The Future of Accessible Publishing: EPUB 3
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) has launched its re-branded “ABC Global Book Service” (formerly TIGAR Service) that enables libraries for the blind in different countries to exchange books in accessible formats. At the same time, ABC also encourages the production of “born accessible” books.
Accessible EPUB 3 is the “gold standard” in the publishing industry for the production of accessible digital books as publishers can:
- use the accessibility features of the EPUB 3 standard for the production of digital publications;
- include descriptions of the accessibility features of their products in the information they provide to retailers and others in the book supply chain.
If its accessibility features are used correctly, EPUB 3 allows for the creation of an electronic file that can be used to produce accessible digital books in various formats, for example:
- an audio book with a synthesized voice (text-to-speech);
- embossed braille; or
- electronic braille (braille read on a computer or a portable device).
More information is available on the ABC website.
