PDF Remediation for STEM and Handwritten Content
Standard remediation tools handle text. Underleaf handles the part they cannot: handwritten equations, scanned math, image-based scientific notation, and technical tables.
Free of charge. No commitment. Send two or three representative pages.
What Underleaf produces
Choose the deliverables your workflow needs. We can provide source, accessible publication formats, or both.
MathML
Semantic equations that assistive technology can navigate and announce.
Tagged PDF/UA
Structured headings, lists, figures, tables, language, and reading order.
Accessible HTML
Responsive, selectable content with semantic structure and accessible math.
Clean LaTeX
Editable source that preserves equations, tables, and technical notation.
Who uses this
Disability and alt-format offices
Convert course packets, worksheets, exams, and requested materials without rebuilding technical notation by hand.
STEM faculty
Turn handwritten lectures, problem sets, and legacy notes into accessible, editable teaching materials.
Libraries and archives
Remediate scanned collections while preserving formulas, tables, diagrams, and document structure.
Healthcare and research institutions
Make technical reports, protocols, and image-based research documents usable with assistive technology.
Planning campus-wide work? See solutions for universities and research teams.
Compliance standards supported
Conformance depends on the source, requested output, and final validation scope. We document the checks performed for each engagement.
Why standard tools leave a gap
Accessibility checkers can identify missing tags. PDF editors can auto-tag a clean, text-based page. OCR can add searchable words to a scan. None of those steps reliably reconstructs the semantics of a handwritten fraction, a matrix, a reaction mechanism, or a table of equations.
A scanned worksheet starts with no semantic structure. OCR may add characters, but it does not supply heading hierarchy, table relationships, figure descriptions, or MathML. That is why a file can pass a basic “searchable text” check and remain unusable with a screen reader.
Underleaf's PDF accessibility remediation rebuilds the content as structured source, then produces and validates the requested accessible outputs. For a primer, read what makes a PDF accessible.
What the work includes
Text and equation reconstruction
Heading, list, figure, and table structure
Reading-order repair
Figure descriptions and decorative artifacts
MathML or another agreed math alternative
Automated and manual quality checks
Cost context
Remediation pricing depends on page density, scan quality, table complexity, math, and the required output standard. Use these figures only for early planning.
| Option | Typical context | Planning figure |
|---|---|---|
| Manual remediation | Simple through technical pages | $5 to $25 per page |
| 300-page STEM title | Varies with equations, tables, and scans | $800 to $2,500+ |
| Underleaf | Institutional volume and technical documents | Contact for a scoped quote |
| Free sample | Two or three representative pages | $0, no commitment |
Send us two or three pages
Choose pages that represent the hardest parts of the document: math, tables, handwriting, scans, or diagrams. We'll return a sample so you can judge the structure and output quality on your own material. The sample is free of charge with no commitment.
Tell us what needs remediation
Share the document type, approximate page count, deadline, accessibility standard, and output formats you need. We'll reply with the next practical step.
Looking for a broader accessibility program? Visit Underleaf accessibility solutions.