How I Use WebAssign With Low Vision

When I was in undergrad, I took online Calculus I and Calculus II classes that used the Cengage WebAssign platform for homework and practice problems. As a student with low vision that primarily accesses information visually with large print and screen magnification with a secondary preference for audio access with text-to-speech, I specifically sought out an online calculus class option that provided assignments in digital formatting and options for typing answers after I had struggled with in-person classes that involved copying information from the board or that expected students to write out information by hand. To help other students with low vision searching for information about WebAssign accessibility for visual impairment or what to expect when using WebAssign with assistive technology, I have put together this post with strategies for using WebAssign with low vision from a student perspective and updated it in 2025 to share more practical information.

Before the first day of class: accessible textbook and access codes

A week or two before the first day of class, all students received an email with a copy of the syllabus and instructions on how to purchase a WebAssign access code. Access codes can be purchased as part of a bundle with a new physical copy or digital copy of the textbook, or as a standalone access code (which is what my instructors recommended). The price of WebAssign varies depending on the type of math course and the duration of the class, though many professors will provide free trial access for WebAssign during the first few days of the semester.

For my class, I purchased a WebAssign access code using the link provided by my instructor that included an eBook version of the textbook. When available, the eBook can be accessed within WebAssign by selecting My eBooks, which will open the book in a new tab within the web browser. Some books and lab manuals may open as HTML pages, while others will use the Cengage reading tool that offers the following experiences:

Fixed layout textbook (labeled as eBook/PDF) that mimics the physical copy. Students can zoom in or use a screen reader, but cannot enable other display customizations or change the appearance of the page.
Reflowable layout textbook (labeled as eTextbook/EPUB) that supports options for font resizing, changing font styles, read aloud, and opening images in a new window or tab. eTextbook is considered the best option for assistive technology users.

If the built-in eBook is not accessible, students have a few options for requesting the textbook in alternative formats, depending on the original publisher of the textbook. Students can rent or buy the textbook from another source so that it can be opened outside of WebAssign, or access a digital copy via Bookshare or another online library if available. Another option is to request an alternative format/accessible textbook through Disability Services, as they can get files directly from the publisher as a Word document, EPUB, or PDF for students with print disabilities; students cannot request accessible files directly.

Additional tools for accessing WebAssign content

Depending on the course, students that are enrolled in WebAssign classes will likely need to access additional apps and/or technologies in order to complete course assignments. Potential tools to consider for students with low vision include:

Accessible calculator application. Some professors will specify what calculators to use (or what calculators not to use) for assignments. Calculator applications can be web-browser based or offline applications on a computer or mobile device, though I recommend having a separate screen or device as a dedicated calculator to minimize switching between tabs. My instructor approved the built-in Windows calculator.
External keyboard and/or mouse for typing answers, as the on-screen CalcPad keyboard can be challenging to enlarge.
External monitor for enlarging information on the screen, if relevant. Another option is to change display scaling or reduce resolution of a computer screen to make content larger or easier to see, which can be helpful when working with larger monitors.
Whiteboard or dry-erase board for working out problems with a marker or stylus, which is easier to erase than pen and can provide more contrast than a pencil and paper.
For professors that require students to submit handwritten scratch work, Microsoft Lens can be used to scan images of a dry-erase board. Another alternative is to use an Apple Pencil or similar stylus to write answers on a digital whiteboard or other application.
Screen magnification program for enlarging content, as browser zoom may not provide sufficient magnification for practice problems.

WebAssign is accessed as a web browser application, and students do not need to download an app to access WebAssign content. I primarily used my iPad to access WebAssign content, with a desktop computer as a secondary option— this was different from my other math classes where I typically used a desktop computer as my primary device, because I preferred to hold the screen closer to my face for many of the questions.

What to expect when using WebAssign with low vision

For each assignment, instructors assign a set number of problems on a given topic that students can practice on their own— by default, the assignments are not timed and students have as much time as they need for each question. Some instructors may have timed assignments within their WebAssign courses or only allow one attempt for assignments depending on how their course is structured. WebAssign also provides options for implementing extended time accommodations for individual students, which can be configured in My Classes > Class Schedule > Assignment name > Edit restrictions > Grant extra time for specific students.

Questions are displayed in a single-column layout, and assignments typically contain a mix of free response, true/false, drop-down menus and multiple-choice questions— questions with visualizations or images are displayed in a two-column layout. Students can submit individual questions for grading and receive feedback, as well as re-attempt questions for more practice with different randomized values, unless the instructor has configured the assignment otherwise. Students can complete questions out of order and a hyperlinked list of questions is shown at the top of the assignment.

By default, the randomized values for a question are displayed in red text. The “black” part of the question does not change, but the “red” part of the question will change if a student attempts a question again. Professors can configure questions to not show red text by going to Edit Class Settings > Advanced Options > Highlight Randomized Text > No.

Images can be opened in a new tab by right-clicking or long-pressing on an image and selecting the appropriate option. Many images also have alt text available, which can be “exposed” to provide additional description for content.

Instead of using on-screen tools like CalcPad or MathPad, students can type answers to questions by using the notation guides linked on the WebAssign website. No additional accessibility settings need to be enabled to use keyboard input.

Accessing WebAssign with large print

Text content for WebAssign questions and explanations are displayed in 13px sans-serif font, which is equivalent to approximately 10-pt font. There is no option to resize text or change fonts used within WebAssign and browser zoom is not responsive, so users will need to engage in horizontal scrolling if they want to read information with browser zoom.

