At Nord Compo, we strive to stay at the forefront of publishing industry developments. Today, we would like to share some insights into making Fixed Layout (FLO) ePubs more accessible. While FLO ePubs are commonly used for books with high visual content, such as children’s picture books, recipe books, and photography books, these files cannot yet be validated as AA accessible under the European Accessibility Act or certain ADA requirements.
Industry organizations like the W3C are actively working on solutions to make FLO ePubs fully accessible. In the meantime, we would like to offer guidance on how publishers can improve the accessibility of their FLO ePubs, starting with basic design and layout adjustments.
- Font size and spacing: Ensure that the text is large enough and has adequate spacing between letters, words, and lines.
- Color and contrast: Use color combinations that provide sufficient contrast between the text and the background.
- Consistent layout: Maintain a consistent layout throughout the book, with text always appearing in the same location on the screen.
- Alt text for images: Provide descriptive alternative text (alt text) for images to convey their content and context to users who rely on screen readers or cannot perceive visual content.
- Text alternatives for multimedia: To ensure users with hearing impairments can access the information, offer text alternatives, such as captions and transcripts, for any multimedia content.
To learn more about these tips, please refer to the W3C-published document available through this link.
Incorporating the above-listed features into future publications demonstrates your commitment to accessibility. As we move towards a more inclusive future, every step counts.
