Accessibility in Digital Publishing
What Is Accessibility?
Accessibility in digital publishing ensures that visually impaired and blind readers can access and navigate digital books effectively. This is achieved by integrating metadata and other features that communicate content types—text, images, audio, video—before purchase.
For instance:
- If a book contains flashing content, that must be disclosed to prevent potential adverse reactions, such as seizures.
- If images are essential to understanding the text, they must include alternative (alt) text descriptions.
Legal Requirements
In the EU:
The European Accessibility Act (EAA), passed in June 2019, took effect June 28, 2025. It mandates that all reflowable EPUBs published or sold in the EU meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This applies to both new and existing EPUBs. Fixed-layout EPUBs (used for picture books, cookbooks, etc.) may qualify for an exemption. As each EU country has it’s own regulatory enforcement standards, you may want to seek legal advice on this point.
In the US:
On April 24, 2024, the DOJ finalized updates to Title II of the ADA, requiring public entities (like schools and libraries receiving federal funds) to use accessible digital materials:
- Entities serving 50,000+ must comply by April 24, 2026
- Smaller entities by April 26, 2027
Though the burden of compliance doesn’t fall directly on publishers, public institutions will only accept EPUBs that meet the required standards.
How Accessibility Works
Accessibility features—like alt text and navigation tags—are built into EPUBs and interpreted by screen readers, which convert digital text to speech or Braille. As screen reader technology evolves, these tools will increasingly use embedded metadata to enhance the user experience.
What Is a Screen Reader?
A screen reader is assistive software that converts on-screen content into speech or Braille.
Examples include:
- VoiceOver (Apple/iOS) – built-in with customizable voices and accents
- TalkBack (Google/Android) – varies by device
- JAWS (Windows/PC) – a popular third-party reader with advanced navigation and Braille output; pricing ranges up to $1,200
Validating Accessibility
In the U.S., no federal agency certifies EPUB accessibility. However, two respected organizations offer tools and certifications:
- Benetech: Certification involves a detailed audit and high annual cost
- DAISY Consortium: Offers ACE, a free, open-source accessibility checker for EPUB files (https://daisy.org/).
Descripto: AI-powered alt-text creation tool
Nord Compo has developed a proprietary AI tool that looks at each image and the surrounding text to create contextually accurate alternative text descriptions. Those descriptions can be modified and validated by the publisher before they are integrated into the accessible EPUB. This ensures high quality, faster turnaround times and lower costs.
Our Commitment at Nord Compo
At Nord Compo, all accessible EPUBs are produced to WCAG 2.1 AA standards and validated with:
- ACE by DAISY Consortium
- ePubCheck
- Amazon Kindle Previewer
- Apple Transporter
We follow guidelines from the French Publishers Association and the W3C ePub Accessibility specification.
Accessibility Metadata: What to Include
To ensure discoverability and compliance, EPUB and ONIX metadata should contain:
- Declared accessibility level (always AA)
- Table of contents and page references
- Access modes: reading, viewing static images, listening, and video
- Disclosure of high-risk elements (flashing, audio, animations)
These details allow platforms to display accessibility features and enable search filtering.
Need Help?
Nord Compo’s expert teams can:
- Audit and retrofit your backlist EPUBs for compliance
- Ensure accessibility for all new titles going forward
We guarantee that every EPUB we produce meets required standards and is fully validated for global distribution.
Learn More
European Accessibility Act
EU Official Site
IPA Guide for Non-EU Members
