Opinion: Why Math Platforms Must Treat Accessibility as a Product, Not a Patch (2026)

Opinion: Why Math Platforms Must Treat Accessibility as a Product, Not a Patch (2026)

Hook: Accessibility cannot be an afterthought. In 2026, users expect semantic, voice-forward access to math content. When accessibility is treated as a product, platforms gain reach, trust, and better searchability.

Product consequences of good accessibility

Accessible math content increases reach (students that rely on screen readers), reduces legal risk, and improves SEO when MathML is exposed. It also facilitates downstream reuse — example: searchable transcripts that feed into tutoring recommendation systems.

Concrete product commitments

• MathML always: Ensure canonical MathML exists for all formulae.
• Step narration: Provide step-by-step accessible narration for derivations.
• Voice-first editing: Allow authors to create and edit equations via voice commands.

Operational implementation

Implementing this requires cross-functional investments: engineering (rendering + MathML), content ops (notation conventions), and QA (screen-reader audits). Adopt monitoring for accessibility regressions and include accessibility acceptance criteria in CI. Use the SEO and structured data guidance in structured data best practices to ensure discoverability.

Learning from adjacent products

Design systems that prioritize reusability help scale accessibility work. Read takeaways from product design interviews in design systems & reusability to guide your component architecture.

Monetization and ethical considerations

Charging for accessibility features creates ethical and PR issues. Instead, make accessibility features default and monetize complementary premium tooling (analytics, export bundles). When creators monetize short derivation clips, publish clear guidelines referencing the copyright & fair use guide to avoid complications.

Final appeal

Accessibility is not a checkbox. It's a growth lever. Bake it into product planning, measure it, and ship it as a first-class experience.

Call to action: If you lead a math product, run an accessibility audit this quarter and push MathML-first exports into your public feed. The benefits are long-term: discoverability, trust, and a more inclusive product.