My family reads and watches the news often to follow along with current events, and sometimes I have trouble with seeing what is going on due to small print sizes on websites or flashing lights in videos. Over the years, I have identified several options for accessing the news with assistive technology for people with visual impairments (inclusive of blind, low vision, and neurological visual impairment/CVI) that incorporate either visual accessibility options like large print or entirely nonvisual experiences that use audio to provide options for listening to the news or immersive audio experiences. Here is a list of ideas for accessing the news with assistive technology, which can be used to access a variety of news sources and types of news content.
Browse text-only news websites
News websites often have a lot of visual clutter between videos, ads, images, and multi-column layouts that can make it challenging to access information with large print or a screen reader. My favorite strategy for reading the news with low vision on any device is using text-only websites or lite news sites, which eliminate or reduce images and display information in a single-column layout. Some websites like CNN, CBC, and NPR offer a lite or text-only view directly on their website, while aggregators like Kagi News share articles from multiple sources. There are also text-only science news websites like ScienceDaily.
There are also headline aggregator websites that list text-only versions of headlines, but link to external websites so users can read the articles from the original publisher. Sites like Skimfeed and Readspike are examples of free text-only news websites that aggregate headlines, but accessibility on external websites can vary.
Related links
- CNN Lite | Text-only CNN
- CBC Lite | Text-only CBC
- NPR Text | Text-only NPR
- World | Kagi News
- ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news
- Skimfeed – News
- Readspike – Simple news aggregator
Read online articles with a simplified reading display
News websites can be visually overwhelming to look at or challenging to zoom in on when using large print. Another strategy I use to read news articles with low vision is using a simplified reading display that strips the page formatting and allows me to customize visual elements such as the font size, font type, and background color, as well as have text read out loud. There are several options for using a simplified reading view that are built into web browsers, including Microsoft Immersive Reader, Reading View on iOS, Google Reading Mode, and other third-party apps. Users may need to sign in with a subscription to a news website for paywalled articles before they can access the article with a simplified reading display.
Related links
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How I Use Microsoft Immersive Reader With Low Vision
- Google Reader Mode and Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
NFB Newsline accessible publications
NFB Newsline is a free service provided by the National Federation of the Blind, open to anyone in the United States who has a documented print disability. NFB Newsline offers multiple local, state, and national publications in a variety of formats. Participants do not need to be a member of NFB to use the NFB Newsline, and articles can be accessed using a touch-tone telephone, mobile app, and secure website depending on user preferences.
RELATED LINKS
- NFB-NEWSLINE® | National Federation of the Blind
- Five Myths About Print Disabilities
- What I Have Learned About Print Disabilities
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Smartphones
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Feature Phones/Landline Phones
Searching for accessible local newspapers
Many local newspapers offer an accessibility mode for digital subscribers when reading digital articles, which uses a single-column layout and headings so that articles are easier to read with a screen reader or other assistive technology. Using a simplified reading display also works for adjusting the font style or other visual accessibility settings.
Radio reading stations for listening to local news
Another option is to search for a radio reading station for the blind, sometimes listed as a voice station, radio talking book, or radio station for visually impaired. These radio stations often have a daily broadcast where a human narrator reads the entirety of the local newspaper at a specific time during the day or saves the recordings for a short period of time for playback. Some stations may provide free listening devices for accessing radio content as well.
The American Council of the Blind has a world news show as part of their radio station; many voice stations and radio stations for the blind are maintained by volunteers, nonprofit organizations, or broadcasting partners like PBS. Below, I have linked several voice radio stations available in Virginia, which include talking newspapers for blind and low vision access and online listening options.
Related links
- ACB Radio Offers Variety of Programming for Your Listening Pleasure | American Council of the Blind
- Harrisonburg – Valley Voice
- Roanoke – Reading Service
- Richmond – Virginia Voice
- Norfolk – WHRO Voice
- Alexandria – Washington Ear
Listening to a flash briefing on a smart speaker
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri can read headlines and breaking news on demand when the user asks what is in the news or what the headlines are for today. News outlets can be customized in the device’s News app settings menu, and the news briefing typically lasts around five minutes depending on the settings configured.
For Amazon Alexa, users can customize their flash briefing by doing the following:
- Open the Alexa app
- Open the More menu and select Settings
- From Settings, select Flash Briefing
- Select the toggle next to each news service you want to add to your Flash Briefing.
