A To Z Of Assistive Technology For Reading Digital Text

When I’m doing research on assistive technology for reading digital text or eBooks, I often search for specific display customization options or accessibility features to determine if this app will be useful for me or for a student/client I’m working with. With students and clients, I’ll also ask if there are any features that they consider a must-have (such as a specific font or large text sizes), so that I can make sure whatever I recommend will work for them. Here is an A-to-Z list of assistive technology for reading digital text that are helpful for readers with low vision or other types of print disabilities, as well as different ways that they can be used.

Background information

This document was originally created by me, Veronica Lewis, as part of the course requirements for EDAT 649 (Assistive Technology Assessment) at George Mason University. It is intended to provide an overview of accessibility features that would be used for readers that are “visual learners” that primarily read standard or large print text, who may also have secondary auditory strengths or access preferences. Considerations for braille or tactile access are not included in this document.

Additional information about accessibility features available in mainstream eReader applications are linked in a separate post that is shared in the related links section below.

Portions of this document were adapted from the Access Technology Evaluation Checklist For Blind and Low Vision Needs, which can be downloaded as a fillable PDF from the APH website, and is also included in the book Access Technology for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility (2nd edition).

Auto Scroll and Continuous Scrolling

Continuous scroll and auto-scroll features provide automatic scrolling for a document or webpage without requiring readers to use a touch screen, keyboard, or mouse to scroll through a webpage or document. This can be helpful when presenting or taking notes on content.

Examples

Teleprompter applications often have built-in continuous scroll or auto scroll options for reading text, in addition to large font sizes.
When using modern web browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox on a Windows computer with a mouse, readers can press down on the scroll wheel of their mouse and move the cursor towards the center of the page to enable auto-scrolling for content. To stop scrolling, press the scroll wheel again.
When a screen reader or text-to-speech is enabled, some applications will use auto-scroll or continuous scrolling automatically

Brightness

When configuring display settings, some reading applications and eReaders have a built-in brightness slider so readers can adjust their display without opening another settings menu. This can be helpful for improving readability and helping readers configure optimal lighting settings for a comfortable reading experience.

Examples

Brighter screens can improve the contrast between text and the background, while also helping to improve visibility of text. However, some readers may find bright backgrounds to be tiring or difficult to read and prefer something more dim. Readers should experiment with different brightness settings to determine the ideal level for their own needs.
Adjusting the screen brightness to match the surrounding environment can help with avoiding eyestrain that originates from having too much contrast.

Columns

Single-column layouts display information from top-to-bottom for straightforward scrolling or line tracking. They can also be enlarged more effectively with screen magnification tools or display scaling. Double-column layouts display two columns of information side-by-side, requiring the reader to read the first column from top-to-bottom before reading text from the second column, which may be used to save space. Within reading applications, readers can configure the number of columns displayed on a page within the layout settings menu.

Examples

Single-column layouts are often used in word processing applications, books, web content, and blogs. They are helpful for readers that have difficulty with line tracking or that need to enlarge text.
Double-column layouts are often used in academic papers or research journals, bibles, textbooks, newspapers, and magazines. They are helpful for readers with progressive bifocals but may be more difficult to read for people with print disabilities.
Some reading applications (such as Nook) will automatically display text in two columns when the device is oriented in landscape mode, but this can be turned off.

Dictionary and research tools

When selecting a word or phrase, several reading applications offer a built-in dictionary for looking up definitions or listening to word pronunciation, as well as options for searching selected text within a web browser window or Wikipedia. Dictionary tools often display information within the reading application so readers don’t have to navigate away from content, though most of the other research tools will open a new tab or new window in a web browser. These features can also be turned off as needed within the application settings menu.

Examples

Most reading applications offer an offline dictionary that can be used to look up definitions of highlighted/selected words, along with pronunciation information. For American English, the most common dictionary used within applications is the New Oxford American Dictionary.
Other common dictionary and research tools that are frequently available include web search/lookup, translating text, and spelling text.
Readers will need to download dictionaries for individual languages, which can be managed within their device settings.

