Hi!
In the University of Valencia we utilize the javascript ASCIIMathML.js (is GNU/GPL) http://www1.chapman.edu/~jipsen/mathml/asciimath.html.
This utility allow to the teachers and students write math formulas in Ascii and Latex inside forums, portlets, etc.
You can to see a demo in:
URL:pizarra.uv.es
Authority:EXTERNAL
User:mailto:demoalumno@uv.es
PW:demoalumno
The problem is that the javascript is not more fast, because seek in all tree objects DOM of body, also there are some errors of interpretacion. The utility translate all text between `expression asciimath` and $expression Latex$
At present the code is ported to PHP. Not a lot of work to carry the code to XOtcl.
Moodle have integrated this funcionality http://math.chapman.edu/~jipsen/talks/MathFest2005/JipsenMathFestSlides2005.html
Greetings
