This section offers key guidance on creating accessible eBooks. Following these guidelines and using the eBook accessibility checklist will also help to improve the reading experience for all users whether they are reading your eBooks on dedicated eInk readers, computers, tablets and especially small screen devices such as smartphones.
People with disabilities who find standard print books difficult or impossible to read include blind and partially sighted people, some people with dyslexia, and people who find it physically difficult to hold a book or turn the pages.
The number of people who find standard print books hard to read represents a very significant potential customer base. Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that about 314 million people are blind or partially sighted. The UK's Right to Read Alliance estimates that 1 in 8 people in the UK have a print impairment, and there is no reason to assume this would be different in any other developed country.
Mainstream eBook formats include features that can make books more accessible to people who find it difficult or impossible to read standard print. These can include the ability to alter font sizes, change typeface, and read the eBook using synthetic speech. However, the eBooks themselves need to be created so they can take advantage of these features.
Design for tomorrow
Even if your target reading system doesn't currently support all the accessibility features highlighted in this guide, one day it probably will and you won't want to revisit every eBook you've created.
Guidelines
These guidelines cover the most important factors in making your eBooks accessible. They apply regardless of eBook file format, reading system, or publishing software, and as a result, some items may not be relevant to all eBook formats. Guidance for specific eBook file formats and publishing software will be available from the Accessible publishing pages.
You may find your titles already follow some of these guidelines, since some file formats and publishing software can lend themselves to supporting them. There are, however, many exceptions, so it is worth checking all the guidelines listed below to ensure your eBooks are as accessible as possible.
Please note that "reading system" refers to both hardware reading devices and to software reading programs or apps on a computer or mobile device such as a phone.
This section contains a wealth of information on helping you to ensure your eBooks are accessible to as many people as possible.The eBook accessibility testing checklist is a handy guide to ensuring that your eBooks are accessible.
Additional resources
This whole section is also available in EPUB, Kindle and PDF formats (depending on your browser the file extension of the EPUB file may need changing from .zip to .epub):