eBooks can be read on a dedicated hardware device ("eBook reader") or using software on a computer, tablet or mobile phone ("eBook app"). Your individual needs will help you to decide which ebook reader is best for you. One major difference is that eBook readers cost from £50, while eBook apps are free once you've bought the device they run on.
Below is an overview of the main accessibility options on readers and apps; for more detailed features, read our eBook readers and apps compared page.
Large print, colour and contrast
Text magnification
eBook readers and apps allow you to increase the text size of eBook content, but not the menus or other information that appears on the screen.
Most eBook readers have anything from five to ten font sizes. The settings are generally expressed as 'Small', 'Medium', 'Large', and so on, rather than as point sizes. When increasing the font size, the text usually reflows (adapts to the size of the screen so you don't have to scroll from left to right). However, if you need a larger font size than is available a 'zoom' or magnification feature may be available to you but this will not allow for reflow. Furthermore, increasing the font size of PDFs can be problematic and may not result in a consistent appearance.
eBook apps also usually have some font size options which can be used on their own or in conjuction with magnification software.
Screen size and orientation
The screens on eBook readers range in size from five inches to nearly ten inches diagonally. In most cases you can choose between portrait and landscape modes, and often whether you view content in one or two columns. Both of these options can affect the number of words on a line and thus aid readability.
If the facilities on an eBook reader do not allow you to comfortably read an eBook at your required font size, you may find it easier to use an eBook app on a computer.
Changing colour and contrast
Most eBook readers try to replicate the appearance of a print book with 'e-ink' screens. These screens are currently gray-scale only, though colour e-ink will be available in the future. The screens are generally not backlit, so they have low glare, but recent technology shows a marked improvement in contrast between the text and background. Some devices also allow you to adjust the contrast and brightness.
Many eBook apps allow you to invert the text colours, or honour colour settings made system-wide. Screen brightness and contrast can usually be changed outside the eBook app.
Audio
eBook readers or apps that offer voice output used synthesised voices that are not comparable with audio books which are read by people. For more information about the kind of voices that are available, including speech samples, see eBooks and text-to-speech.
An eBook reader, being a standalone device, has to include a built-in text-to-speech facility if it is to offer speech output. eBook apps may also include a built-in text-to-speech facility but, because they run on a computer, tablet or mobile phone that may include a screen reader, there is also the possibility that they can rely on that screen reader to read content.
Adobe
Adobe Digital Editions 1.8 Preview is an eBook app that supports text-to-speech on Windows or Mac computers. On Windows it works with NVDA and JAWS version 12 or later. You can navigate a book and read it page by page or, with JAWS only, you can use SayAll to read an entire book in one keystroke! Mac computers have a built-in screen reader called VoiceOver which can be used to read books page by page,; no navigation within a page is possible.
Download Adobe Digital Editions 1.8 Preview
Amazon Kindle
The Kindle Keyboard eBook reader has a text-to-speech feature for eBook content and a setting called Voice Guide which reads out some of the menus using synthetic speech. The text-to-speech feature is not switched on for all titles available from the Kindle store - the latest RNIB estimate is that about 80% of books have it enabled, and we are working hard to ensure that all eBooks have this feature turned on.
Amazon announced four new devices at the end of September 2011. Only one of these - the Kindle - is available in the UK at the moment, and this has no audio capability. The other three models - Kindle Touch, Kindle Touch 3G and Kindle Fire - will hopefully soon be available in the UK and then we will be able to comment on their audio facilities.
Amazon also have an accessible version of their Kindle for PC eBook app. This includes a built-in text-to-speech programme for book content, but you still need a screen reader to read menus and the list of books on the device. Kindle eBook apps for other platforms do not offer text-to-speech, nor will they work with screen readers.
Download Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin
Apple iBooks
The iPad, iPhone and iPod touch all have a built-in screen reader called VoiceOver, which works in conjunction with Apple's iBooks eBook app. This allows you to navigate around the menus, download and read eBooks, and navigate within your eBooks using speech.
Sony
None of the Sony eBook readers or apps offer a text-to-speech feature. The eBook apps, including the latest versions released in September 2011, do they work with screen readers.
Other
There are a number of other eBook readers on the market, most of which have no text-to-speech feature. Similarly, there are many eBook apps for various platforms, but none that we know of that include text-to-speech or work with screen readers.
Two recent offerings we are investigating are the Pocketbook, which advertises a built-in text-to-speech feature, and the Kobo range which are now available in the UK.
Braille
If you have a bluetooth braille display, you can use it with iBooks and VoiceOver on the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. None of the other eBook readers or apps support the use of braille.