As a student with low vision that can’t read standard print, I rely on eTextbooks and accessibility settings like adjustable font sizes in order to access readings and required materials for my classes. Unlike physical textbooks that can be purchased from several dozen different sources in various conditions, eTextbooks are generally more limited in terms of where they can be purchased and what types of reading tools are available. Many of the websites I have used for renting and buying eTextbooks over the years used the VitalSource Bookshelf web reader for providing access to content, which I can read from my iPad, Android tablet, or computer with no additional downloads required. To help other students with visual impairments and print disabilities learn more about VitalSource accessibility features and display customizations, here are tips and strategies for reading VitalSource eTextbooks with low vision and using the VitalSource Bookshelf eReader application, as well as general information about VitalSource accessibility for assistive technology users.
Disclaimer
This post is not sponsored by VitalSource and I have no affiliation or connection to any of the companies/organizations mentioned in this post; inclusion of a product or company on this page is not an endorsement. This post was created to share information about VitalSource accessibility features for low vision, and is based on my experiences with accessing eTextbooks that I personally purchased for my classes as a student. All views are my own and do not reflect any of my current or past employers.
Websites that use VitalSource for reading eTextbooks
VitalSource has its own website where students can rent or buy eTextbooks from multiple publishers and access purchased content using the VitalSource Bookshelf eReader in their web browser. That said, Bookshelf and VitalSource reading tools can also be used to read eTextbooks purchased from other websites that are powered by VitalSource, including (but not limited to):
- Valore (formerly Chegg eTextbooks)
- Macmillan eTextbooks
- Yuzu
- eCampus
- eVantage
Due to DRM restrictions, eTextbooks that are purchased from VitalSource or its partners can only be accessed in the VitalSource Bookshelf app or eReader tools, and cannot be read in other applications (e.g. Kindle). However, students with print disabilities or other accessibility needs can work with their institution to request accessible textbooks from VitalSource as part of their disability accommodations.
Related links
- How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
- How I Find Research Sources In Accessible Formats
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
Fixed layout vs reflowable layout: Which eTextbook is better?
Digital textbooks often come in one of two formats/layouts, fixed or reflowable. This information is typically included on the eTextbook product listing or in the product description, and some publishers/platforms may offer content in both fixed and reflowable layouts on different websites. On the VitalSource website, eTextbook product listings typically indicate if a title is available in a reflowable layout or fixed layout.
Fixed layout for eBooks
Fixed formats (fixed layouts) are designed to mimic the physical textbook pages as much as possible, with preset font styles, line spacing, text alignment, and font sizes determined based on the size of the user’s screen. The appearance of the page cannot be changed, and users will have to use pinch-to-zoom or screen magnification and horizontal scrolling to enlarge text. Some fixed format textbooks have support for text-to-speech, though this is not guaranteed. A PDF is an example of a file with a fixed layout/fixed format.
Reflowable layout for eBooks
Reflowable layout allow for display customizations that can be configured by the user, such as adjustable font sizes, options to choose different font styles or text alignments, adjustable line spacing, and additional features such as hyperlinks and options to view images in a new tab. Many reflowable format textbooks have support for text-to-speech, though this is not guaranteed— however, it is more common for reflowable layouts to support text-to-speech. An EPUB or HTML page is an example of a file with a reflowable layout/reflowable format.
Which is better— fixed layout or reflowable layout?
As a student with low vision that accesses large print, I prefer reflowable layouts because I can adjust the font size more easily or increase the line spacing. It is also easier for me to read reflowable layouts on both my computer and tablet— I find fixed formats more challenging to read on my computer due to the horizontal scrolling involved. That said, some students prefer fixed layouts because they closely mimic the physical textbook, and fixed layouts tend to look better for image-heavy content.
One of the reasons why I started using web reading tools like VitalSource many years ago is because these types of tools preserved table formatting and single-column layouts for reading text, which made it much easier for me to access textbooks with low vision. When possible, I will always choose a reflowable layout, as many reflowable layout books also offer a fixed layout display mode if I want to switch between the two.
Related links
- Ten Questions To Ask When Buying Digital Textbooks
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
Common features for VitalSource eTextbooks
While the exact contents of a textbook will vary depending on the title and subject matter, regular users of accessible media and eBooks often experience the frustration of having missing or inaccessible content in their textbooks, even when it comes to “accessible” textbooks. In my experience, VitalSource eTextbooks have always included the following items:
- Charts and graphs in the same places they would be found in the physical book. Some publishers include hyperlinks to image descriptions within their eTextbooks, though this is not a VitalSource-specific feature.
- High-resolution images that can be opened in a larger window or enlarged with zoom gestures. The availability of alt text and image descriptions varies between publishers/titles
- In-text hyperlinks to figures or other sections of the chapter/book to help with navigation
- Table of contents— availability of page numbers varies
- Sidebar text/images (displayed within the single-column layout)
- Tagged headings for chapter content
Another helpful feature available in VitalSource eTextbooks is the option for full-text search, which can help with locating notes or pages/topics of interest. This is incredibly helpful when writing papers or taking notes, or when participating in study groups.
Related links
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible Diagrams For Low Vision
- How To Search For Study Resources Online
- The Best Study Tips For Visually Impaired Students
Browsing eTextbook table of contents
The table of contents often uses the same organizational structure as the physical book, though many of the books I’ve read have a nested list so that I can expand/collapse different sections as needed; most books I have encountered have the same page numbers as the physical book included in the table of contents, but not all. Sub-headings are also included for chapter-level table of contents, along with page numbers. Alternatively, users can use the “search across book” feature by selecting the magnifying glass icon and typing in the name of a chapter, page number, figure, or other keyword to find where they want to go.
