The Critical Role of Allyship and Community in Accessible Publishing
In today’s rapidly evolving publishing landscape, accessibility is finally fast becoming a central issue, with legislation such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA) firmly on the minds of publishers, vendors, platform providers, and of course, end users. Twenty-seven different Member State interpretations and implementations; vast amounts of legal jargon; and hazy areas still in need of clarity by June 2025, makes it imperative, now more than ever, for the publishing community to ally.
Taylor and Francis’ Accessibility Lead, Stacy Scott, considers the huge importance that allyship and community has played in T&F’s accessibility journey. We are delighted to welcome T&F as an Inclusive Publishing Partner.
The complexities of the EAA ensure it is a key piece of legislation, for which the publishing community must unite to ensure strong understanding and compliance. A directive to facilitate better access to products and services for persons with disabilities, the EAA focuses on several key areas, in terms of publishing, such as ecommerce, ereaders, and ebooks. Creating ebook content to be accessibility ready (born-accessible) ensures that all readers, including those with print-disabilities, can engage with digitally created content, giving access to education, employment and reading for interest and pleasure. This can mean providing text-to-speech capabilities, ensuring compatibility with screen readers, or ensuring fonts and layouts meet the visual needs of those with low vision or learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
Establishing a Network
At Taylor & Francis Publishing (T&F), our accessibility journey began by establishing a network of key internal stakeholders across the business. This built a strong cohesive approach and made certain any budget or change in process was being approached at a business level, heard from multiple voices, and not reliant on a handful of passionate individual advocates to push the proverbial boulder up hill. This allied perspective continues to engage leadership on a multifaceted and strategic level, giving accessibility the priority position it needs and deserves.
This coordinated approach does not simply sit internally. Working with the wider publishing community towards accessibility goals is something T&F particularly supports. To amend a well-known proverb, ‘accessibility is not an island’ and T&F strongly believes that allyship and community play critical roles in advancing equal access for all.
Allyship in accessible publishing involves individuals who actively advocate for inclusive practices, even when they don’t personally face the same barriers. This means speaking up when accessibility is overlooked, collaborating with people with disabilities to understand their needs, and pushing for systemic change. Allies in the publishing industry, whether editors, content providers, or authors, have a powerful role in influencing how content is created and disseminated, ensuring it can be accessed by everyone.
A supportive community is equally crucial. Inclusive communities encourage dialogue and collaboration, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and respected. When publishers, authors, and readers come together, they help to cultivate an environment where accessibility becomes a priority, not an afterthought. Such communities foster accountability and innovation, driving the conversation forward into action.
Industry Collaboration
T&F’s accessibility lead chairs the UK Publishing Accessibility Action Group (PAAG) which brings together stakeholders from across the digital ecosystem and provides an active forum to discuss challenges and solutions. T&F staff make up some of the core members of PAAG as well as other accessibility groups that support the advancement of digital accessibility in complex subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and Music. As well as other groups looking at broader digital accessibility challenges.
It is T&F’s belief that allyship and community are essential for creating a more inclusive, equitable publishing landscape. This is why we are privileged to partner with organisations such as Bookshare US and RNIB Bookshare, automatically distributing our ebooks to these two channels as they publish. This ensures our content is immediately available to students with a print disability. Between these channels, 95% of our ebook catalogue is available in PDF or EPUB formats globally, meaning our readers are not left behind in their studies.
We also work with Benetech, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to increasing equity and access to education and information. Through Benetech’s Globally Certified Accessible initiative, all Taylor & Francis frontlist publications are available as EPUB files, a format that is considered the most accessible for on-screen reading.
T&F is delighted to continue to work alongside the DAISY Consortium through a number of groups and initiatives, such as the European Inclusive Publishing Forum and, most recently, by becoming an Inclusive Publishing Partner:
We’re thrilled to be partnering with the DAISY Consortium, supporting their incredible work and furthering our commitment to inclusive publishing at T&F. Together, we’re driving accessibility forward, ensuring that all readers can engage with our content without delay or barrier.
Stacy Scott, T & F Accessibility Lead
“It’s a Circle!”
All of our partnerships and the accessible publishing community we are privileged to be part of, play a substantial role in our ability to create accessible content and inclusive experiences for our readers. We learn and we grow when we work as a community. When collaborating for equal access, there is no superiority, competition, nor one-upmanship, but simply a community coming together to make publishing an equal place for all. This creates a positive culture of trust and support. To quote one of the integral members of this community, Simon Mellins, “If you tried to draw a Venn diagram of ‘People who work in accessibility’ with ‘Lovely human beings’, you’d just end up with a circle!”
In conclusion, the journey toward accessible publishing is not one that can be taken alone. It requires strong allyship, where individuals and organizations alike champion inclusivity, and a supportive community that fosters innovation and accountability. Taylor & Francis, along with its partners, continues to prioritize accessibility through collaboration, advocacy, and a shared vision of inclusivity. As the publishing world navigates the complexities of regulations like the European Accessibility Act, it is through collective effort that real progress will be made. Together, we can build a more equitable publishing landscape, ensuring that no reader is left behind.
Our thanks to Stacy for this article which celebrates our own collaboration with T&F as part of the inclusive publishing partner initiative.