EPUB/File formats

There are a few different file formats for accessible electronic books, including EPUB, DOCX, PDF, and others. These can be configured and customized for readers with low vision within reading applications, including options for changing the font, page layout, and others. PDF documents are more rigid in terms of customization, as the file format itself inherently preserves the original font/layout, though some applications also support adaptive PDF import, which extract the text from the original file and provide options for additional visual customization.

Examples

EPUB is the most popular file format for eBooks and eReaders, as it can support multimedia content and multiple display sizes/devices. They can be read with eReaders or reading applications.
DOC and DOCX files are documents that are created in word processing programs like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Readers can sideload DOC/DOCX applications into a reading application or read them within a word processing program with a simplified reading display
Tagged PDF documents provide headings for structure and preserve the original text formatting and layout of the document, though readers will need to use zoom or other magnification if they want to enlarge the text

Font options

When reading digital text and using reading applications, readers have several options for customizing the font displayed on the page. This can include the font style, size, letter/word spacing, font weight (i.e bold font), and similar characteristics. Many applications offer a mix of serif and sans serif fonts, such as Georgia (serif) and Arial (sans serif), along with fonts designed for print disabilities like OpenDyslexic.

Examples

Within reading applications, readers can experiment with different font sizes and styles according to their personal needs and preferences. Preferences for digital text may be different than preferences for print materials- some readers may prefer a larger/smaller font size, different font style, or increased letter spacing (kerning).
OpenDyslexic is available in many reading applications and incorporates characteristics such as unique character shapes and weighted letter bottoms to improve readability.
Simplified reading displays provide options for customizing text without editing or changing the original file. This is helpful for reading web content or content in productivity applications like Microsoft Word.

Graphs, Charts, and Tables

Graphs, charts, and tables organize information and provide valuable visualizations, but can sometimes be challenging to display in a reading application. Some titles will convert the table/chart into an image so that it can be enlarged with pinch-to-zoom without impacting formatting, though the text cannot be adjusted or read with assistive technologies like screen readers. In other situations, the text formatting may be distorted due to visual settings like large font, line spacing, or large margins, which can affect the structure of text. Readers may find it easier to display this content on a larger screen or use other display settings such as magnification.

Examples

Some textbook publishers will include links to view graphs and similar content online, which is helpful for locating high-resolution images or structured text
In addition to graphs, charts, and tables, similar display considerations will need to be made for math text or other equations to ensure that all elements are displayed properly, or can be magnified/enlarged further.
Another option for reading graphs, charts, and tables is to temporarily enable a smaller font size and take a screenshot on mobile devices to preserve publisher default formatting. While this is not a perfect solution or substitute for accessible graphics (and is impractical for those who rely on screen readers), readers who prefer to use visual displays to read text can enlarge graphics in their device gallery.

Highlighting and Annotation

Highlighting and annotating text provide readers with the option to add notes and indicate areas of interest, which is especially helpful when studying. Readers can often choose between multiple highlight colors, or select/highlight text to add a note or information they can search for or access at a later time.

Examples

With most reading applications, annotation does not involve altering the appearance of the page or edit the text (outside of colored highlighting), but rather provides readers with the space to add their own notes.
Several applications provide an area for readers to view all of the annotations they have made in a given title, as well as go to annotated/highlighted areas within the document.

Images

For titles that include images, many reading applications provide an option to open the image in a full-screen view and use pinch-to-zoom or similar features to enlarge areas of interest. Readers may also have the option to view alt text or image descriptions if they are included in the document.

Examples

Readers with low vision may find it easier to recognize or interpret digital graphics compared to printed copies, as the images are displayed on a backlit display and may also be in a higher resolution than the print copy.
Some sideloaded content may be missing images, graphics, or other visual content, or may only display alt text or image titles with no accompanying visual. This can be very frustrating for textbooks or other academic materials, and readers should verify that all content is included in their digital title before using it.
Another option for making images easier to view is to use display filters (such as color inversion) or to use a third-party application to extract text or generate descriptions of images.

Justification and Alignment

Typographic (text) alignment refers to text and line spacing on a page. With justified text, text is evenly distributed between the margins. In order to achieve this, white space is added between words so that each line is exactly the same length, and words may be hyphenated to accommodate line space. Left text alignment has a straight left edge and an uneven right edge with consistent spacing between words.

