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When dealing with distributions (in Probability and Statistics), how do we verbally write a structure so that a screen reader would state it correctly for a visually impaired person? For examples with relevant parts bolded:

"The standard normal distribution n(z;0,1)"

"The mean and variance of the binomial distribution b(x;n,p) are μ = np and σ^2 = npq."

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    "Binomial distribution with parameters $n$ and $p$", though of course that assumes they are aware of the usual order in which the parameters come. You could clarify by saying something like "i.e. the distribution of the sum of $n$ iid Bernoulli(p) variables". – 2017-01-13
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    Could you put the equation in as an image and write the alternate text phonetically? – 2017-01-13
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    @Ian What about the z part in the first sentence and the x part in the second sentence? Thanks. – 2017-01-13
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    @Paul That is exactly what I'm doing. That's why I need to know what alternate text to write so that when a person who can't see the image hears it, they are understanding the correct math. – 2017-01-13
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    @DavidK I've essentially been instructed to assume the screen reader is completely unaware of the conventions of math (though I am assuming it will pronounce Greek letters correctly), so I am trying to write it in a way that will work for that. – 2017-01-13
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    I would be inclined to just refactor the phrasing entirely, for example "$Z$ is normally distributed with mean zero and variance $1$", "$X$ is binomially distributed with parameters $n$ and $p$". Of course in more complicated situations there is no practical way to do such a refactoring; that's why we have mathematical symbols after all. But this is absolutely not one of those complicated situations. – 2017-01-13
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    @DavidK I think the goal here is to reproduce what a math professor would say aloud in a lecture. Just as we say "f(x)" as "f of x", etc. – 2017-01-13
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    It seems very hard to find examples of the output math-to-speech software that doesn't require installing the software itself, but I found [one page with some examples](http://metrc.uoregon.edu/index.php/resources/math-text-to-speech/speech-demonstrations.html). Note the final example (a fraction with lots of parentheses): Math Speak and Simple Speak render it much like I suggested (though using different words for "open parentheses"); ClearSpeak assumes the juxtaposed brackets are multiplied and uses longer pauses between syllables to indicate grouping. – 2017-01-13
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    @DavidK In the case of "f(x)", I am writing out "f of x", and I know it is a function in those cases (as opposed to f times x). In other cases, yes, it is often a little unclear, and that is why I am asking here and providing some context so that respondents can advise the best way to write it out. – 2017-01-13
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    @DavidK Again, I have been told to write these out as if it is not a math-to-speech software but just a general screen reader. – 2017-01-13
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    @DavidK Yes. Imagine an image that is a figure from a math textbook, and that figure contains equations and so forth. Sighted people will simply see this image. For visually impaired people, there will also be an "alternate text" associated with that image, and their screen readers will know to read that to them. – 2017-01-14
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    Now, looking back at the comments, I see how your system relies on an image and hand-written alt-text. I mistakenly assumed you were trying to do [something like these types of math-reading software](http://metrc.uoregon.edu/index.php/resources/math-text-to-speech/speech-demonstrations.html). I have deleted my earlier comments, since none of them actually applied to what you're doing. – 2017-01-14
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    As I said, do it phonetically so f(x) would be "eff of ecks" or some such. The screenreader does not care if it is proper words. – 2017-01-14

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