I’ve been using my eReader to support virtual learning and in-person learning alike by sideloading content for my classes in high school, college, and graduate school. In this context, sideloading refers to loading titles into a reading or productivity application that were purchased or downloaded from another source using the file browser or cloud storage tool and is a valuable skill to have for accessing downloaded content or files and displaying them with the user’s preferred reading settings. Here is how I use my eReader for sideloading content for school and online classes, and why I love my eReader so much for accessing digital text.
Choosing an eReader
I prefer to use an eInk display over an LCD display for reading whenever possible, because the eInk display is less bright and is more comfortable for me to read for long periods of time, as long as I am in a space with comfortable lighting and I don’t have to strain my eyes to read the font. eInk readers are also less expensive than the reading tablets and offer a streamlined reading experience without requiring users to download a bunch of apps or connect to the internet to read content.
Most devices with an eInk display retail between $80 and $200 USD and require less maintenance and more infrequent software updates than internet-connected tablets. Secondhand, refurbished, or previously owned eInk devices can often be found online or in stores at a deep discount, making them a cost-effective option for reading digital text- I’ve encountered several product listings for devices that are $30-$50, which is cheaper than the price of two large print novels. Students that are registered for vocational rehabilitation services may also qualify to receive an eReader for free or at a discounted cost for pursuing employment and educational goals.
Related links
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: eReaders
- Vocational Rehabilitation for College Students
- What’s In My High School Backpack As A Low Vision Student
What about eReading applications?
Mainstream eReader apps have several low vision accessibility features that allow users to access digital books they have purchased from an online retailer or borrowed from a digital library service. While some applications have limits on what books can be read on their platform (i.e an Amazon Kindle title cannot be read on the Barnes and Noble Nook app), mainstream eReader apps provide enhanced accessibility features and cross-platform support that give users even more options for how to customize their reading experience. eReading applications can be downloaded to a phone, computer, or tablet, and do not require the user to purchase an eReader to access content.
Related links
How to sideload content to an eReader or tablet
I have an entire post on how to sideload content to an eReader or tablet/eReading applications linked below. However, for users that want to sideload web content such as a blog post, web article, or PDF, another option that provides similar functionality is a digital bookmarking tool, which is covered more in-depth in a separate post. However, a lot of these strategies can also be used with these digital bookmarking tools in lieu of or in addition to an eReader/eReading application.
Related links
Options for customizing eReader displays
eReaders and eReading applications offer several customization options for reading digital text. These can include (but are not limited to):
- Text size
- Font type
- Line spacing and margins
- Number of lines displayed at a time
- Background color
- Brightness or option for ambient lighting
To learn more about reading technologies for users with low vision or other print disabilities, I highly recommend reading my post “A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text”, which is linked below.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- My Favorite Free Fonts For Print Disabilities
Download books for class
I started using an eReader when I was in 7th grade to access novels and books for my classes, because it was difficult or impossible to find physical copies of books in a font size I could read. With eReaders and eReading applications, I can enlarge text sizes even larger than a traditional book and incorporate additional tools and display options such as line spacing, custom fonts, and options for using additional reading tools such as line guides. Students can download copies of books in advance and load them to the eReader, or if they have an internet connection they can purchase books from an eBook marketplace on their device- I recommend loading a gift card onto a user’s account for this.
Related links
Read articles or text excerpts for class
Reading large passages of text or articles on my computer can be fatiguing since I have to stare at a large bright screen and sometimes hold my head at an unnatural angle in order to read text. Tools like simplified reading displays, text-to-speech, digital bookmarking tools, and taking vision breaks help to minimize these things, but it is still uncomfortable for me to read dozens or hundreds of pages of text while sitting at my desk. In high school, I remembered that I disliked being stuck at my desk if I had to read an article on my computer, because other students could walk around the room or sit in a group on the floor in the hallway, while I was stuck sitting at a desk with my laptop since sitting on the floor was not practical.
One of my strategies for reading articles or text excerpts uploaded to a class website or provided by the instructor is to load the content onto my eReader or a tablet, so I could have more flexibility with adjusting the display angle and also with where I was sitting- it’s much easier to carry an eReader than a laptop around a classroom, and I could sit in small groups more comfortably at a table or on the floor. Reading on an eInk display also helps to minimize the eyestrain from staring at a bright screen.
Related links
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
- High School Laptops and Low Vision
- Activity Ideas For Vision Breaks
Download a PDF or online content for offline reading
Sometimes I get distracted by other online content or apps and find it difficult to focus on reading content in a web browser. Alternatively, reading a PDF can be challenging on a computer if I have to do a lot of zooming in and horizontal scrolling to follow along with text. Downloading whatever I’m reading as a PDF or in another file format makes it possible to sideload the content onto my eReader or another reading application so that I can access it offline and use gestures like pinch-to-zoom to enlarge content more efficiently without distorting the page formatting.
When I had to read a 150-page PDF for one of my classes, it was much more comfortable to read it with an eReading application or on my eReader instead of scrolling and leaning in close to the screen. I liked that I could add highlights or other annotations to my reading, or add bookmarks to go back and read something later. This was also much easier than trying to read from my phone in the car during a trip.
Related links
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
Save copies of files from Microsoft Word/Google Docs
If I have to proofread a large volume or text or if my professor provides class readings in a DOC/DOCX format, I can display this text on my eReader or in another eReading application instead of using Microsoft Word or Google Docs to read it. This is helpful for proofreading because the text is displayed with a different font/on a different device, which can make it easier to catch mistakes that other editing tools might not pick up on. I also like this method because I can comfortably hold the screen closer to my face and not rely fully on listening to text with a screen reader or text-to-speech to catch errors.
Kindle devices support DOC/DOCX uploads with the Send-to-Kindle tool, which can be used with the Kindle eReader or with the Kindle application, which doesn’t require users to purchase a Kindle device. For Nook devices, I prefer to use a file converter tool to convert the file to an EPUB and then sideload it onto my device.
Related links
Access textbooks
Sometimes I can’t purchase a digital copy of a textbook online or locate it in an accessible format, so I will submit a request to another organization to request them to convert it into an accessible format for me. This can involve submitting a request through my college’s Disability Services/Assistive Technology office, contacting Bookshare, or when I was in high school my school would submit a request to our state’s NIMAC agency, AIM-VA to receive a copy of my textbook in a digital format.
Admittedly, I don’t like reading my textbooks on an eInk display because it distorts the formatting of images and non-text content, so this is something I use eReading applications on my tablet for. But if I need to do some textbook readings without working on an assignment at the same time, I can export any annotations, notes, or highlights into another document for later use.
Related links
Check out eBooks from the library
I’ve checked out fewer than five physical books from a library since middle school due to my print disability, but I’ve checked out hundreds of digital books from public libraries and college libraries, which provide options for reading content on an eReader or tablet. This is especially helpful when a book I’m interested in isn’t available on Bookshare, and means that I don’t have to miss out on reading something just because it isn’t available somewhere else. My public library uses OverDrive/Libby for digital books, and I can add the books to my eReader using the Adobe Digital Editions software downloaded on my computer.
Related links
More ideas for how I use my eReader for school and online classes
- Want to know how to locate books and other files in accessible formats? Read How I Find Research Sources In Accessible Formats and How To Find Accessible Picture Books For Low Vision
- Looking for more posts on reading and writing with low vision? Check out the post category Reading And Writing Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
- To learn more about tools and strategies for taking online classes with low vision, read Virtual Education Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
Published April 28, 2020. Updated May 2024