An automated method based on LATEX for the realization of accessible PDF documents containing formulae

Mathematical formulae contained in PDF documents generated using LATEX are usually not accessible with assistive technologies for visually impaired people, such as screen readers and braille displays. To address this issue, we developed Axessibility, a LATEX package which allows creation of PDF documents in which the formulae can be read by these assistive technologies. Axessibility automatically generates hidden comments inside PDF documents corresponding to each formula (by means of the /ActualText PDF attribute). This actual text contains the LATEX code of the formula, and it is read by screen readers (JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver). Moreover, we have created NVDA and JAWS dictionaries (in English and in Italian) that provide natural language reading for users that do not know LATEX. While this package enables accessibility of mathematical formulae contained in PDF documents, it does not generate PDF/UA compatible documents.