands)
Simple mode: this moves by words except when you get to a 2D notation (fractions, roots, …), then it speaks the entire notation. Zooming in lets you explore the 2D notation in the same mode. Zooming out or moving out of the 2D notation brings you back to the outer/higher level of navigation.
Character mode: The character mode is actually two useful modes – word mode and character mode (zoom in to get “real” character mode). Moves by words/characters. This differs for numbers of more than one digit and function names such as “sin” that are multiple characters. Otherwise, word and character navigation is the same.
For a full list of navigation commands, see the Navigation Commands Table in the MathCAT User Guide.
To activate the MathCAT navigation features when reading a web page with NVDA, navigate to an expression and then press “Enter”. NVDA should speak “Math”.
Typically, you will start at the first term of an expression. The left and right arrow keys will move you through the terms at your current navigation level. You might also move up and down levels if needed by using the up and down arrow keys. alt+ctrl+arrow is used to move around cells in a table.
Backspace will take you back to where you were, which is not always the same as moving to the left. For example, if the right arrow moved you out of a fraction, backspace will take you back to where you were in the denominator and left arrow will land on the entire fraction.
You will likely find one mode of navigation the most natural for you most of the time. This can be set in the MathCAT settings. However, at any time during navigation, you can switch the navigation modes using shift+up/down arrow. This is useful because each mode of navigation has its strengths and weaknesses.
While navigating an expression, “control+c” copies the MathML for the part of the expression you are currently navigating. If you want to copy the entire expression, be sure to up-arrow until you hear “Zoomed out all the way”.
When you press “Control+c”, you should hear NVDA say “Copy as MathML”.