Since WebAssign does not offer built-in support for large font sizes, I had to use a few different workarounds for enlarging content to a font size that I could read. Here is a list of strategies for increasing the font size in WebAssign for students with low vision:

Screen magnification is essential for enlarging user interface elements, text, and images in WebAssign. This can be configured to follow the mouse cursor, which can be useful when navigating between different elements of a question or enlarging exponents or subscripts. Tools like Zoom and Windows Magnifier can be used with invert colors or other high-contrast color modes to make symbols easier to see.
Students can use the Web Inspector tool in their computer’s web browser to increase the font size of content, though they will need to enable this manually for each assignment. This can be done by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+I in a web browser, using the Select Element tool to select the text of the question and math expressions. Once selected, select the font-size property with the keyboard and edit the 13px value to another value, e.g. 24px. Press the enter key to confirm the change.
While browser zoom shortcuts like Ctrl++ and Ctrl+- can be useful, pinch-to-zoom on mobile browsers is another option to enlarge on-screen content with fewer scaling issues. This is a great option for tablets, as students can also use folio cases to adjust the viewing angle— I found this especially useful for questions with a lot of exponents or tables, as I could use pinch-to-zoom on specific points of the screen.
Hover Text is a feature available for iPad and Mac that enlarges text positioned underneath the cursor, applying a consistent font size, style, color, and background color. However, there may be issues with displaying questions that contain math notation.
A different strategy I would use for enlarging content is to take a screenshot of a question at the maximum zoom level and zoom in further with pinch-to-zoom in the Photos app, deleting the screenshot when finished.
Another option for increasing the font size of content in WebAssign is to change the screen resolution of the computer. This can be configured in Display settings for Windows/Mac, starting with 800 x 600.
Content can be enlarged on a Smart TV or other larger screen by using screen mirroring tools such as Cast (Chromecast) or AirPlay.

Some Greek characters and math notation may appear blurry or pixelated within WebAssign, which is why I frequently used the iPad with pinch-to-zoom to enlarge content or use a visual assistance app/ask someone else to recognize the text. Over time, I learned to “recognize” the blurry images and would not have to enlarge them as often.

WebAssign Alt text and image descriptions

Assistive technology tools like screen readers and braille displays will display alt text in lieu of images. Instructors can set alt text (alternative text/display text) by following the instructions linked on the WebAssign help page below. I noticed that I could “expose” alt text by selecting the I icon next to an image (lowercase I inside of a circle in the bottom right corner of a question), which would show the alt text in a shaded gray rectangle. The alt text could then be copy and pasted into another application to read with large print or enlarged with another strategy like screen magnification or Hover Text.

It is extremely important that alt text provides students with the information they need to answer a question without answering the question itself. For example, make sure that the alt text contains all of the values a student would need to use a formula to solve the problem. Here is an example of alt text from a WebAssign sample assignment:

“The x y coordinate plane is given. The line starts at a point on the positive y-axis, goes up and right, passes through the point (5 − δ, 5 − ε), passes through the point (5, 5), passes through the point (5 + δ, 5 + ε), and exits the window in the first quadrant.”

WebAssign accessibility for screen readers

WebAssign displays content with MathML, which can be accessed with text-to-speech and screen readers. NVDA users will want to use the Firefox web browser and download the addons MathCAT or Access8Math. JAWS users will want to use Google Chrome version 109 or higher. MathML content can also be accessed using the VoiceOver screen reader, though VoiceOver itself does not have any specialty commands for math.

WebAssign can be navigated with a keyboard, and students can answer questions by typing in “calculator” notation with no additional accessibility settings required.

What to know about WebAssign accessibility for visual impairment

This post assumes that a student has been approved for disability accommodations at their institution and that they have disclosed their accommodations to their professor— this is essential for getting access to alternative formats and testing accommodations. To learn more about this process, read How To Create A Disability Services File and How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
For instructors and/or students that want to preview WebAssign tools or practice accessing content with assistive technology, go to WebAssign – Preview and select Expanded View.
WebAssign does not offer options for increasing the font size of questions, students will need to use external tools like screen magnification to enlarge it themselves. Learn more about reading digital text in A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
Because it takes additional time to enlarge content and read information with low vision, extended time is an incredibly helpful accommodation to have, especially on quizzes or timed assignments— this can be configured in the instructor dashboard for individual students. I share more in Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
WebAssign is available with built-in eBooks, many of which use a responsive layout for customizing the display of text. To learn more about digital textbooks, read Ten Questions To Ask When Buying Digital Textbooks
Professors typically indicate whether a class will use WebAssign or a similar program on the syllabus. My other math classes used different programs, which I share more about in MyLab Math Accessibility and Low Vision and ALEKS Accessibility For Visual Impairment

Published November 16, 2020. Updated July 2025

Reference

Lewis, Veronica. (2020). How I Use WebAssign With Low Vision. Veroniiiica. https://veroniiiica.com/how-i-use-webassign-with-low-vision/ (Accessed on December 21, 2025)

How I Use WebAssign With Low Vision

Before the first day of class: accessible textbook and access codes

Related links

Additional tools for accessing WebAssign content

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What to expect when using WebAssign with low vision

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Accessing WebAssign with large print

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WebAssign Alt text and image descriptions

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WebAssign accessibility for screen readers

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What to know about WebAssign accessibility for visual impairment

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