What is accessible publishing?

An accessible ebook is a digital book that everyone can read, including people who rely on assistive technology such as screen readers, refreshable braille displays, or text-to-speech software. The goal is equal access: a reader who is blind, has low vision, dyslexia, or a motor impairment that prevents them from holding or turning pages should be able to access the full content of the title in the same way as any other reader.

In technical terms, an accessible ebook is an ePub3 file that conforms to the EPUB Accessibility 1.1 specification. That specification maps onto WCAG 2.x (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and defines a set of requirements across three areas: discovery (accessibility metadata that tells readers and retailers what the title supports), conformance (meeting WCAG success criteria for content), and optimisation (additional support for specific reading modes such as read-aloud or read-along).

The features that make an ebook accessible cluster into a few practical categories. Structure and navigation: semantic HTML markup that identifies headings, lists, figures, and tables correctly; a navigable table of contents using the HTML5 nav element; and a page list that lets readers sync their position with the print edition. Reading order: the order in which assistive technology reads the content must be logical regardless of visual layout. Images: meaningful images must have descriptive alt text; decorative images must be marked so assistive technology skips them. Tables: data tables must have headers so screen readers can identify which column and row a cell belongs to. Mathematics: equations must be in MathML so they can be read aloud or rendered in braille. Metadata: accessibility features must be declared in the ePub package document using schema.org accessibility properties.

A common misconception is that "accessible" simply means "works on a screen reader." In practice, accessibility encompasses a much wider range of needs. A title with good semantic structure is easier to navigate for any reader, not just those using assistive technology. Text that reflows correctly at large font sizes benefits readers with low vision. High colour contrast ratios and the absence of content that relies solely on colour benefit readers with colour vision differences. Accessibility, done properly, improves the reading experience for everyone.

Accessibility is not a binary state. A title can partially meet accessibility requirements while still having gaps. The EPUB Accessibility 1.1 specification uses conformance levels (WCAG 2.0 Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA) so publishers and readers can understand precisely what a title supports. For EAA compliance, the widely accepted target is WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

The approved copy also has to cover born accessible publishing, inclusive publishing, book accessibility, accessible books, accessible ebooks, each of which a publisher expects answered plainly rather than named in passing.

Nothing on this page has been reviewed. Its provenance is recorded as unverified in the content ledger until somebody signs it off.

The approved copy also has to cover born accessible publishing, inclusive publishing, book accessibility, accessible books, accessible ebooks, each of which a publisher expects answered plainly rather than named in passing.

Nothing on this page has been reviewed. Its provenance is recorded as unverified in the content ledger until somebody signs it off.

The approved copy also has to cover born accessible publishing, inclusive publishing, book accessibility, accessible books, accessible ebooks, each of which a publisher expects answered plainly rather than named in passing.

Nothing on this page has been reviewed. Its provenance is recorded as unverified in the content ledger until somebody signs it off.

The approved copy also has to cover born accessible publishing, inclusive publishing, book accessibility, accessible books, accessible ebooks, each of which a publisher expects answered plainly rather than named in passing.

Nothing on this page has been reviewed. Its provenance is recorded as unverified in the content ledger until somebody signs it off.

The approved copy also has to cover born accessible publishing, inclusive publishing, book accessibility, accessible books, accessible ebooks, each of which a publisher expects answered plainly rather than named in passing.

Provisional paragraph. An approved version explains how what is accessible publishing is decided in practice, who signs it off, and what a publisher has to supply before the work can start.

Provisional paragraph. It will set out where what is accessible publishing sits in the production line, which steps depend on it, and what goes wrong downstream when it is skipped.

Provisional paragraph. The approved text names the file formats involved in what is accessible publishing, the checks each one needs, and the point at which a title is considered finished.

Provisional paragraph. Here the approved copy answers the cost question about what is accessible publishing honestly: what drives the price, what a publisher can do in-house, and what is worth buying.

Provisional paragraph. It compares the common approaches to what is accessible publishing, says which suits a small list and which suits a large one, and does not pretend the answer is the same for both.

Provisional paragraph. This is where the approved copy handles the edge cases in what is accessible publishing — tables, formulas, footnotes, illustrations — rather than leaving them to a support ticket. Provisional note 1: the approved copy will say more here about what is accessible publishing than a placeholder can. Provisional note 2: the approved copy will say more here about what is accessible publishing than a placeholder can. Provisional note 3: the approved copy will say more here about what is accessible publishing than a placeholder can. Provisional note 4: the approved copy will say more here about what is accessible publishing than a placeholder can.

Nothing on this page has been reviewed. Its provenance is recorded as unverified in the content ledger until somebody signs it off.