About the Nordic MathML Guidelines

This document provides comprehensive guidelines for creating accessible mathematical content in HTML files using MathML. It is a joint effort between Nordic agencies dedicated to providing accessible literature in different formats to children and adults with various reading impairments or special needs.

Participating Organizations

• Celia (Finland)
• HBS (Iceland)
• MTM (Sweden)
• NB (Norway)
• Nota (Denmark)
• SBS (Switzerland)
• SPSM (Sweden)
• Statped (Norway)

About These Guidelines

Making book content accessible starts with well-structured and granular semantic markup using available markup and accessibility standards. When it comes to mathematics, the quality of the markup is essential for assistive technology to correctly and unambiguously convey information to the reader.

The basis of this document is the MathML Core specification. The aim is to provide a better understanding of how to use the MathML standard in the context of the services provided by the Nordic Agencies.

Key Topics Covered

• When to Use MathML: Guidelines for determining what mathematical content should be marked up
• MathML Fundamentals: Basic structure and elements
• Basic Markup Structure: Token elements, grouping, and layout
• Script and Limit Schemata: Subscripts, superscripts, and more
• Tabular Math: Matrices, determinants, and systems of equations
• Context-Based Applications: Large operators, invisible operators, and special cases
• Chemistry in MathML: Chemical notation and formulas
• Quality Assurance: Tools and procedures for validation

Getting Started

Read the full guidelines →

Resources

• MathML Core Specification
• Unicode Character Tables
• MathML Validator

---

This document is not a beginner’s introduction to MathML. A certain familiarity with the format is required, as well as a good understanding of basic mathematics.