How do we read what we read?
1. What were the options 15-20 years
ago?
2. What's the goal (example)?
3. How can I read that?
What is an E-Reader?
1. What do we mean when we talk
about E-Readers?
a. Software or apps that run on
hardware
b. Dedicated Hardware
E-Reader Software
Read
2 Go or iBooks for an iPad
Kindle
for the PC
Darwin
for an Android phone
Google
Books
E-Reader Hardware
Marketed Mainstream
 A Kindle with keyboard
 Barnes and Noble Nook
 Sony E-Reader
E-Reader Accessibility
1. Lawsuit settled by ACB and NFB
in 2009 against Arizona State
University for planning to deploy the
Kindle DX as an electronic book
reader among students
E-Reader Accessibility
2. Lawsuit settled by NFB and 4
library patrons against the
Philadelphia Free Library for
deploying Barnes and Noble Nook ereaders without an accessible
alternative.
E-Reader Accessibility
3. Diagram Center Comparison:
 Kindle 3 and Kindle Keyboard
Somewhat accessible
 iPad Yes accessible
 That's it!!
Reading Technology
Survey
a) Screen reader on a laptop,
netbook, desktop computer or
handheld device
152 ​/ 64.4%
b) Library of Congress NLS player
97 / 41.1%
Reading Technology
Survey
c) Apple device (iPhone, iPad, etc.)
96 / 40.7%
d) Victor Reader (any model) 92 / 39%
e) Kindle and Nook (any model) below
6.4%
Reading Technology
Survey
If e-reader hardware is not always
accessible, and most
students/professionals with VI are
using DTB and screen readers, why
have this discussion?
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
“At present there is no silver bullet ebook reader or platform for users with
disabilities.”
****Supplemental: Accessibility Issues
in E-Books and E-Book Readers:
http://wac.osu.edu/ebook-accessoverview/
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
1. Guidelines covering accessibility
2. Assessment based on functional
abilities
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
Adds category of Web based ereader:
CourseSmart
Google eBooks (not Google Books)
Kindle Cloud
McGraw-Hill HTML Books
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
PC / Mac based software:
Adobe Digital Editions
Blio
gh ReadHear
Kindle for PC with Accessibility
Plugin
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
PC / Mac based software (cont.):
Nook Study
VitalSource Bookshelf
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
Android based software:
Darwin (DAISY)
Go Read (DAISY)
Cool Reader
Ebook Reader
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
iOS (iPhone, iPod, iPad) based
accessible software :
iBooks
Blio
Google Books
Inkling
Supplemental Accessibility
Issues
iOS (iPhone, iPod, iPad) based
accessible software (cont.):
Read2Go
Vital Source
E-Book File Formats
1. Growing number of formats
2. Update comparison chart including
devices:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparis
on_of_e-book_formats
Digital Rights Management
Note: The Digital Rights
Management (DRM) of some
devices may prevent TTS access
on certain devices
Software Resources
1. Resource: Colorado Dept.of
Education chart of software tools
for file conversions
http://www.swaaac.com/Files/Form
sandDocuments/SchoolMaterials.p
df
Software Resources
2. Calibre is for e-book library
management (http://calibreebook.com) that will allow
conversion from one format to
another and offers a book viewer.
Software Resources
3. DAISY Consortium Conversion
tools page
http://www.daisy.org/tools/conver
sion
Software Resources
4. DAISYtoEPUB converts DAISY
files like Bookshare to EPUB file
formats that may be used for many
e-readers at
http://www.donjohnston.com/produc
ts/daisytoepub/index.html
Features Resources
1. Wikipedia Comparison of E-Book
Readers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari
son_of_e-book_readers
2. E-book Reader Matrix (very
comprehensive comparison)
http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Ebook_Reader_Matrix
For More Information
2. Diagram Center Complete Product
Matrices
http://diagramcenter.org/research/p
roduct-matrices-complete.html
includes comparison of software
and devices
For More Information
3. Update to the presentation
including audio recording if
available
http://www.lowvisiontech.com