Examples

While most standard print books use justified text, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommends aligning text to one side when displaying text in digital formats.
Readers with low vision often prefer left-aligned text, since uneven spacing or hyphenated text can be more difficult to read or follow along with.

Keyboard access

In lieu of using a mouse or touchscreen, keyboard access provides an option for navigating text and other content using only a keyboard, or options for using keyboard shortcuts in addition to other input options. Readers may find it easier to use a keyboard shortcut to activate a feature instead of selecting an icon or option from a menu. In addition to reading content, readers can use keyboard shortcuts to activate display features such as an inverted screen, dark mode, or other tools that they use for their device.

Examples

Keyboard shortcuts for selecting or copying text may be used to look up information or copy it into another application
Many applications offer a keyboard shortcut for enabling read aloud or text-to-speech tools, which can be used to read a selected area of text or an entire page/section
Hotkeys and keyboard shortcuts vary between applications and operating systems, so readers will need to research which keyboard shortcuts are available for their preferred app/device.
Instead of or in addition to keyboard access, touchscreen applications may offer options for using gestures to quickly access settings

Line Spacing

Also referred to as leading, line spacing plays a significant role in text readability, as having white space between lines can help readers track lines of text more easily- lines that are too closely spaced are more difficult to track for readers with low vision or other print disabilities. In terms of accessibility, 1.5x or 2x (double) spacing is ideal for improved readability, and can be enabled within layout settings in most reading apps.

Examples

1.5x and 2x spacing refers to the spacing between lines being equivalent to 150% or 200% of the font size used in the text. For example, if a 24-pt font is used, the line spacing would be set to 36 points (1.5x) or 48 points (2x).
In addition to line spacing, some applications provide options for configuring character spacing and word spacing, which is different than text alignment
For readers with double vision, having lines close together can make words and/or lines run into each other, making it more difficult to tell when one word or line ends and another begins.

Margins

In this context, margins refer to the main content of a page and the page edges, defining where a line of text begins and ends. With small margins, lines of text are longer, extending closer to the edge of the screen. Wide or large margins reduce the line length and provide additional white space around the content.

Examples

Page margins determine the line length and the maximum number of characters that can be displayed on a single line, providing white space and visual buffers to make it easier to track lines of text
Having wide margins can be helpful for using line guides or screen magnification tools, since they have a narrower focus area
Some apps like Kindle use the term “column width” instead of margins for configuring layout settings

Navigation and Table of Contents

Providing readers with access to a hyperlinked table of contents is helpful for navigating to different sections or areas of interest in a title, which is especially helpful for reading text in a group setting or for an assignment. Other navigation tools that can be used with reading applications include searching a page number, searching the full text of a title, adding bookmarks, and using a slider to advance to another page.

Examples

Readers have a few options for accessing the hyperlinked table of contents. Almost all reading applications have a quick access shortcut for opening the table of contents and navigating to a heading or area of interest.
If a title does not have a hyperlinked table of contents, readers will have to manually navigate to the page number of interest, which can be time consuming. It’s critical that readers ensure they can navigate titles independently and find areas of interest.
Most touch screen reading applications use a swiping or tap gesture to turn pages forward or backwards, which mimics turning the pages of a print book. Other apps often use a swiping up/down or scrolling gesture to move throughout a title.

Organizing library

For readers that have a large number of digital books or other content, it’s helpful to have multiple options for organizing and searching for content. Some applications offer options for organizing content on a digital bookshelf or collection, while others may use folders or user-created tags to group titles together. Other automatic organizational options may include sorting by title, author, date added, read status, or book size.

Examples

Titles may be displayed as a grid with a large image of the cover or as a list with an accompanying text label
Another option is to sort by file type or file source, which can be helpful for readers that have multiple file formats in their library.
Most applications also offer a search option for locating titles within a reader’s library

Page colors

Page colors and background colors can play a role in the readability of text and also help with reducing eye strain. Black text on a white background is generally considered to be the most readable, because there is a large amount of contrast between the two colors, though readers may have improved reading performance with another color. Page colors may be configured as themes, which can be customized to choose colors for the background, font, hyperlinks, and highlight colors.

