Quote:
Originally Posted by kenhgaixinh
can the group please advise me about which formats for views will work with a screenreader thanks.
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With screenreaders, there are two potential hurdles:
- The ebook reading program;
- The construction of the ebook;
- If the built-in accessibility functions are turned on, then most ebook readers on the iPhone and iPad are functional, when using a screen-reader.
- On Android devices, even with built-in accessibility functions turned on, whether or not a specific program works, is a hit or miss affair. There are third party apps that enhance Android accessibility by several orders of magnitude.
I'll skip reviewing the various ebook readers, and their accessibility, or lack thereof, here.
Which leaves ebook construction.
This is more a function of how much care the content creator puts into their work, than the format that is used. Nonetheless, file format can be useful guideline, as to how screen-readable the specific book will be.
Plain text is the hardest file format to mess up so badly, that a screen-reader can't read it.
File formats that have been DRMd are probably going to be unreadable with your screen reader. Study the writing of Apprentice Alf, to learn how to solve that problem.
Note: Apprentice ALF does not cover DRM for file formats distributed by BARD.
DAISY was specifically designed for individuals with accessibility issues. That said, BARD is the only vendor whose content in this format is readable --- if you have the appropriate key.
Both LBR and KWB should be readable by screen-readers, but I wouldn't count on it. Other than BARD, content in either of those file formats is hard to find.
CHM is screen-readable. When I've had issues with material in this file format, the cause has been the compiler ignored CHM specifications.
ePub that has no DRM, is probably the most common rich text format, that screen-readers usually will correctly handle. The major problem one runs into, is when the ePub was not created according to the published specifications (which is extremely common) and "confuses" the screen-reader.
LIT usually will be screen-reader readable, but ebook readers no longer support it.
RB is screen-readable. Change the file extension to ".txt", to avoid either the screen-reader, or more commonly, the operating system, from treating it as a ruby file.
MOBI, assuming DRM has been removed, is readable by most screen-readers.
AZW4 is not readable by screen-readers, even if the ebook reader supports the file format.
AZW3 is hit or miss, as far as screen-reading goes. If Calibre can convert it, then the screen-reader can read it, and vice-versus.
Done properly, PDF is arguably the most screen-reader friendly rich text file format for ebook reading. However, for all practical purposes, PDF and screen-reading are mutually exclusively concepts.
CBZ & CBR are not readable by screen-readers, because this is more of an image presentation format, than a text presentation format.
PDB: I've never tried using this with a screen-reader. In theory, there shouldn't be an issue.
EPB & EPC: These seem to be readable with screen-readers. The major issue is finding an ebook reader that correctly handles them.