How Do I Make LaTeX Documents Accessible?
Choose a supported LaTeX tagging or HTML workflow, check package compatibility, and evaluate the saved mathematics and structure. A compiler switch alone is insufficient.
Accessible LaTeX output depends on the actual toolchain, packages, content and reader. Traditional visual typesetting does not necessarily provide usable structure or mathematics, but switching compilers or adding one package does not guarantee accessible output.
Follow the current tagging project
Use the LaTeX Project's tagged-PDF guidance for the supported release, document class and package combinations. The project is evolving. Test the relevant configuration in a copy of the source and check package compatibility before applying it across course material.
Preserve meaning and structure
Use semantic sectioning, lists and tables in the source. Supply meaningful figure descriptions and set document language and metadata. For equations, compare operators, grouping, scripts, matrices and references with the original. Recognizing symbols is not proof of mathematical correctness or author intent.
Consider the delivery format
An HTML representation with supported mathematical markup can provide another delivery route. Evaluate whether conversion retains text, equations and relationships, and test the actual browser and assistive-technology environment. An HTML alternative is not automatically accessible simply because it includes MathML.
For PDFs, inspect tags, logical reading order, figure alternatives and the mathematical representation in the saved file. Use a validator supporting the intended PDF/UA version and complete the necessary manual checks.
Evaluate assistance on representative material
Aelira has supported source-processing and STEM workflows, with explicit limits. Unsupported or ambiguous material remains manual or review-required, and some inputs cannot deliver a downloadable candidate. Core is beta; inspect the current source and release documentation for the actual path.
Compare original and downloaded output before publication. An automated score describes implemented checks rather than full conformance. A representative pilot should include difficult notation, failures and review time instead of assuming a general accuracy or savings rate.
Aelira Team
•Accessibility EngineersThe Aelira team is building beta accessibility tools for higher education. Institutions can evaluate selected checks and partial fixes on their own files, with human review required before publication.
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