Examples

White text on a black background, also known as dark mode or inverted displays, may be easier for some readers, as light-colored displays can seem “harsher” due to the brighter colors
Many applications offer a mix of additional page colors including warm tones (sepia, light yellow, ivory), cool tones (light blue, light green), and grays. Some applications also offer options for choosing more saturated colors or custom colors.
Readers can save their own custom themes or color settings within their application, and use them automatically across multiple titles.

Quick access to libraries

In addition to offering support for content purchased through their own marketplace, several reading applications offer built-in support for reading titles that are borrowed or downloaded from online libraries, such as Bookshare and OverDrive/Libby. These titles can be loaded automatically into a reading application without requiring the user to add the files manually, providing an option for quickly accessing titles. eReading applications often provide more robust features and accessibility support than the reading tools offered by online library services.

Examples

Several reading applications that are targeted at users with low vision (Voice Dream, Dolphin EasyReader, Capti Voice Reader, etc) provide options for loading downloaded titles directly from a user’s Bookshare account.
Titles that are borrowed from OverDrive/Libby can be read either in the Libby app or in the Amazon Kindle app free of charge.
However, this does not apply to most titles purchased from an eBook marketplace- a reader would not be able to load an eBook purchased from the Amazon Kindle store onto a Nook app or device since Amazon applies DRM protection to keep files from being copied.

Read aloud and text-to-speech

Read aloud and text-to-speech features read text out loud with a synthesized voice and display word-level highlighting, providing readers with the option to follow along with the text on the page or listen to it continuously. Readers can select a section of text to have it read out loud, or enable text-to-speech/read aloud and read all text until the user taps on the screen or otherwise turns it off. This is different from a screen reader, which would read out all information on the screen, including buttons for app navigation and other settings.

Examples

Some read aloud tools provide an option for skimming text, and may skip over content like tables, images, or sidebars. This can be configured in the voice settings menu.
Read aloud and text-to-speech features typically used a synthesized voice to read information. This is different from audiobooks, which often use a human narrator and may not include a transcript/copy of the spoken text.
In lieu of read aloud or text-to-speech features, some applications provide options for readers to use their own screen reader or text-to-speech to read content.

Sideloading

Sideloading refers to loading titles into a reading application that were purchased or downloaded from another source. Readers can upload files using the file browser or cloud storage tool and then read it with their preferred reading application and display settings. Examples of file formats that can be sideloaded into reading applications include PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, RTF, HTM, HTML, and EPUB, though the size limits vary between applications. Readers can sideload content into reading applications at no additional cost, though some specialty applications may require a subscription for larger files.

Examples

EPUB books that are downloaded from Bookshare can be sideloaded into another reading application or downloaded to an eReader device.
Titles that are uploaded using the file browser may be stored locally on the device or with a cloud storage account.
An example of sideloading without the use of the file browser is the Send to Kindle feature, which allows approved users to send files directly into the Kindle app, and automatically display the content with the user’s pre-defined display settings. Files can be sent over email, uploaded from the web, sent from Microsoft Word, or added with a web extension.
Some marketplaces have DRM enabled on titles so they cannot be sideloaded into another application— for example, a book purchased from the Amazon Kindle store cannot be sideloaded into another application.

Textbook access

Textbooks incorporate several types of content in addition to text, such as charts, graphs, tables, images, hyperlinks, and more. Digital textbooks or eTextbooks offer display customization options that can make text easier to read, as well as options for notetaking, highlighting, and viewing high resolution images embedded within the text.

Examples

When downloading or sideloading content into a reading application, it is important that readers verify that all non-text content is included and that it can be accessed with their preferred tools, as some accessibility features may distort the appearance of content or it may be missing entirely. One strategy for verifying compatibility with accessibility features is to download a sample of the title and open it within the preferred reading application.
Students have multiple options for requesting accessible copies of textbooks that can be used with reading applications at no additional cost. For K-12 students in the United States, NIMAC state coordinators can provide information on how to request accessible textbooks. For college students, contact Disability Services and ask for information on how to request accessible text.

