Reading System Features, Testing, and Recommendations

Creator: National Network for Equitable Library Service

Date Updated: January 28, 2022

Overview

The National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) provides an online repository for library patrons with print disabilities. NNELS works with organizations, libraries, and publishers to create accessible books. NNELS has tested and compiled a list of reading systems so that you can choose the reading system that works best for your reading style.

The information is summarized from both the Reading System Features and Testing and Reading Systems Recommendations web pages.

Quick Facts

• NNELS Accessibility Consultants, who have lived experiences with print disabilities, reviewed the reading systems by testing and compiling the accessibility features they offer readers. They include:
  • Read out loud: The reading system will read a book from start to finish with the press of a button (and support readers who want a break with a pause button).
  • Review text: Screen readers can read aloud text and other elements in the book with the keyboard or gestures.
  • Chapter navigation: The reading system lists the chapters, and the reader can move between them.
  • Page navigation: the reading system shows the current page readers are on, and they can move to other pages.
  • Heading navigation: The reading system displays the headings in the book, and readers can navigate between them.
  • Activate links: Any links (internal/external) in the books can be selected by keyboard or gestures followed by enter/double-tap.
  • Read image descriptions: Alt text is provided for images and readable when encountered.
  • Navigation tables: Each cell in a table can be read individually.

• The Accessibility Consultant tested many different apps (iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac OS) with different formats (EPUB, DOCX, RTF, HTML, PPT, etc.).

• Some of the most accessible reading systems for each operating system (iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac OS), are:
  • iOS:
    • Voice Dream Reader
  • Android: 
    • Easy Reader from Dolphin
    • Bookshelf by Vital Source
    • Smart Audiobook Player
    • Simply Reading
  • Windows: 
    • Bookshelf from Vital Source
    • Easy Reader from Dolphin
    • Thorium
    • Bookworm
    • QRead
  • Mac OS: 
    • Apple Books
    • Thorium
    • Bookworm

Visit the NNELS Reading System Features and Testing

Visit the NNELS Reading System Recommendations

References

National Network for Equitable Library Service (2020). Reading System Features and Testing. Web page. Retrieved from: https://nnels.ca/reading-system-features-and-testing

National Network for Equitable Library Service (2020). Reading System Recommendations. Web page. Retrieved from: https://nnels.ca/reading-system-recommendations