EPUB (Assistive Technologies): Checkpoint 4 and 5

Below you will find video tutorials for completing accessibility evaluations of eTextbooks in EPUB format using Assistive Technologies (AT).  Click here to view the EPUB AT Manual as a PDF

  1. Getting Started
  2. Checklist Instructions
  3. Software Requirements
  4. Checkpoint 1: Accessibility Documentation
  5. Checkpoint 2 and 3: Text Access and Text Adjustment
  6. Checkpoint 4 and 5: Reading Layout and Reading Order
  7. Checkpoints 6 and 7: Structural Markup Navigation (Text, Lists, eReader) and Tables
  8. Checkpoint 8: Hyperlinks
  9. Checkpoint 9: Color and Contrast
  10. Checkpoint 10 and 11: Language and Images
  11. Checkpoints 12 and 13: Multimedia (Text Track, Transcript, Assistive Player) and Flickering
  12. Checkpoint 14: STEM (Markup and Notation)
  13. Checkpoint 15: Interactive Elements

Checkpoint 4 and 5: Reading Layout and Reading Order

Transcripts

The fourth checkpoint involves reading layout reflow. Text of the digital resource is compatible with assistive technology that allows the user to reflow the text by specifying the margins and line spacing. Use the AA button to increase/decrease font size from Small to Ultra Large. Check if the text reflows or if it becomes cutoff requiring horizontal scrolling. This is an example of a page failing reading layout reflow. The text on the page does not adjust to fit the page when the text size increases, and a horizontal scrollbar appears on the bottom. If the content passes, 70% or more of the pages pass for reflow of the text meaning there was no text cut-off with a horizontal scrollbar. In the additional information column on your Excel sheet, you include how many of the pages pass for reflow of the text and which pages were used for this checkpoint. In the details column, include the same information as the additional information column and why/if pages failed, then how Adobe Digital Editions was used to access and evaluate this text. The second part of checkpoint four is if the page numbers match. If the digital resource is an electronic alternative to printed materials, the page numbers correspond to the printed material. First, open the EPUB file with Adobe Digital Editions. Next, use the Zoom buttons to increase/decrease font size range between small to ultra large. Then, check the page number while adjusting the font size. Finally, compare the page number and text content to the PDF version of the text. The pages pass if the numbers on the ePub matches the numbers on the PDF file. If 70% or more of the ePub pages match the PDF file, then this checkpoint passes. In the additional column of the Excel sheet, identify which page numbers pass and which pages numbers were checked. In the details column, include the same exact information from additional information, why or if pages failed, and how Adobe Acrobat Pro DC was used to access the PDF and Adobe Digital Editions was used to access and evaluate this text. If there is no PDF or printed version of this text available, then mark this section as non-applicable and that Adobe Digital Editions was used to access and evaluate this text. 

The fifth checkpoint is Reading order. Reading order for digital resource content logically corresponds to the visual layout of the page when rendered by assistive technology. First, open the ePub file with Adobe Digital Editions. Second, locate the appropriate number of pages that contain a more complicated layout. Third, use the NVDA reader to read from top of the page and press the numpad and the plus sign . Check if the reading order is logical. If 70% or more pages pass for reading order of the digital resource layout, in your additional information column of your Excel evaluation identify how many pages pass and which pages pass. In the details column, include the exact same additional information and why or if pages failed. Also include how Adobe Digital Editions and the screen reader NVDA were used to access and evaluate this text.