Underline/line tracker

Sometimes called a reading ruler, line trackers, or reading guide, these features display between one and five lines of text at a time, which can assist with line tracking and helping readers to stay focused on their reading. This is especially helpful for readers who feel overwhelmed by visual clutter or find it difficult to read large chunks of text.

Examples

Some apps will underline text to assist with line tracking, while others will black out all surrounding text so only 1-5 lines are visible at a time.
Another example of assistive technology for low vision that serves a similar purpose is a typoscope, which is usually used with print materials or for guiding handwriting

Voice settings

When using read aloud or text-to-speech tools for reading, readers have the option to customize multiple features of the voice output, including the voice used and the reading speed. Readers can also indicate if they would like to use word-level highlighting (or real-time text highlighting) when text is being read out loud, which can aid with line tracking and helping readers to follow along with the text.

Examples

Reading applications often provide readers with the option to use system voices that are available on their device (tablet, phone, computer, etc).
In lieu of read aloud or text-to-speech, many applications also support using screen reader software for reading text, which can be configured within device settings.

World languages

For readers that download content in multiple languages, it is important to ensure that assistive technology tools like dictionaries, read aloud, screen readers, and text spacing can be used efficiently with content that is outside of the user’s primary language. Readers may need to download additional voices or dictionaries in order to read text effectively.

Examples

Voices for screen readers, text-to-speech, and similar are designed to read in a specific language or dialect. A synthesized voice designed to read in English will not pronounce words correctly in French, so a French voice will need to be installed.
Verify before downloading an application that it supports required languages, as some applications do not support non-Latin alphabets.

X-Platform support

With cross-platform support, readers can access their preferred reading application across multiple operating systems, including eReaders, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and/or web applications that can be accessed in the web browser.

Examples

Many applications will also synchronize files and libraries across devices, making the reader’s library available wherever they need it. Kindle and Google Play Books are two applications that also support synchronizing sideloaded content across devices.
One way someone may take advantage of cross-platform support is by reading a textbook on a tablet in class, and then picking up where they left off reading on their computer.

Your progress/percentage read

Reading progress tools can provide information about page numbers, estimated time left in a given chapter/title. and the percentage of a title/chapter that has been read so far. These features can be helpful for time management and helping readers pace themselves, though they can also be turned off or hidden as necessary.

Examples

Readers can view the page number they are on and how many pages are left in a chapter or section.
Information about percentages and estimated time left can be used to set goals for reading or assist with planning reading breaks.

Zoom

Zoom functions can magnify text and other visual content on a screen either by using built-in gestures or a screen magnification program. Most zoom options support up to 500% magnification and offer multiple view options, including lens, docked, and full screen. This is especially helpful for reading PDFs or other file formats that do not offer display customization options.

Examples

Pinch-to-zoom or control-+ keyboard shortcuts can be used to enlarge visual content displayed in a web browser or file browser.
Magnifier, Zoom, and ZoomText are examples of screen magnification programs available for mainstream technology devices and can be used with reading applications.

A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text

Background information

Related links

Auto Scroll and Continuous Scrolling

Examples

Related links

Brightness

Examples

Related links

Columns

Examples

Related links

Dictionary and research tools

Examples

Related links

EPUB/File formats

Examples

Related links

Font options

Examples

Related links

Graphs, Charts, and Tables

Examples

Related links

Highlighting and Annotation

Examples

Related links

Images

Examples

Related links

Justification and Alignment

Examples

Related links

Keyboard access

Examples

Related links

Line Spacing

Examples

Related links

Margins

Examples

Related links

Navigation and Table of Contents

Examples

Related links

Organizing library

Examples

Related links

Page colors

Examples

Related links

Quick access to libraries

Examples

Related links

Read aloud and text-to-speech

Examples

Related links

Sideloading

Examples

Related links

Textbook access

Examples

Related links

Underline/line tracker

Examples

Related links

Voice settings

Examples

Related links

World languages

Examples

Related links

X-Platform support

Examples

Related links

Your progress/percentage read

Examples

Related links

Zoom

Examples