It’s worth noting that the table of contents itself does not display in large print on the web application, so users may want to use a screen magnification software such as Magnifier or Zoom to enlarge the text, or use the Search feature.
The table of contents can be opened or closed at any time by selecting the icon on the left side of the screen. By default, the table of contents opens at the start of a reading session or when opening a book.
Related links
Adding bookmarks, highlights, and notes
Within the eTextbook, students can add bookmarks, highlight text, and write out notes that can be searched later. For adding highlights and notes, users will need to select the text they want to highlight or make a note of by clicking and dragging across the area of text, and then selecting either a highlighter color or Add Note. Available highlighter colors include green, red, blue, and yellow.
To open a note, students can select the Note icon next to their text, and the note will open in the “margin” of the page on the right side. Notes can be edited or deleted by selecting the pencil icon— deleting all of the contents of a note will automatically remove it from the page.
For students looking for the definition or more information on a term, there are two different options. One is to highlight the text and select “Look up in Wikipedia” from the drop-down menu (under Add Note), and the other is a beta feature for definitions that can be manually enabled in the More Options menu.
Some publishers do not support the bookmarks tool in Bookshelf, which can make it challenging for readers who want to go back to a page later on. One workaround is to use the “add note” feature to make bookmarks, and use the search function to locate notes.
Related links
VitalSource accessibility for large print
Since I have low vision, I rely on several display features in order to read text such as large print and customizable fonts. VitalSource offers several options for customizing visual displays in their Reader Preferences menu, which include:
VitalSource font sizes
- Small: 16 px
- Normal: 24 px
- Large: 32 px
- Extra large: 64 px
VitalSource font styles
- Publisher default
- Sans Serif
- Old Style
- Modern
- Humanist
- Monospace
- OpenDyslexic
- Atkinson Hyperlegible
VitalSource display modes
- Day: Black text on white background
- Night: Very light gray text on dark gray background
- Sepia: Dark brown text on light brown background
- Cyan: Dark blue text on light blue background
VitalSource margins
- Small: 1.0
- Medium: 2.5
- Large: 5.0
VitalSource line height
- Small: 1.0
- Medium: 1.5
- Large: 2.0 (equivalent to double spacing)
Using VitalSource with browser zoom
To increase the size of other display elements or make text even larger, VitalSource can be used with browser zoom (Ctrl + +) to resize text without horizontal scrolling, though users will still likely need to use horizontal scrolling to access images. I have used VitalSource at 225% magnification without having icons or text cut off at the end of a page, and could still access tables and other formatted text. Another option is to use pinch-to-zoom or screen magnification to enlarge a smaller area of the page, which can be helpful in fixed layouts.
A note on printing from VitalSource
It’s worth noting that the Print feature for saving content as a PDF does not support any of the display settings set with Reader Preferences, it is set to the publisher defaults. However, users can copy and paste text into another document (e.g. Microsoft Word) if the publisher has allowed copy and paste.
Related links
- My Favorite Free Fonts For Print Disabilities
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Customize Microsoft Edge Accessibility For Low Vision
VitalSource accessibility for Read Aloud and text-to-speech
VitalSource Bookshelf has a built-in Read Aloud feature with word-level highlighting so users can follow along with text as it is read out loud. Read Aloud can be accessed through either the More Options menu in the top right corner or by highlighting text and selecting “Read aloud from here.”
Options for customizing Read Aloud include:
- Voice speed from 0.5x to 4.0x (customized in increments of 0.1x on a slider)
- Selecting voice from built-in OS voices
- Simplified reading mode vs detailed reading mode: simplified skips footnotes, figures, and other content, while detailed reading mode reads everything.
When enabled, Read Aloud controls are pinned to the top of the screen, to the left of the search icon.
Related links
VitalSource accessibility for screen readers and keyboard access
In my personal experience, I’ve found that reading Chegg eReader with a screen reader like JAWS, NVDA, Narrator, or VoiceOver can be wildly inconsistent depending on the publisher of the original textbook. While all of the buttons and menus are labeled within the eReader application, it can be frustrating to read text content and images may be missing alt text or image descriptions from the publisher. In addition, features like highlighting and notes are inaccessible with keyboard access. VitalSource maintains a list of keyboard shortcuts for using their applications which I have linked below.
For screen reader users or anyone who accesses information nonvisually, I strongly recommend requesting an accessible copy of VitalSource eTextbooks from the publisher, which can be used with other reading tools and does not restrict students to only using Bookshelf or VitalSource reading tools. This is a process that Disability Services or an access technology/assistive technology specialist at a college or university can assist with.
Related links
More resources for reading VitalSource eTextbooks with low vision
- Interested in learning more about other eReader accessibility features for low vision? I compare display customizations like font sizes and font styles in Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- Want more resources on accessible textbooks for low vision? Check out Textbooks Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
- I originally created this resource as part of my EDAT 649 class (AT Assessment) at George Mason University; this post was previously about reading Chegg eTextbooks with low vision, though I updated the post to reflect that Chegg uses the VitalSource Bookshelf. Check out more free resources I created for this class by visiting EDAT 649 Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
Published March 12, 2024. Updated November 2025