- To change the order of your selected news programs, select Edit.
Related links
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Smart Speakers
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help You Listen To History
Reading the news via RSS feed
Another option for accessing the news with assistive technology is to subscribe to a RSS feed from a specific outlet, which will retrieve new articles directly from the source so users can listen to them with a synthesized voice or read them in an RSS application. Many news websites have an RSS link or icon so that users can subscribe to an RSS feed, or provide information for users to subscribe to an RSS feed for a specific category of content (such as top stories or business stories). I recommend checking directly on the news outlet website for directions on how to set up a RSS feed.
Listening to TV news on the radio
Many TV news outlets livestream/simulcast show audio on satellite radio stations or have options for listening to broadcasts online. Some local news stations also have a radio affiliate that will simulcast programs or provide information on breaking news or other headlines, which can provide a nonvisual option for accessing the news with assistive technology.
While satellite radio is traditionally associated with cars, users can also access satellite radio channels on smartphones, smart speakers, or on online streaming websites.
Accessing audio articles and podcasts from news outlets
Another option for accessing the news with assistive technology is through audio articles, which are human read recordings of news articles that appear in publications— one example of a news outlet that offers this for subscribers is the New York Times Audio tool. For in-depth investigations or stories, there are also news outlets that will create podcast series or audio recordings of radio shows that users can listen to on demand, which may be ideal for people who dislike listening to synthesized screen reader voices.
Related links
Accessing Apple News with assistive technology
The Apple News app has several accessibility features for accessing the news with assistive technology, including support for Dynamic Text large print sizes, VoiceOver, and having text read out loud with text-to-speech. Users can add local, national, and international news outlets to their Apple News feed, however users cannot add an RSS feed for a website that is not supported by Apple News. That said, Apple News will display images that are included in news articles along with alt text (if provided by the original outlet).
Related links
- How To Access Images Without Alt Text
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
Flipboard with large print and screen reader
Flipboard allows users to curate their own digital magazines from hundreds of online sources, as well as follow other magazines curated by companies or users. Articles are read from within the app and displayed on their original publishing source. There are magazines on almost any topic one can think of, as well as magazines that are curated from a single news source. This app has been recognized by the Apple App Store for its accessibility with VoiceOver and support of accessibility features such as large print, and the page flip animation can be turned off by enabling Reduce Motion in device settings. Flipboard also works well with Android assistive technology including large print, Select-to-speak, and TalkBack.
Related links
Plain language news articles for students
For readers who are looking for plain English news articles or simplified articles that cover current events topics at different reading levels or comprehension levels, there are several websites that provide articles on current events and topics of interest that are designed for varying reading levels, including websites for English language learners that share articles on current events. While these websites are not text-only, many articles are presented in single-column layouts and have large images, and can also be used with assistive technologies. For students, websites like Newsela and Dogo News provide articles on a variety of topics related to current events, world news, science, and more that align with Common Core State Standards and offer Spanish articles as well.
Related links
- Newsela website
- Download Newsela on the App Store
- DOGO News – Kids news articles! Kids current events; plus kids news on science, sports, and more!
Browsing social media outlets for news
There are many individuals that use social media as a tool for accessing the news with assistive technology, especially on websites that focus on text posts. Accessibility tools like descriptive captions, alt text, and audio description/video descriptions can make it easier for viewers to follow along with a story or provide additional context or clarification for what is happening. I’ve linked a few resources from my website about making current event content accessible below.
Related links
- How To Describe Primary Source Videos For Visually Impaired Audiences
- How To Write Alt Text And Image Descriptions For Photojournalism Images
- Writing Media Descriptions For Current Events: My Talk At Protest Access-A-Thon
More tips for accessing the news with assistive technology
- I don’t share many tips in this post for accessing the news with braille because I don’t personally read braille due to limited sensitivity in my hands. However, the NFB Newsline articles can be read on a braille display, and web pages with headings and appropriate text formatting can be recognized by a braille display as well.
- To help minimize the risk of encountering strobing or flashing content when navigating online websites, I recommend reading my post Avoiding Flashing Lights On Social Media
- For those interested in watching TV news or choosing a TV with low vision, read Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Televisions
Published January 2, 2018. Updated December 2025